Older adults say pets give them purpose, but costs are rising

A new University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging finds that pets remain deeply important to older adults, even as affordability pressures are rising. In a nationally representative survey of U.S. adults age 50 and older fielded in September 2025, 55% said they have a pet, and 83% of pet parents said their animals give them a sense of purpose, up from 73% in 2018. But 31% said having a pet strains their budget, and cost was cited by 33% of non-pet parents in this age group as a reason they do not have a pet, up from 21% in 2018. The poll also found older adults in 2025 were less likely than those surveyed in 2018 to say pets help them enjoy life, feel loved, reduce stress, or support routine and activity, suggesting a more complicated picture of companionship under current financial pressures. (ihpi.umich.edu)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the findings reinforce that older clients often see companion animals as central to daily structure, emotional health, and social connection, not as optional household expenses. That makes cost conversations especially sensitive, and increasingly necessary. Separate 2026 research from PetSmart Charities and Gallup found 94% of veterinarians say clients’ financial considerations sometimes or often limit recommended care, while 48% said their education did not prepare them at all for those discussions. AAHA also reported that nearly half of pet parents say unexpected pet expenses cause financial concern, and that many still underestimate the lifetime cost of care. (petsmartcharities.org)

What to watch: Expect more attention on affordability tools, clearer treatment-plan conversations, and community support models aimed at helping older pet parents keep animals in the home. (ihpi.umich.edu)