Your pet is adding £140 a YEAR to your energy bills – how to avoid it

ANIMAL lovers are wasting hundreds of pounds a year by leaving the heating on for their furry friends, experts said.

Energy and pet professionals have warned dog and cat owners not to leave their heating on when they leave the house.

Cats and dogs’ body temperatures are 3-4 degrees higher than humans’

That’s because it can add £140 a year to your energy bills – and your pets don’t need the heat, anyway.

The Energy Saving Trust found that more than 40 per cent of pet owners admit to leaving their heating on during the day to keep their pets warm, the Liverpool Echo reported.

And with energy bills high and rising – and only set to get even costlier – the savings to be made on needless heating use are even more crucial.

More than half of dog owners and 47 per cent of cat owners worry their pet will be cold if the heating is switched off, Webbox Natural found.

But both pets are actually supposed to live outside and will be perfectly fine with the temperatures, one animal expert explained.

Webbox Natural nutritionist Jennifer Dean said: “Our cats and dogs are designed for the outdoors.

“Unless they’re particularly vulnerable in terms of their health or they’re young puppies, you don’t need to leave the central heating on for them, even if the mercury plummets outside.”

Dean added that cats and dogs’ internal body temperatures are around three or four degrees higher than humans’, meaning they can withstand frostier climes better than their homosapien owners.

So if you want to take the best care of your pets without breaking the bank, leave plenty of fluffy blankets and cosy places for them to sleep while you’re away.

We’ve reported that cat owners face £500 fines if they fail to install a chip in their feline friend.

Meanwhile vet practices are overloaded right now, but our resident vet expert has advice for desperate dog and cat owners.

And here’s the correct temperature to walk your dog in – and when they’re likely to get too cold.