Pets a Threat to Gadgets?

TIME recently reported that pets may be a threat to the safety and longevity of your gadgets. Is anyone surprised? Most of you probably have a story of at least a close-call between your dog and an iPad or cell phone.

Eight million electronic devices are harmed by pets each year according to a study sponsored by SquareTrade Inc, a San Francisco company that sells extended warranty plans for consumer electronics. Since you've probably been through several in the past year regardless of your pet's involvement, you won't be surprised to hear that mobiles make up one-third of all devices vandalized by furry friends.

SquareTrade made a few more interesting finds:

• Incidents happened 66% of the time when pets were left alone with the devices in question.
• 17% of the incidents happened when owners believed their pets were "angry" with them.
• Males pets were 50% more likely to damage a device than female pets. 
• Overprotective pets were twice as likely to damage a device. 

Of course, SquareTrade wants you to buy an extended warranty, so their stats include even a lick from your pet, but the study does remind pet owners to be a little more careful with their electronic devices.