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Britons' pets face health risks associated with passive smoking, and says shocking research from pet insurer More Than, the risks will increase when the ban on smoking in bars and restaurants comes in to force shortly in the UK.

With over a million smokers in the UK saying that they'll go out less because of the ban and now stay in and smoke because of the ban, this is putting the nation's pet cats, dogs, birds and other 'small furries' at serious health risks.

The research says that British pet owners enjoy a smoke, with nearly a quarter of them smoking every day. And 44 per cent of these admit that they do smoke indoors, often in the same room as their pet.

The effects of this smoking on pets can be the same as what humans can suffer from, such as respiratory problems, coughing, watery eyes and even life threatening diseases such as lung cancer and chronic bronchitis.

And in households where here are more than one smoker, the effects on animals are actually increased four-fold, says the research. Yet, despite the massive publicity about the ill affects of passive smoking, still many smokers continue to out the health of others ' including their pets ' at risk.

When asked, 38 per cent of pet owners who smoke said that they had not realised that passive smoking could endanger their pet's health. Yet only 11 per cent of the respondents to the survey said that they would stop smoking if they knew it could make their pets ill.

Sadly, three-quarters of a million smokers said that they would still continue smoking as normal, despite the warnings of the ill effects it could have on their animals.

If you are a smoker and you aren't prepared to quit, then do consider the health of your pet or pets. Try smoking out in the garden, or in a room where your pet doesn't go. Keep any communal areas well ventilated.

If they could speak, your pet would thank you for it.