A pet vets charity is urging pet owners to learn the basics of pet welfare to mark National Love Your Pet Day. PDSA said its latest Animal Wellbeing Report found that although pets are well loved, more than half (56%) of owners weren't familiar with their responsibilities under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, despite these being essential to provide the best chance of a happy and healthy life. The survey also reported that 91% of pet owners said having a pet improves their life, 88% said it makes them mentally healthier while 71% said it makes them physically healthier, and 70% said pets have been a lifeline during tough times. PDSA is encouraging all owners to familiarise themselves with the following five welfare needs:

• Health – protection from pain, injury, suffering and disease and seeking treatment if they become ill or injured.
• Behaviour – opportunity to behave naturally for their species such as to play, run, dig, jump, fly etc.
• Companionship – to be housed with, or apart from, other animals as appropriate for the species, such as company of their own kind for sociable species like rabbits or guinea pigs, or to be housed alone for solitary species like hamsters.
• Diet – a suitable diet._This can include feeding appropriately for the pet’s life stage and feeding a suitable amount to prevent obesity or malnourishment, as well as access to clean fresh water.
• Environment – a suitable environment._This should include the right type of home with a comfortable place to rest and hide as well as space to exercise and explore.

Shauna Walsh, PDSA vet nurse, said: "What better way to show our pets we care this National Love Your Pet Day than to make sure we understand how to keep them happy and healthy? “We are a nation of proud pet owners, but pet ownership can be full of surprises, so it’s always worth doing your research using credible sources to make sure you know how best to look after them. "Understanding the five animal welfare needs is a great place to start and the good news is that PDSA has lots of free information to help people to be the best pet owners they can be." To help people understand how best to keep their pet happy and healthy, PDSA provides a free onlinePet Health Hub (opens new tab), which is packed with bitesize guidance for current pet owners and anyone thinking about getting a pet. There, people can gain answers to some of the most common questions about pet ownership, ranging from advice on neutering, flea and worm treatment and pet insurance, through to how to buy a pet responsibly or even how to understand a pet's body language. Visit www.pdsa.org.uk/love-your-pet (opens new tab) for more information.