PD Insurance's twice-yearly customer surveys give us pawsome insights into what Kiwi pet parents think. We've gathered data on everything from pet costs and nutrition to attitudes around bylaws. This time round, we put the spotlight on pet parent opinions across the generations. The results were revealing - and sometimes surprising.
19 November 2024
Who does it best?
Generation Pet
Whether you’re Gen Z, X, a Millennial, or a Baby Boomer – we all have one thing in common and it’s that we love our pets.
But when it comes to how we see them – whether as companion animals or a substitute for a child – there are fascinating differences between generations. From sleeping in our beds to whether they should be allowed at work, different age groups differ in their opinions on pets.
Using over 1,500 responses from our customers across New Zealand, we delved into Kiwi generational attitudes around pet cats and dogs. The results were fascinating, and though we saw many differences, one thing is for sure – New Zealand is filled with animal lovers no matter their age. Let’s pounce into the findings …
Generation what?
Not sure which generation you are? Here’s the breakdown:
Baby Boomer: Ages 60 – 78
Gen X: Ages 44 – 59
Millennial: Ages 28 – 43
Gen Z: Ages 12 – 27*
*Only PD Insurance pet parents over 18 years old were surveyed.
Gen X
spends the most on their pets
We sometimes forget the true cost of owning a dog or cat. So what does the average Kiwi pet owner spend annually, and which generation spends the most … and the least? These were our findings:
Overall results
- $500 – $1,000: 17.9%
- $1,000 – $2,000: 35.3%
- $2,000 – $3,000: 28.7%
- $3,000+: 18.1%
Across generations, pet owners spend $1,000 – $2,000 on their pets a year, excluding vet bills.
- The generation most likely to spend over $3,000 is Gen X – with 21.7% of them spending that amount.
Millennials are a close second at 20.3%. - The generation most likely to spend $500 – $1,000 annually and least likely to spend more than $3,000 are Baby Boomers.
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Pet parents are
feeling the pinch across the board
While New Zealand recovers from a recession, one thing’s for sure – and it’s that ALL our customers are worried about the cost of owning a pet. But who’s being hit hardest by increasing costs?
Overall results
- Yes: 53.9%
- No: 14.2%
- Sometimes: 31.9%
- Gen X is the most concerned, with 54.8% answering ‘Yes.’
- Though Millennials are the ‘least’ concerned, more than half of them answered ‘Yes.’
- The majority of pet owners (42.5%) spend $101 – $250 a month on pet food.
- In a previous survey, customers listed buying food and supplies in bulk and grooming their pets themselves as their most common way of managing their pets on a budget.
- In a previous survey, 18 respondents said they’d rehomed or given up their pets in the last 2 years due to financial challenges.
*PD Insurance Pet Parent Survey – April 2024, 2,164 respondents
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Gen Z is the most in
support of pet-friendly workplaces
Most pet owners think pets should be allowed at places of work. No wonder Take Your Dog To Work Day is so popular. But which generation is mostly pro-pet and which leans towards keeping pets at home? Let’s take a look …
Overall results:
- Yes: 68.2%
- No: 15%
- Other: 16.8%
- 68.2% of survey respondents are in favour of pet-friendly places of work.
- Those who answered ‘other’ specified that it depends on what workplace – some could accommodate pets but others couldn’t.
- Gen Z was most in support, with 78% answering ‘yes’ and only 3.4% ‘no.’
- Though 17% of Gen X respondents said ‘no’, the majority (67%) of them are in favour of pet-friendly workplaces.
- In our April survey, 51.3% of respondents think employers should offer pet insurance as a ‘benefit’ or part of a pay package.
PS: Check out these ways to entertain your pets if you work from home.
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Pet parent spotlight
Kiwis see their
pets as family members
How do New Zealanders see their pets? While most respondents described them as part of the family, a big chunk see them as children – especially Gen Z respondents:
Overall results:
- A beloved family member: 71%
- A child: 16%
- A best friend: 6.7%
- An emotional/support companion: 4.7%
- Other: 1.6%
- 16% describe their pet’s role as ‘a child’, while the least given answer was ’emotional/support companion.’
- 39.8% of Gen Z see their pets as children, while only 3.3% of Baby Boomers see them that way (more on this later).
- In our April survey, 36 respondents said they’d bought their pet a stroller.
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Pet parent spotlight
Gen Z see their
pets as substitutes for having children
(for now)
There’s a good reason why the term ‘fur baby’ gained use a couple of years ago, and it’s because many of us see our pets as just that:
Overall results:
- No, not at all: 28.9%
- No, not really: 25.8%
- Yes, somewhat: 21%
- Yes, definitely: 19.6%
- For now (I’m having kids later): 4.7%
- The majority of Gen Z respondents (38%) see their pets as substitutes for having children, at least for now.
- Baby Boomers were the least likely to describe their pets as children, with 40% saying ‘no, not at all.’ This is perhaps due to them already having children.
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Kiwis make big
decisions with their pets in mind
Moving house, travelling, changing jobs – over 90% of Kiwis say they consider their pets in their decision:
Overall results:
- Yes: 91.3%
- No: 1.2%
- It depends: 7.5%
- Gen Z is the most likely to consider their pets when making major decisions, with 96.6% answering ‘Yes.’
- While Gen X is less likely to do so, ‘Yes’ respondents were still high a at 89.9%.
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Kiwi pets share our beds
Did you know that sleeping in your bed with your dog has mental and physical benefits? These pet parents certainly do – with the majority of surveyed Kiwis (49.2%) sharing the doona with their pets.
Overall results:
- Yes: 49.2%
- No: 32.5%
- Sometimes: 18.3%
- Gen Z is the most likely to let their pets sleep in their beds at 64.8%, while Baby Boomers are the least likely to do so at 44.3%.
- More or less half of Millennials and Gen X say their pets sleep in their bed.
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Gen Z posts most often about their
pets on social media
Hit that like button! Most Kiwis say they occasionally post about their pets online, while 14.6% do so very often. Unsurprisingly, younger generations post more frequently than their older counterparts.
Overall results:
- Very often: 14.6%
- Somewhat often: 19.8%
- Occasionally: 43.7%
- Never: 21.9%
- Gen Z posts the most about their pets, with 22.7% posting ‘very often.’
- Baby Boomers only occasionally post about their pets (49.4%), while many (32.3%) say they never post.
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Millennials most likely to have a
pet social media account
Are Fido or Felix ‘petfluencers’? Or perhaps their cat Instagram accounts and dog Instagram pages serve as a pawsome archive for all their cute photos. While most Kiwis said ‘no’ to having social media accounts for their pets, a considerable 11.8% do.
Overall results:
- Yes: 11.8%
- No: 88.2%
- Millennials are most likely to have a pet account (19.2%), while Baby Boomers are least likely to (3.1%).
Did you know?
New Zealand's top petfluencer account is @casperandromeo with 61.2k followers.
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Pet parent spotlight
Gen Z most likely to
dress up their pets
Whether it’s an Easter costume, a spooky Halloween outfit, or just for fun, at least 9% of Kiwis like to dress up their pets. Dressing up can be a great bonding experience; just remember those dress-up dos and don’ts to make sure your pet is comfortable and safe.
Overall results:
- Yes: 9%
- No: 74.1%
- Sometimes: 16.9%
- Gen Z is most likely to dress up their pets (17%), with 31.8% answering ‘sometimes.’
- Baby Boomers are the least likely to dress up their pets, with 88.6% answering ‘no.’
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Millennials talk to their pets
as if they understand them
Our pets are our family members, and they understand way more than we think. We even have an article on how to talk to cats if you’re interested 😉 So which generation is having the longest conversations?
Overall results:
- Yes: 89.2%
- No: 1.8%
- Sometimes: 9%
- Kiwis overwhelmingly answered ‘Yes’ (89.2%) to talking to their pets.
- Millennials are the most likely to talk to their pets (92.5%), with Gen Z a close second.
- The majority of Baby Boomers also talk to their pets, with 85.2% answering ‘Yes.’
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Gen Z most likely to
sing to their pet
Well, it turns out a big chunk of Kiwis like to sing to their pets. Perhaps it’s a melodic “Bella-boooo” as you’re calling them for their kibble, or maybe you enchant them with entire serenades. We won’t judge – we do it, too!
Overall results:
- Yes: 41%
- No: 43%
- Sometimes: 15.8%
- 63.6% of Gen Z sing to their pets.
- Though Baby Boomers are the least likely to sing to their pets, a high 27.7% do!
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A handful of Kiwis have tried
pet-friendly nail polish / markers
Well what do you know – 19 respondents say they’ve tried pet-friendly nail polish on their pets! Most of them are Baby Boomers 😊💅
Overall results:
- Yes: 0.9%
- No: 99.1%
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Millennials most likely to have
more than 10 nicknames for their pet
Kitsy, Kit, Kiki, Kit-Kat, Kitz, Miss K … if you love nicknames, you may have several for your pet. But do you have more than TEN? It turns out many pet parents do!
Overall results
- None: 6.7%
- One or two: 48.9%
- Two to five: 29.3%
- More than five: 10.3%
- More than 10: 4.8%
- 10.6% of Millennials have more than 10 nicknames for their pets, while only 0.8% of Baby Boomers do.
- Most pet parents have one or two nicknames per pet.
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Baby Boomers most concerned about
pets and the environment
From their impact on Kiwi native wildlife, the water and land used for food production to the amount of waste they generate – our pets have an impact on the earth that we might not be thinking about. But who’s the most (and least) concerned?
Overall results:
- Not concerned: 56%
- Somewhat concerned: 37.9%
- Very concerned: 6%
- 7.6% of Baby Boomers say they’re ‘very concerned’ about their pet’s impact, while only 4.2% of Millennials answered the same.
- Most Kiwi pet parents (56%) aren’t concerned about the environmental impact of their pets.
- More than half (54.6%) of Gen Z respondents are ‘somewhat concerned.’
- Gen Z is the most likely to have made changes to reduce their pet’s environmental impact with 40.9% saying they’ve done so. Fewer Gen X respondents ( 28.7%) have made changes. 30% of Millennials and 35.1% of Baby Boomers have made changes.
- Across generations, most list using biodegradable poop bags as a change they’ve made.
- Other popular options include using eco-friendly products and packaging; buying in bulk and refilling containers; and buying sustainable pet toys.
PS: Ever wondered how sustainable dog food is? We’ve got the answers – here.
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Pet parent spotlight
Gen Z most likely to
give their pets supplements
Most pets who receive a healthy and balanced diet likely won’t need supplements. However, older pets; pets with skin and coat problems; pets struggling with digestive or bone health; and pregnant or lactating pets can benefit from additional vitamins and minerals.
Overall results:
- Yes: 27.7%
- No: 72.3%
- 33% of Gen Z respondents answered ‘Yes’ to giving their pets supplements.
- Gen X is less likely to give their pets supplements, with 23.9% answering ‘Yes.’
- Pet owners listed calcium, fish oil, flaxseed, salmon oil, omega 3, probiotics, fibre, glucosamine and green-lipped mussel powder among the supplements they add to their pet’s diet.
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Most Kiwis to lay their
pets to rest through cremation
It’s something most of us find unbearable to think about – and that’s losing a pet. Many of us may have already experienced our beloved dogs and cats passing away. So how do we grieve the loss of a pet and choose to lay them to rest?
Overall results:
- Cremation: 31.4%
- I haven’t thought about this yet: 26.8%
- Private yard burial: 15.7%
- Personalised urn or container: 15.3%
- Memorial item, such as a necklace or keepsake: 3.6%
- Biodegradable option (tree planting): 3%
- Engraved stones or plaques to memorialise your pet: 1.8%
- Other: 1.8%
- Pet cemetery: 0.6%
- Baby Boomers and Gen X are more likely to have considered or experienced their pets passing away, and choose cremation as a way of laying them to rest.
- While most Millennials and Gen Z haven’t thought about their pets passing, most of them would also choose cremation.
- A pet cemetery is the least preferred way of laying Kiwi pets to rest.
- Some respondents listed a water cremation as their preferred choice, while others preferred their vet take care of it.
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Pet insurance, no matter your generation
You’ve only to be hit by one unexpected vet bill to realise the importance of pet insurance to help you cover your dog or cat during an illness or accident. PD Insurance is an award-winning brand that offers flexible and affordable dog insurance and cat insurance plans. Why not get a quote today?