PET OWNERSHIP IN URBAN FAMILIES IN THE UAE

This study investigated the relationship between particular demographic characteristics and pet ownership among urban families in the Emirates. Participants consisted of 299 parents from households with either cats or small dogs in Ajman, recruited via convenience selection from both Emirati citizens and expatriates. The data collection was executed by an online questionnaire disseminated via WhatsApp, available from October 25, 2024, to March 1, 2025. The questionnaire had a query evaluating participants' views on pets as family members, offering 13 response possibilities. Statistical analysis employed Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) to investigate the relationship between demographic characteristics and pet ownership, with the Scheffe test utilised for post hoc comparisons. Statistical significance was determined with a p-value of less than 0.05, and analyses were conducted using SPSS. The results revealed that 53.2% of the participants were dog proprietors, whereas 46.8% own cats. The ANOVA results indicated no statistically significant differences in pet ownership among the majority of demographic variables. The Scheffe test revealed substantial disparities related to monthly family income, favouring households with earnings of < 38,000, as well as social position, indicating that moms were more inclined to own pets. A significant gender-based preference was observed females favoured cats, while males preferred dogs, indicating possible underlying social or cultural influences.