That Bites: American Pet Owners Have Spent $14.6 Billion Repairing or Replacing Devices Damaged by Their Furry Friends

SquareTrade(R) Finds Owners Each Have Lost More than 3 Devices Due to Pet Misbehavior


SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwired - April 11, 2017) - In celebration of National Pet Day, SquareTrade, the highly rated protection plan trusted by millions of happy customers, today released its Pet Break Stuff Damage Report, which looks at the electronics damage caused by our four-legged friends. Smartphones were the most susceptible to damage, with 59 percent of owners reporting their smartphones were manhandled by their pets.

Taking a closer look at these pet accidents, SquareTrade also learned:

  • Expensive chew toys - chewing on devices was by far the most common form of device damage (59 percent) with knocking off the counter (19 percent) and liquid spills (10 percent) trailing behind.
  • Claws and effect - With half of surveyed pet owners reporting they leave their pets alone for more than six hours a day, it's no wonder 73 percent reported their pet was bored at the time damage occurred.
  • Number one suspect - the most common traits of destructive pets were male (63 percent), small (55 percent) and middle-aged (58 percent). Maybe you can teach an old dog new tricks?

For the full interactive report head to: www.squaretrade.com/petsbreakstuff

"Got a bored pet? Think twice before leaving your smartphone nearby," said Jason Siciliano, vice president global creative director at SquareTrade. "Your pet sees you playing with it all day, so why not them? See ya, $800!"

If you're worried about your pets and electronics getting too close for comfort, ensure peace of mind with a SquareTrade protection plan.

Methodology

Data Sources:

  1. SquareTrade's 2017 Pets Survey conducted in February 2017 using Qualtrics Panels, an aggregator of leading market research panels. Feedback was collected from 1,051 online consumers.
  2. The American Pet Products Association's 2015-2016 National Pet Owners Study.

NOTE: Total dollars figures based on a combination of data sources 1 and 2.

About SquareTrade

SquareTrade is a highly rated protection plan provider trusted by millions of customers for its fast and efficient service. SquareTrade protects mobile devices, laptops and tablets, and other consumer electronics and appliances from malfunctions, accidental damage and life's frequent mishaps. A member of the Allstate family, SquareTrade is headquartered in San Francisco and London. For more information, go to www.squaretrade.com

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SquareTrade Pets Break Stuff Damage Report