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TL;DR: 40% of Americans would choose a pet over a child if forced to pick. Eighty-three percent of pet owners say their pet feels like their own child. Younger owners are cutting personal spending – and taking on debt – to fund pet care.
Download the full State of Pets report for the complete breakdown by generation, income, and category.
Pet ownership isn’t a lifestyle choice anymore. For a growing share of Americans, it’s the whole plan.
The Harris Poll surveyed 2,070 U.S. adults, including 1,625 pet owners, to understand how deeply pets now shape spending, relationships, and even policy demands. The results describe a shift marketers and policymakers can’t ignore.
Pets are winning the family debate
Given a straight choice between having a pet or a child in the future, 40% of Americans pick pets. Only 21% pick children. The remaining 39% want both.
The emotional stakes go deeper than preference. Eighty-three percent of pet owners agree their pet feels like their own child. Among Gen Z and Millennials, 55% have thought about building a life around pets instead of having kids, and 54% would leave their pet an inheritance if they could.
Why pets win over kids, according to the people making the choice:
- Not the right life stage for a child (45%)
- Pets are easier to care for (35%)
- Pets are less of a financial strain (32%)
- Pets are less of a responsibility (28%)
- A preference to be child-free (24%)
Pets have also moved into the dating conversation. Forty-nine percent of single pet owners say they’ve given up on finding a romantic partner and rely on their pet for companionship instead. Seventy-eight percent say not treating pets like family is a red flag in a potential partner.
The cost of companionship is rising – and owners are absorbing it
Pet ownership now comes with a real budget line, and younger owners are spending far more than older generations across nearly every category.
Gen Z and Millennial pet owners outspend Gen X and Boomers on toys (83% vs. 67%), pet insurance (61% vs. 22%), and prescribed medication (52% vs. 35%). Seventy-seven percent say they keep a separate budget just for their pet.
That spending comes at a cost. To afford it, younger owners are:
- Cooking at home more instead of ordering takeout (61%)
- Cutting back on comfort purchases for themselves (45%)
- Taking on extra work or side gigs (37%)
- Delaying their own medical appointments (25%)
- Moving to a smaller or less expensive place (26%)
29% of Gen Z and Millennial pet owners – more than double the rate among Gen X and Boomers – say they’re now in debt because of pet-related expenses.
Younger owners are splurging, too
Belt-tightening on personal spending hasn’t stopped younger pet owners from treating their pets to extras once reserved for luxury purchases.
Among Gen Z and Millennial pet owners, 49% have designed a specific part of their home around their pet, 41% have thrown their pet a birthday celebration, and 30% have dressed their pet in designer clothing. Thirty-one percent have visited a bar or café catered specifically to pets.
What this means for you: the pet category isn’t just growing. It’s splitting into a premium tier of spend that younger, higher-income owners treat as non-negotiable.
Pet owners want policy to catch up
The financial pressure is fueling a clear policy wish list. Sixty-nine percent of pet owners would adopt their pet as a legal dependent if they could. Sixty-eight percent believe pet owners should get tax breaks for food and medical costs, similar to child-related deductions.
Other changes pet owners want to see:
- Tax deductions for pet ownership (42%)
Rent control or caps on pet fees and deposits (37%)
Pets added as dependents on health insurance plans (36%)
Paid time off specifically for vet visits and pet emergencies (36%)
44% percent of pet owners say today’s cost of living makes them worry about affording the life their pet deserves – a number that climbs to 59% among LGBTQ+ owners and 55% among lower-income households.
AI hasn’t touched the bond
Despite a wave of AI pet products entering the market, 86% of pet owners say AI pets could never replace the emotional bond they have with a real animal.
That doesn’t mean owners are closed to spending on their pet’s future. Sixty-eight percent of all pet owners – rising to 75% among Gen Z and Millennials – say they’d pay for a medical drug that extends their pet’s life. Interest in more speculative services, like pet trust funds and genetic cloning, also runs notably higher among younger owners.
The full State of Pets report breaks down spending, sentiment, and policy demand by generation, income, and pet type – everything you need to understand where the pet parenting trend goes next.
Download The State of Pets Report 2026
Frequently asked questions
Do more Americans prefer pets or children? When forced to choose, 40% of Americans say they’d prefer to have a pet, compared to 21% who’d prefer a child. And 39% want both.
How much more do younger pet owners spend than older owners? Gen Z and Millennial pet owners outspend Gen X and Boomers across nearly every category, with the widest gaps in pet insurance (39-point gap) and clothing (30-point gap).
Are pet owners going into debt for their pets? Twenty-nine percent of Gen Z and Millennial pet owners say they’re facing debt because of pet-related expenses, compared to 14% of Gen X and Boomers.
About the research
This survey was conducted online within the U.S. by The Harris Poll from April 24–26, 2026, among a nationally representative sample of 2,070 U.S. adults aged 18 and over, including 1,625 pet owners. The sample comprised 338 Gen Z (ages 18–29), 721 Millennials (ages 30–45), 506 Gen X (ages 46–61), and 505 Boomers (ages 62 and older). Comparison data referenced from 2024 draws on a Harris Poll survey conducted May 24–26, 2024, among 2,125 U.S. adults, including 1,594 pet owners.
