PDSA's 2026 PAW Report highlights knowledge gaps among UK pet owners

PDSA, the veterinary charity, has published its 2026 Animal Wellbeing (PAW) Report, the UK's largest annual survey of pet welfare. This year's edition, titled "The Knowledge Gap: What Pet Owners Don't Know About Their Pets", looks at where owners' understanding falls short, both before a pet comes home and in caring for it afterwards.

Among the findings: 21% of owners did no research at all before buying or rescuing their pet, and only around one in six looked into the likely cost of ownership beforehand. For dogs specifically, roughly a third of owners (32%) walk their dog for 30 minutes or less a day, and only one in six believe their dog needs to lose weight, a figure PDSA suspects significantly understates the true scale of canine obesity in the UK.

To help close these gaps, PDSA has launched the Pet Check Challenge, a short online quiz that lets owners test their own knowledge against the report's findings and points them towards further guidance. For breeders and prospective owners alike, the report is a useful reminder that responsible ownership starts well before a puppy arrives home, with realistic expectations about exercise, cost and body condition set from the outset.