Stop, paws and listen! New AMI data has the scoop on our furry friends this International Pet Day.
The dog days are certainly not over with canine cuties responsible for around 73% of pet damage claims annually, AMI reveals.
And it’s not just paw prints at the scene. A dig through the last three years of claims data shows horses, sheep, and parrots feature on the suspect list too with cats, rabbits, and pigs also helping to compile an incredible 15,572 pet damage claims.
“The financial damage of those claims totals $32 million, so perhaps our pets have a keen eye for nice things too,” says AMI Executive General Manager Consumer Brands Paula ter Brake, who shares her home with rescue dog Bear, and a cat called Rosie.
“I’ve learnt that being an animal lover can come at a cost, but in celebrating International Pet Day tomorrow, a new toy might help keep gnawing teeth off your favourite furniture,” suggests Paula.
“The most commonly damaged household item by pets is carpet which makes up 44% of the list, followed by 12% for couches and 8% for glasses.”
Hold your horses
“While it’s not that surprising that dogs are our cheekiest housemates, we’ve also received claims for damage to property incurred by horses, sheep, and pigs.
“Canterbury is our top location for pet damage claims, which suggests that behind all that agricultural activity, farm animals are up to antics of their own,” says Paula.
Nibbling nuisances
And it seems everything in the house can be a chew toy when you have sharp teeth, over 20% of all pet damage claims made were for household contents that had been badly chewed, with $7 million paid towards those claims.
“Glasses are most at risk of becoming a chew toy, followed by carpets, hearing aids, couches, and dentures,” Paula adds.
Look what the cat dragged in
It turns out climate change isn’t the only contributor to flood risk. Since 2020, AMI has received 33 claims for flood damage after cats turned on water taps while their owners were out.
“It’s not that surprising to see that cats are answerable for 25% of the pet damage claims we receive,” Paula reveals.
Pandemic puppy boom
The general insurer also reports an overall 7% increase in pet damage claims since 2020, which suggests adoption rates are increasing in New Zealand.
“We saw a sudden surge in claims between April and July of 2020, when COVID-19 first reached New Zealand’s shores, so it’s possible this increase in claims was due to the ‘pandemic puppy boom’ reported through successive lockdowns,” continues Paula.
“It seems that we should prepare for the peculiar if we have pets.”
Ends
For more tips on how to keep your pets from nibbling on furniture, visit https://www.spca.nz/advice-and-welfare.
Animals most culpable*
Top five damaged household items*
Top five chewed household items*
*Extracted from AMI home and contents claims data from 1 January 2020 to 1 June 2023. Top five lists displaying only the top five items from the full data set of pet damage claims from 1 January 2020 to 1 June 2023.