This International Dog Day, OKCupid reveals the depth of the connection between humans and our furry friends. By Team Viva
Who doesn’t love waking up to warm fuzzy cuddles in the morning or having someone wait at the door when they return home from work after a long time? For those of us who aren’t dating, this companionship is offered by innocent round eyes and tails that start wagging every single time there is food around; our furry four-legged friends that make our hearts melt every time they smile.
One of the purest forms of love that exists is the one between a person and their pets. One’s ability to showcase love and affection can be determined from how they treat their pet — qualities that are essential to a human relationship too. OkCupid has always been a platform which empowers users to find their kind of love based on shared interests, quirks and beliefs and for some daters, their pets are simply part of the package! On account of International Dog Day, celebrated yesterday, the premiere dating app, shared data from its in-app questions on how millennial daters in their search for unconditional love, look at the relationships their potential partners have with their furry friends.
Responses shared by daters on the app suggest that 67 per cent users would either love to have a furry friend, or already do. Those who are on the lookout for love also have a soft spot for rescued animals, with 81 per cent users saying that they would date a person who rescues stray animals and brings them home. Confirming this further, 66 per cent said they would prefer to adopt a pet rather than purchasing one from a breeder. Coming to how these adorable animals can help daters in their search for love, pets are also the purr-fect conversation starters for 31 per cent millennials, coming in a close second behind talking about goals, plans and wishes. In fact, 53 per cent users feel that pet owners who ‘baby-talk’ with their pets are endearing. Fair to say, millennials feel that talking in cute ‘baby voices’ to one’s pets shows a person’s sensitive side, a great quality to look for when searching for your kind of love!
To further understand how OkCupid’s users feel about these four-legged bundles of joy and how their pet beliefs can impact their search for love, the dating app’s study revealed some notable insight for the following questions:
Would you allow a pet to sleep on your bed?
43 per cent users have said they would allow their pet to sleep on their bed alongside them, while 32 per cent would not prefer their pets to sleep on their bed.
Are you a cat person or a dog person?
Most users on Okcupid are pet lovers, with 41 per cent saying they prefer dogs. 26 per cent saying they love both dogs and cats, 6 per cent love cats exclusively, while 27 per cent were of the opinion that they don’t like either.
Do you like large dogs?
63 per cent responded with a resounding yes for the large burly animals, while 37 per cent would prefer small dogs running around in their lives.
When a dog licks your face, what is your reaction?
42 per cent users claimed they would respond with ‘Aww, how cute!’ when a dog licks their face and showers them with kisses while 26 per cent users would prefer to not let dogs lick their face, and the remaining 32 per cent aren’t exactly sure how they would react.
Would you run into a burning building to rescue your pet?
59 per cent said they would rush to rescue their pet without a doubt, and only 1 per cent said that they wouldn’t. Well, that’s comforting.