Gen Z pet owners like Los Angeles resident Simran Bhattacharyya is pictured petting her pet.
Rising veterinary bills and new pet health technologies are reshaping the economics of pet ownership, with Gen Z leading the spending surge at an average of $6,103 annually, according to a May 2024 Harris Poll survey.
Source: The Harris Poll Though Leadership Practice. Credit: Audre Widodo/ Peninsula Press *Ages at time of survey, May 24-26, 2024. Data sourced from 2,125 U.S. adults surveyed online.
Gen Z pet owners like Los Angeles resident Simran Bhattacharyya face steep learning curves and financial strain, often turning to credit cards to cover emergency vet visits while navigating insurance claims. Meanwhile, millennial pet owners like Kelly Herbst of Westminster, Colorado, manage mounting costs for aging pets, spending over $500 monthly per dog on specialized medications.
The monthly average spending for Gen Z is $509 while Gen X is $323. Across all ages of pet parents, the top three spending categories include food, veterinary care and pet insurance. Source: Harris Poll Credit: Audrey Widodo/Peninsula Press
The industry is responding with innovations like Fauna Labs’ 24/7 health monitoring devices, though these solutions often add subscription costs to already-stretched pet care budgets. Despite financial pressures, pet owners across generations continue prioritizing their animals’ care, driving further growth in the pet healthcare sector.
Audrey grew up in Jakarta and Singapore, then moved to Washington D.C. for college and graduated with a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism from the University of Maryland College Park in 2020. After graduation, Audrey worked at Metro TV and Metro Globe Network in Jakarta. She was a news presenter, producer and reporter for Jakarta Movers & Shakers, a business and economic program. She anchored the nightly news for Asia Prime & World News and hosted the entertainment program ShowBiz, interviewing artists and musicians. Her work has also been published in Voice of America and The Jakarta Post. At Stanford, Audrey focuses on becoming a data-driven journalist specializing in business and technology reporting while deepening her understanding of artificial intelligence. Outside the newsroom, Audrey loves running marathons, reading romance books and spending time with her Shiba Inu.
