We all know the phrase about dogs being ‘man’s best friend’, but it turns out that family pets really do act as close companions for many kids – in fact many feel closer to them than their own siblings!
A new study shows that many children prefer their dogs and cats to their brothers and sisters, and value their companionship more.
According to the University of Cambridge research, many kids also said they were just as likely to share a secret with their furry friends as they were with a sibling.
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The study was conducted with 12-year-olds from 77 families, each of which owned one or more pet and had more than one child, reports the Daily Mail.
The children revealed their satisfaction ratings with their pets were higher than those for their siblings, with girls enjoying a particularly close relationship with their animal pals.
'Anyone who has loved a childhood pet knows that we turn to them for companionship and disclosure, just like relationships between people,' says Camridge University's Dr Matthew Cassels, lead researcher in the study, which was published in the Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology.
We wonder who’d win if it was pets against parents!
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(Images: Getty)
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