US EditionPaw-rental differences: How each generation views their pets
- In April 2025, Vetster commissioned Talker Research to conduct an online survey involving a total of 2,000 working pet owners, evenly representing four generational groups, to explore attitudes and spending related to cats and dogs.
- The study stems from increasing pet parenthood, with 42% of respondents lacking human children and younger generations viewing pets as children or siblings.
- Gen Z spends $216.20 monthly on pets, nearly twice baby boomers' $134, and expresses willingness to seek creative funding, including loans, selling cars, or organ selling to cover costs.
- Mark Bordo, Vetster CEO, reported 58% of respondents want to bring pets on vacation, 37% to work, and 35% to grocery stores, while 53% work in pet-friendly workplaces that aid pet care.
- The data suggests pets significantly improve owners’ lives across generations, with older groups seeing pets as companions and younger groups strongly identifying as caregivers, influencing pet-related expenditures and lifestyle.
35 Articles
35 Articles
Paw-rental differences: How each generation views their pets
Half of Gen Z Americans consider themselves mom and dad — to their pet, according to new research. Older generations don’t. From a companion to their literal child, different generations approach pet parenthood in different ways. A survey of 2,000…
Gen Z Thinks Their Pets Are Their Children — And They're Not Joking About It
A new study is shedding light on the evolving relationship between people and their pets — and it turns out Gen Z is taking "pet parenthood" to a whole new level. According to a recent survey of 2,000 employed dog and cat owners across generations, nearly half of Gen Z respondents (48%) consider their pets to be equivalent to human children. That's right — for many of them, their furry friends aren’t just animals, they’re their kids. RELATED: Th…
Paws & Claws Car Show
The seventh annual Paws & Claws Car Show took place Saturday, May 10, in Brit Spaugh Park. There were show vehicles and vendors, with proceeds benefitting the Golden Belt Humane Society. Dogs on leashes were welcome. The ones shown here were a dog available for adoption (left) and one previously adopted from the shelter.
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