Older adults lean on pets more, even as costs bite harder

Older adults are reporting stronger emotional benefits from pets than they did seven years ago, even as costs are becoming a bigger barrier. In the University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging, fielded in September 2025 and published in February 2026, 83% of pet parents age 50 and older said their pets give them a sense of purpose, up from 73% in 2018, while 31% said having a pet strains their budget, up from 18%. Overall, 55% of adults 50 and older said they have a pet, most commonly dogs and cats, and 33% of older adults without pets cited cost as a main reason. The poll was conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago for the University of Michigan Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation. (ihpi.umich.edu)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the findings sharpen a familiar tension: pets are deeply tied to healthy aging, connection, stress relief, and routine, but affordability is increasingly shaping whether older clients can seek or continue care. The same University of Michigan analysis found budget strain was more common among women, people with household incomes under $60,000, those in fair or poor physical or mental health, and those with disabilities. That aligns with broader 2025-2026 access-to-care data showing 94% of veterinarians say client finances sometimes or often limit recommended care, and prior Gallup-PetSmart Charities research found many pet parents who declined care due to cost said they weren’t offered a more affordable option. (ihpi.umich.edu)

What to watch: Expect more discussion around payment options, care planning, and access-to-care models aimed at helping older pet parents keep animals in the home without delaying needed veterinary treatment. (petsmartcharities.org)