Older adults lean on pets as purpose grows, but costs bite harder

Pets are still a major source of meaning for older adults, but the financial side of that relationship is getting harder to manage. The latest University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging found that among pet parents age 50 to 80, 83% said their pets give them a sense of purpose, up 10 points from 2018. At the same time, 31% said their pets strain their budget, compared with 18% in 2018, pointing to a sharper affordability challenge even as attachment remains strong. (ihpi.umich.edu)

The poll, based on a national survey conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago for the University of Michigan from September 3 to 29, 2025, included 2,698 U.S. adults age 50 to 95. It revisited a topic last measured in 2018, allowing a direct comparison over time. Pet ownership itself changed little, with 57% of adults age 50 to 80 reporting they had pets in 2025, versus 55% in 2018. Dog and cat ownership also held fairly steady. (ihpi.umich.edu)

What changed was how older adults described the experience. Alongside the rise in “sense of purpose,” fewer respondents in 2025 said pets help them enjoy life, feel loved, reduce stress, stay physically active, stick to a routine, or cope with physical or emotional symptoms, compared with 2018. The University of Michigan researchers said those shifts, together with the increase in reported financial strain, may reflect broader pressures tied to aging, household composition, time demands, and the rising costs and complexity of caring for pets as both people and animals grow older. Cost barriers also appear to be affecting non-pet parents more than before: 33% cited expense as a reason for not having a pet in 2025, up from 21% in 2018. (ihpi.umich.edu)

That finding lands in a veterinary market already grappling with affordability concerns. In January 2026, PetSmart Charities and Gallup reported that 94% of veterinarians said clients’ financial considerations sometimes or often limit their ability to provide recommended care. The same study found only 17% of veterinarians said they proactively try to understand a client’s financial concerns before making recommendations, while 49% do so afterward, and 34% address cost only if the client raises it. In related pet parent survey data, 52% said they had skipped needed veterinary care or declined recommended care within the past year, and 73% of those who declined care due to cost said they were not offered a more affordable option. (petsmartcharities.org)

Industry and advocacy commentary suggests this is part of a broader squeeze on older households. AARP reported in March 2026 that home care and assisted living costs for middle-income older adults have risen sharply since 2019, underscoring that pet care is competing with other essentials in already stretched budgets. AARP has separately advised older adults to plan carefully for veterinary expenses and long-term pet care needs, while rescue groups working with seniors have warned that illness, mobility limits, and financial hardship can contribute to unintentional medical neglect when support systems are thin. (aarp.org)

Why it matters: For veterinary teams, the Michigan poll is a reminder that older clients may not see pets as discretionary. For many, the animal is a source of routine, identity, and emotional stability. That can make cost conversations especially delicate: clients may delay care not because they value it less, but because they’re trying to protect a bond they see as central to their well-being. Practices that serve a large senior population may need clearer upfront estimates, incremental diagnostics, preventive care planning, technician-led education, and referral pathways to charitable or community support. The data also strengthen the case for spectrum-of-care approaches that preserve clinical integrity while acknowledging what a household can realistically manage. (ihpi.umich.edu)

What to watch: The next signal to monitor is whether practices, nonprofits, and policymakers move beyond documenting the affordability gap and toward implementation, especially around flexible care pathways, financial counseling, and targeted support for older pet parents on fixed incomes. If cost pressures continue to rise, this issue is likely to become as much about continuity of companionship and aging in place as it is about veterinary utilization alone. This last point is an inference based on the poll’s findings and the parallel access-to-care data. (ihpi.umich.edu)