Good News – according to a recent survey* pet ownership is up; 68 percent of American households now have a pet. There are 84.6 million households that have a pet compared to2015 when there were 79.7 million pet-owning households.

The demographic group called Mellennial/Gen Y is responsible for this increase. This group defined roughly as those born between 1980 and 2000 have exceeded prior numbers of pet ownership – they now account for 35 percent of all pet owners. Rather than becoming homeowners, car owners or parents they are choosing to adopt or buy pets. Their “fur babies” offer companionship and commitment during an unstable period when they are struggling to start their careers, find affordable housing, perhaps pay off school loans, and establish financial security. They are most likely the first generation to grow up thinking of pets more like family than animals. Consequently they prepare for pet parenting the same way as people prepare for their first child; they read pet parenting books and do the research.  They are taking pet parenting to a new level –maybe they should be known as Generation Pet!

* American Pet Products Association (APPA) – 2017-2018 National Pet Owners Survey