50 per cent of pets not vaccinated
New figures from the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) have demonstrated that 11million UK pets are vulnerable to preventable diseases.
The research suggests that while 40 per cent of owners would risk their own lives to save their pet, nearly 50 per cent of pets are not vaccinated or neutered to protect them from disease.
A spokesman said: "More than 11 million pets could die prematurely in the next decade from devastating preventable illnesses such as parvovirus, feline leukaemia and certain forms of cancer because their owners are failing to vaccinate or neuter them."
Two surveys in 2007 and 2010 by the National Office of Animal Health (NOAH) also found that those who do not regularly vaccinate their pet do not believe it's relevant to their situation. Those who did vaccinate regularly felt that being a responsible pet owner meant preventing disease.
"Perhaps to some extent vaccination has been a victim of its own success, with many owners not seeing the infectious diseases that vaccines prevent in their pets or the pets of their friends," said Donal Murphy, technical executive and veterinary surgeon at NOAH.
"Yet once the level of vaccination in the population drops, the disease incidence starts to rise," he added.
Visit the PDSA website for more information on the report.
Veterinary practices are being urged to help owners safely dispose of any unused and expired pet medicines - not just antibiotics - during November's Animal Medicines Amnesty. 
