Brea, Calif. (Feb. 8, 2007) – If you find yourself cuddling up with your furry friends each night when you go to bed, you’re not alone.

In a recent survey of Veterinary Pet Insurance (VPI) policyholders and other pet owners who visited petinsurance.com, 56 percent of those who responded said their pet sleeps right next to them each night.

The latest opinion poll was delivered to VPI policyholders through its newsletter, The Retriever, and was also accessible on the company Web site, my.petinsurance.com/newsletter.

Of the nearly 8,000 respondents, 21 percent said their pet sleeps in a pet bed, 18 percent claimed their pet sleeps at the foot of the bed, and 5 percent of pets sleep on the couch. A paltry 1 percent of polled pet owners said their pet sleeps outside.

“Our pets have made a definitive move from the barnyard, to the backyard, to the bedroom,” said Dr. Carol McConnell, director of veterinary services for VPI. “With the human-animal bond stronger than ever, more pet owners are taking care of their pets like they would a family member. Our pets are spending more time indoors with the entire family, and now they share the comforts of a soft mattress with the family, too.”

The VPI poll results are in accordance with other similar surveys of pet owners. In a survey of cat owners on About.com, 47 percent of respondents said their cat sleeps with them each night. And on Dogster.com – a Web community of dog lovers who share stories, pictures and advice with other like-minded pet owners – one “pooch parent” asked the community where their pets sleep at night. In more than 20 Web pages of responses, the answers varied: Sadie Lady sleeps on the bed with “Mom and Dad,” Storm nods off on a “big, poofy blanket” on the floor, and Maggie sleeps under the bed, where it’s cooler.