Three quarters of UK pet owners are expected to buy Christmas presents for their pets this year - an increase of almost 5 per cent, or 1.5 million people, on last year.

According to the survey carried out for pet charity The Blue Cross, although more owners will be buying their pet presents this year they will be spending less; only GBP96 million in 2004 compared to GBP100 million in 2003.

The lengths the nation's animal lovers will go to make their pets' Christmas special goes beyond material gifts with 66 per cent of people, over three quarters of which are in the south west, admitting they will feed their pet from their plate this Christmas day.

Women are most likely to include their pets' names on Christmas cards to friends and relatives, while men will spend more on their pets. Pet owners in the north, west, east, Yorkshire and Scotland are the most generous overall whereas those in London may be the most tightfisted, but they will spend more time with their pets this Christmas than any other region.

Steve Broomfield, southern regional manager for The Blue Cross, said: "It is great to see that we think about our animals at Christmas, but would urge people to spare a thought for those animals who face a Christmas without a home through no fault of their own. The Blue Cross often sees an increase in the number of pets being dumped in the weeks leading up to Christmas."

The Blue Cross, which takes in unwanted and abandoned pets at its 11 animal centres across Britain, is reaching crisis point with some of its centres full to capacity with animals needing homes.

A Staffordshire bull terrier called Toby was recently brought into one Blue Cross centre by its owners who felt unable to cope in the run up to Christmas. As the Blue Cross centre was already full, staff could not take in Toby and offered to contact the couple once there was room.
Some hours later Blue Cross staff received a report that a Staffordshire bull terrier was running loose in a local industrial estate. When staff went to investigate they found the abandoned animal was Toby.

To make a donation towards the cost of food and shelter for unwanted animals at The Blue Cross visit www.bluecross.org.uk or call +44-(0)1993-822651.