Brits pass up modern safety precautions to rely on man’s best friend

Millions of Britons rely on their pets for their home safety, rather than use other modern safety measures according to the recent Safety Uncovered research by Legal & General.

The results reveal that one in five (20%) Brits have a dog as a safety precaution. Yet, only 20% of those dog owners also have a burglar alarm installed, the other 80% relying on their canine friend to protect their property.

And, despite a 75% increase in the number of dognappings last year in London alone, fewer than half (47%) of those keeping a dog as a security measure, worry about the safety of their pet.

The latest Legal & General Safety Uncovered research, which aims to understand Briton’s perceptions of security, asked a GB representative sample of over 4,000 adults about their perceptions of safety.

Key findings

A dog may be seen as man’s best friend, but it’s women that rely most on their furry friends for protection, 22% owning a dog as a safety precaution, compared to 17% of men.

The over 50s are twice as likely as younger Britons to consider owning a dog as a security measure (24% compared to 12% of 18 to 29 year olds).

Despite recent concern over attacks by dangerous dogs, just 3% of the population have worried about being attacked by a dangerous animal in the last three months.

The Welsh are the most likely to rely on dogs to keep them safe, 27% owning a dog as a security measure compared to 12% of Londoners.

Ruth Wilkins, Head of Communications at Legal & General’s general insurance business commented:“These results show a concerning reliance amongst the British population on dogs for their personal protection as well as their home. But people should also think about other precautions before relying solely on a dog for their security. Dogs can act as a very effective deterrent to would-be thieves but unfortunately can also provide little protection in the eventuality of a break in. There are few things in life more important than one’s home so homeowners should ensure that their homes are secure by installing more suitable security devices such as burglar alarms, good quality door and window locks. Particularly, as it may be possible to receive a discount on the cost of your cover by doing so.”