Brits prefer hugging pets over close relatives

Most pet owners in UK prefer to hug their animals rather than a close relative when feeling low, a new survey has found.
Half of the 1,124 Britons quizzed for My Social Petwork, a social network for pets, said they acted in such a way and a third said they spend up to 30 days a year caring for their pets.
One in five has cancelled social plans to be with their pet, the survey conducted by OpinionMatters found.
The survey also suggested that one in five pet owners regularly uses social networking sites Facebook or Twitter to share pet images, and 10 per cent of people have taken their pet to occasions such as christenings or weddings, BBC News reported.

About 7 per cent of owners have cancelled a date and 4 per cent have called in sick to work because of their pets, the survey said.
A quarter of UK pet owners said their pet was more like a child to them than a pet, while 15 per cent said their pet was someone that they confided in with their problems.