Poll reveals 14% would choose pet over spouse in US

A survey has found that 14% of people in US would rather choose their pet over their spouse or partner.

The AP-Petside.com poll conducted by GfK Roper public affairs and corporate communications also showed that 84% of current pet owners would hold on to their spouse or significant other.

Unmarried people are more likely to choose their pet over their mate, which amounts to 25% among unmarried pet owners versus 8% among the married.

Count Fidel Martinez, 30, of Akron, Ohio, said he would give up his girlfriend but not Killer his mix-breed, 100-pound rescue dog.

"I would absolutely give up my girlfriend for him. I know it sounds insane but I've had numerous relationships with women. My dog has never let me down," the New York Daily News quoted him as saying.

Women are far more apt than men to say the human-pet choice would be a tough one (40% among women compared with 26% among men), but both genders are more likely to hold on to their partners.

There was also no difference between dog and cat owners, with 35% of each saying the choice would be a hard one and more than eight in 10 would choose their spouse.

Urban dwellers (47%) are more apt to say they'd have a difficult time choosing than did suburbanites (35%) or rural residents (25%).