27 April 2010

Consider Both Time And Cost Commitments Of Giving Cats And Dogs A New Home

• M&S Premier Insurance offers up to £7,000 a year in vets' fees for illness and injury

With April being National Pet month (3 April- 3 May) and RSPCA Week running from 26 April to 2 May, M&S Pet Insurance is offering top tips to potential pet owners.

Thousands of cats and dogs are abandoned in the UK each year*, and almost a third (32%) of Brits become dog-owners through visiting an animal rescue centre**.

Andrew Ferguson, M&S Head of General Insurance, said: “Becoming a pet owner can be a very enjoyable and rewarding experience, particularly when providing a loving home to a cat or dog that has previously been abandoned.

"But adopting a dog or cat can be a serious time and financial commitment.  Many pets find themselves homed in shelters because previous owners have had a change in circumstances, or they may have underestimated the cost of upkeep and time undertaking required.

"Potential pet owners need to give careful consideration to how any pet adoption might impact on their lifestyles and pockets before deciding on a new animal addition to the family."

M&S Pet Insurance offers cover for cats and dogs from eight weeks old, with no upper age limit. New customers receive a 15% online discount.

M&S Pet Insurance policyholders have access to a 24-hour advice line, 365 days a year. Vetfone™ nurses provide concerned animal lovers with immediate advice on a pet’s condition and can decide whether emergency medical treatment is required.

M&S Pet Insurance pointers when looking to adopt a cat or dog:

• Picking the right lifestyle pet – research has shown that one of the most popular reasons for owning a cat is that they are easy to maintain***.  A person with a busy schedule and less time to offer, should consider adopting a cat as they are more independent and less demanding of time than a dog
• Healthcare – vet bills can be costly and some breeds are more prone to illnesses than others.  Before adopting a pet, it is worth researching which breeds are prone to potentially costly conditions such as arthritis and diabetes.  By putting adequate pet insurance in place pet owners can safeguard against these costs.
• Breed – the larger the dog, the larger the investment required in terms of exercise time and feeding costs on an ongoing basis.
• Age – puppies will require more training time than if adopting an older dog. They may also require a greater upfront investment in terms of paying for vaccinations and spaying costs.

For more information about M&S Pet Insurance or to apply, customers can visit www.marksandspencer.com/petinsurance or telephone 0800 731 4280.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

* bbc.co.uk/27 April 2009 quotes RSPCA statistics of 11,586 abandoned animals in 2008, and 1,432 animals were abandoned in the first two months of 2009.
** Pet ownership statistics (2008) Pet Food Manufacturers Association
*** Pet ownership statistics (2010) Pet Food Manufacturers Association

For further information please call the M&S Money press office:

Simon Coughlin on 020 7992 1574
simon.coughlin@mandsmoney.com

Liz Neild on 01244 686 068
liz.a.neild@mandsmoney.com

M&S Money (the trading name of Marks & Spencer Financial Services) was founded in 1985 as the financial services division of Marks and Spencer Group plc, making 2010 the company's 25th anniversary.

The company is a top-ten credit card provider and the second-largest travel money retailer in the UK.  M&S Money also offers a range of insurance cover, including home insurance and car insurance, as well as loans, savings and investment products.

In November 2004, Marks & Spencer sold M&S Money to HSBC. HSBC Holdings plc, the parent company of the HSBC Group, is headquartered in London. The Group serves customers worldwide from around 8,500 offices in 86 countries and territories in Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, the Americas, the Middle East and Africa. With assets of US$2,422 billion at 30 June 2009, HSBC is one of the world's largest banking and financial services organisations. HSBC is marketed worldwide as 'the world's local bank'.

M&S Money has an executive committee comprising an equal number of representatives from HSBC and Marks & Spencer.

M&S Pet Insurance policies are provided by RSA Insurance Group plc.