We are a nation of pet lovers.
According to the Pet Food Manufacturers Association (PFMA) there are 9 million dogs and 8 million cats in the UK. A recent study by OnBuy.com using the data by the PFMA looked into the percentage of cats and dogs owned as pets per region. 
Highest percentage of dogs
The region with the highest percentage of homes with dogs is Northern Ireland with a total of 35%, the North East of England is second housing 33% and the East Midlands accounting for 31% of the dog population in the UK.
Lowest percentage of dogs
Looking at the other end of the scale, London accounted for the lowest percentage of households owning a dog, with just 9%. Although, this may not come as a surprise due to the city having limited interior space and less green areas compared to other regions in the country.
The region with the highest percentage of cats
In comparison, the highest region with the number of cats is in Wales and the South West England with both taking 22% respectively. Closely followed by the South East of England and East Midlands, with 20% each being open cat lovers.
The region with the lower percentage of cats
Scotland, the North East of England and London had the lowest percentage of cats with a total of 14%. In particular it is noticeable that London quite clearly prefers cats over dogs as there is a 5% difference between the amount of cats compared with dogs in the city.
