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Millennials opting for pets instead of kids

A man holds his Corgi standing next to a woman wearing a Corgi t-shirt during the annual Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade in the Manhattan borough of New York City, October 24, 2015. REUTERS/Stephanie Keith (REUTERS)

There might not be any more concrete proof that Millennials are generation that grew up on the Internet – and its wide array of cute animal videos – than their preference for pets

According to a survey released by research firm Mintel, which polled more than 2,000 adults, three-quarters of Americans in their 30s have dogs, and 51 per cent have cats.

That’s significantly higher than the national average of 50 per cent and 35 per cent for dog and cat ownership respectively.

Previous findings have suggested that Millennials are also far more likely to be living with their parents rather than a spouse or partner, in comparison to the youth of 50 years ago.

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Millennials are also postponing marriage, or eschewing it all together, and facing declining wages and weak job opportunities.

All of these factors may be leading them to choose pets over parenthood.

“Pets are becoming a replacement for children,” Jean Twenge, a psychology professor at San Diego State University told the Washington Post.

“They’re less expensive. You can get one even if you’re not ready to live with someone or get married, and they can still provide companionship.”

Interestingly, the results seem to break the stereotype of the ageing and lonely cat lady.

The survey found that it was men who were more likely to look to pets for companionship, with 71 per cent of participants between the ages of 18 and 34 reporting they had dogs and 48 per cent saying they owned cats.

In comparison, 62 per cent of women reported having dogs and 48 per cent said they had cats.

“Men are more willing to put in the time and effort of taking care of a pet,” Rebecca Cullen, an analyst at Mintel, told the Washington Post.

“Women are more likely to feel they are away from home too much and that pets require too much work.”

And Millennials seem to be spending their paycheques on their pets as well.

According to a study by Wakefield Research, 76 per cent of Millenials said they are more likely to “splurge” on their pets rather than themselves.

This stands in contrast to 50 per cent of Baby Boomers.

In particular, Millennials seem willing to shell out for stylish pet attire. According to the study, they were twice as likely to buy clothing for them than their Baby Boomer counterparts.

Twiggy, an Italian greyhound in a pizza rat costume. (The Canadian Press)
Twiggy, an Italian greyhound in a pizza rat costume. (The Canadian Press)

Nathan Richter, a partner at the market research firm, told the Washington Post that this is an opportunity for “performance” on social media, such as Facebook, Instagram or Snapchat.

“It’s increasingly about getting a digital stamp of approval,” he said.