Americans Prefer Dogs — but Dream of Tigers, Giraffes

Biggest surprises? According to the survey, 1 in 5 people prefer to spend time with their pets over humans and 18% of respondents believe in the Loch Ness Monster

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According to the new poll, 26% of Americans would like a tiger as an exotic pet

Dog lovers, rejoice. A new poll by Public Policy Polling (PPP) found that more than half of American voters, or 52%, prefer dogs to just 21% who choose cats.

The PPP surveyed 603 registered voters over the phone between June 11 and June 13, covering a broad range of animal-related questions ranging from favorite movie-animal characters to whether cat owners are weird. Overall, the study found that most Americans are pet-friendly, with 6 in 10 voters owning a pet while 1 in 5 people prefer to spend time with their pets over humans.

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Women are slightly more likely to own a pet than men — 64% of them are pet owners compared with 58% of men — and also are likely to spend more time caring for the animal.

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Where to keep the family giraffe?

The survey also found that Americans are most afraid of snakes, with 21% ranking them as the scariest animal, followed by 19% finding alligators and 18% citing sharks as the most terrifying creatures. But in selecting an exotic pet, 26% of respondents named a tiger while 20% imagined a giraffe as a house pet.

And who was the most favored movie animal? Classic characters prevailed with the doe-eyed Bambi ranking the highest with 23% of the vote while 19% of the respondents picked Lassie as their favorite. The PPP survey even addressed mythical creatures, asking respondents whether they believe the Loch Ness Monster is real. While 64% said they don’t believe it, 18% said yes while another 18% said they are uncertain.

The poll also asked voters of how they view the Humane Society and PETA. While the Humane Society was viewed more favorably, surprisingly vegans and vegetarians have much lower support for these proanimal organizations, with a mere 22% of them supporting PETA and 45% supporting the Humane Society.

MORE: The Mystery of Animal Grief