Report by Kinship Reveals Modern Pet Parents’ Concerns and Expectations

62% of pet parents say their top priority is their pets’ happiness with 71% saying they could not have survived 2020 without them

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Kinship Partners, a data-driven collective reimagining the pet parenting experience to help people be the best pet parents they can be with innovative products and services, announced the results of the first-ever Modern Pet Parent Report today. After nearly a year of the pandemic, it is an understatement to say people’s lives have greatly changed. But there has been one constant: the connection between humans and their pets. As lockdowns forced pet parents to stay home and inspired others to adopt their first pet, the magnitude of comfort and joy our pets brought us was felt across the country. And pet parents want to return that love and care. In fact, pet parents feel a sense of stress and guilt, just like human parents. 62% of pet parents say their top priority is their pets’ happiness, and 80% say their pet(s) deserve more of their time this year. This makes sense, given 71% of pet parents say they could not have survived 2020 without their pet(s).

To further understand everything we can about pet parents, especially all the new ones, and the best ways to support them, Kinship surveyed more than 1,000 pet parents living in the United States. The results of the survey are below and infographics can be found here.

Impact of the Pandemic

As the COVID-19 pandemic brought on tumultuous times, longtime and new pet parents found solace in their four-legged family members.

Benefits of Pets: 84% pet parents say COVID-19 has made them realize how much they benefit from having their pet around. Additionally, 93% pet parents say 2020 was tough, but their pet brought them comfort, and 81% agree that if it weren’t for their pet, 2020 would have taken a greater emotional toll on them.
Enhanced Connections at Home: 90% of pet parents have built a stronger bond with their pet through 2020, and 86% of pet parents feel closer with their pet(s) than ever before. Furthermore, 91% of pet parents think that their pet has liked having them home more in 2020.
Mood Boosters: Even beyond the pandemic, many pet parents found emotional support in their pets. 94% agree that when they’ve had a bad day, their pet is there for them and 89% agree that when they are anxious, their pet calms them down.

Concerns of Pet Parents

The tremendous amount of love humans have for their pets can lead to worries about their pet parenting skills, as they are striving to provide the utmost care for their furry companions.

Stress About Skills: 52% say the thought of being a bad pet parent stresses them out. In addition, after becoming a pet parent, a third (31%) are still concerned about being a good pet parent, and 30% are still concerned about being able to take care of their pet the way they deserve.
Wellbeing Woes: The thing that stresses pet parents out the most is their pet getting sick (76%), their dog/cat having a chronic/long-term illness (73%), and potential unknown health issues (73%). In addition, 77% of pet parents are concerned about their pet’s future health.
Splurging on Care: While costs are a concern for many pet parents, they are still willing to splurge on food/treats (85%), toys (78%), and even clothing (48%) for their pet(s). In addition, when it comes to choosing products for their pet(s), they would choose their pet’s health/wellness (86%) over cost (14%).
Pets > Romantic Partners: 44% of pet parents who are married or in a relationship would spend more money on their pet than on gifts for their spouse or significant other.
Defining Success: To pet parents, success means making sure their pet is as healthy as possible (78%), followed by making sure their pet is as happy as possible (70%).

“At Kinship, we believe that a world that cares is a better world for all. That’s why we are obsessed with making pet care as exciting and effortless as possible for the new generation of pet parents,” says Leonid Sudakov, President of Kinship. “To support today’s pet parents, we must understand their journeys, from what inspires them to their biggest worries, and this report is a milestone in uncovering the most pressing areas of transformation in pet care.”

Priorities

While caring for a pet can be stressful at times, pet parents are rooted in their desire for their four-legged family members to live as happy of a life as possible.

Happiness First and Foremost: 62% of pet parents say their top priority is their pets’ happiness.
Redeeming 2020: Recognizing that 2020 has been tough, 82% of pet parents plan to spoil their pet in 2021 and 80% say their pet(s) deserve more of their time.
A Healthy Life: Health/life expectancy are among the top priorities for 50% of pet parents, second only to their pets’ happiness (62%). Furthermore, nearly all pet parents (93%) want to ensure their pet is healthy now to make sure they have a healthier future.
Healthcare Knowledge: 79% of pet parents wish they knew more about their pet’s health for preventative/preemptive care, 76% would like it if their pet could have personalized healthcare for their specific needs.

About the Survey

Kinship Partners, in partnership with Ipsos, conducted a 15-minute online survey among n=1,023 American pet parents living in the United States, who have either a cat or dog, do not work in the pet industry, and are age 18+. The survey includes a variety across gender, HHI, education, region, etc. The sample includes n=292 newer pet parents and n=731 longer-term pet parents. In addition ~20% of the sample consists of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) men and women.

The survey was completed between December 22, 2020 and January 4, 2021. The margin of error for the total sample at the 95% confidence interval is +/- 3.1 percentage points.

About Kinship Partners

Kinship is here to help everyone pet parent like a pro. Why? Because our pets make us better humans, and we owe them the best possible care. As allies to pet parents learning on the job, we use our data, products, and services to help people be the best pet parents they can be. We unite changemakers in pet care to break down barriers, open new doors, share insights, and advance our collective knowledge. By reimagining the pet parenting experience and upping people’s confidence, we’re helping the world find better ways to care.

Our coalition includes our world-leading Wisdom Panel™ DNA Test and Health Screening products for dogs, the award-winning Whistle™ GPS dog tracker and health monitor, Pet Insight Project, our ground-breaking science stream that uses AI to turn billions of data points into actionable insights, and partnerships like our Leap Venture Studio accelerator that supports innovators and start-ups, to bring new solutions to pet parents. Kinship is a division of Mars Petcare. Learn more at www.kinship.co.