12 April 2012
Workers increasingly want "peternity" leave to be at home when they buy a new animal, according to new research.
Owners are pulling a sickie so they can stay in the house with a new cat, dog or other pet.
Pet insurance provider Petplan said a study of 100 of its customers showed that some people had the same approach to pet ownership as child rearing.
Meanwhile, another report by Direct Line Pet Insurance revealed growing concern about pets being stolen or kidnapped.
A survey of 1,600 dog owners showed that almost half were worried about losing their animal through crime.
More than half had microchipped their dog in a bid to keep them out of harm's way.
