Is taking care of your pet more stressful than being a parent?

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IS TAKING CARE OF YOUR PET MORE STRESSFUL THAN BEING A PARENT?

NEW RESEARCH SHOWS THAT SOME PEOPLE CERTAINLY BELIEVE THAT!

A SURVEY OF 2,000 PET OWNERS, WHICH FOUND PEOPLE ARE MORE STRESSED ABOUT THEIR ABILITY TO CARE FOR THEIR FUR BABY (42%) THAN THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH A PARTNER (37%) OR THEIR EVEN THEIR OWN KIDS (30%).

CONDUCTED BY ONEPOLL ON BEHALF OF ELLEVET SCIENCES, THE SURVEY FOUND OVER HALF (51%) THINK THEIR FUR PALS ARE ALSO EXPERIENCING STRESS.

WHEN ASKED WHAT WOULD HELP THEIR PET FEEL CALMER, THEIR HUMAN COMPANIONS SUGGESTED SOLUTIONS SUCH AS SPENDING MORE TIME OUTSIDE (47%), CONNECTING WITH OTHER PETS (46%), SPENDING MORE TIME WITH THEM (44%) AND SEEING A PET THERAPIST (43%).

THE SURVEY ALSO FOUND PEOPLE THINK ABOUT THEIR PET AGING AS MUCH AS THEY THINK ABOUT GETTING OLDER THEMSELVES (65% EACH).

PET PARENTS’ TOP STRESSORS

• My finances - 54%
• My job/career - 49%
• My ability to take care of my pet - 42%
• My health/wellness - 40%
• My romantic relationship - 37%
• My kid(s) - 30%

WHAT WOULD HELP PETS FEEL LESS STRESSED, ACCORDING TO PET OWNERS?

• Spending more time outside - 47%
• Connecting with other pets - 46%
• Spending more time with me - 44%
• A pet therapist - 43%
• A change in diet - 38%
• A massage - 37%
• Vitamins/supplements - 31%

Pet owners who had a childhood pet think of them 3.46 times a week x 52 weeks = 179.92 times a year

Survey methodology:

This random double-opt-in survey of 2,000 pet owners was commissioned by ElleVet Sciences between Sept. 8 and Sept. 16, 2023. It was conducted by market research company OnePoll, whose team members are members of the Market Research Society and have corporate membership to the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) and the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR).