Dog Disasters, Cat Catastrophes: SquareTrade Study Shows Pets Cost Owners More Than $3 Billion in Damaged Devices

SquareTrade^®, the #1 rated protection plan trusted by millions of happy customers, today revealed new research about Americans and their pets. The study shows that American pets have bitten, chewed, licked, drooled upon, and otherwise damaged more than eight million devices, which adds up to more than $3 Billion in repair and replacement costs. The most commonly damaged device is the smartphone, which accounts for one third of all devices damaged. The study also found that 3 out of 4 devices damaged were not covered by insurance or a protection plan.

"After seeing so many claims come in that involved pets, we decided to look into the data and see just how big a problem this was. And the results were pretty astounding," said Ty Shay, CMO at SquareTrade. "Using an $800 smartphone as a chew toy is a pricey slipup, not to mention it's the device most of us can't live without."

The types of accidents caused by our four legged friends are as diverse as the breeds we collectively love. While ultimately forgiven, the top animal accidents are: 

• Chewing:  Two-thirds of the accidents are caused by the pet putting the item in their mouth.
• Causing owner to drop: 21 percent of accidents happened while the owner was using the device.
• Vomiting / peeing: About 1 in 6 cat or dog owners say that one of their pets has thrown up on or gone to the bathroom on one of their electronics.

Two-thirds of the accidents happened while a pet was unsupervised.

Animal accidents are not just due to mischief or unruly behavior. The SquareTrade research investigated what pets are most risky and what human behavior increases the rate of accidental damage.

Are you at higher risk than other pet owners?

• Male pets: Male pets are 50% more likely than female pets to damage your devices.
• Peeved pets: 17% of pet owners believe that their pet damaged the device because it was angry with them.
• Overweight pets: 72% more likely to have a pet-related accident.
• Overprotective pets: 2x more likely to have a pet-related accident.

The survey also found that if you let your pets sleep in the bed with you or ride in your lap while driving, you are 2-3x more likely to have a pet-related accident.

Today, about half the nation's households include a dog or a cat, and 15% of Americans will buy a costume for their pet-- to the tune of $370 Million. But even more shocking is the toll our animals take on their electronics budget.

To improve pet owners device protection, SquareTrade offers the following tips for an accident free household:

1. Give your pets the attention, training and exercise they need so they have less interest in your gadgets.
2. Leave your devices high up and out of reach of curious dogs and cats.
3. Never charge devices at floor level or with exposed power cords.
4. Don't leave your device next to liquids of any sort.
5. Always use a protective case.

PRNewswire