New Poll Reveals Millennials Don’t Own Their Pets; Their Pets Own Them

SEATTLE, Nov. 15, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A surprising 12 percent of millennials have ended a romantic relationship because of their pet according to a new study released today by Trupanion Inc. (Nasdaq:TRUP), a leader in medical insurance for cats and dogs. The findings also revealed that 40 percent of millennials have moved into a new home, condo or apartment in order to live in a more pet-friendly environment.

Trupanion’s first annual TruPoll is a survey of 1,250 pet owners across the U.S. and Canada that addresses our dog and cats’ influence on our homes, relationships, activities and purchasing behaviors.

“The aim of this study was to take a comprehensive look at how pet owners express their relationship with their cats and dogs,” said Margi Tooth, chief marketing officer at Trupanion. “Our research shows that pet owners today are placing an extra emphasis on the comfort, health, and well-being of their cats and dogs. While we may express our relationships with our pets differently, the data is clear that we consider them part of the family now more than ever.”

From the backyard to the living room, how we include our pets into our day-to-day decisions is a clear indicator of our shifting relationship with them. Interestingly, the study did uncover significant differences in how much focus respondents put into the relationships with their pets based on the age, gender and income bracket of the pet owner.

Key findings from the TruPoll research:

• The language millennials use for their pets mirrors the growing trend of millennials delaying having children:  Research shows that 43 percent of millennials refer to their pet as their “fur baby” while only 20 percent of baby boomers use the same reference. Pet owners who refer to their pets as “fur babies” are more likely than the average owner to allow their pet on their bed (57%).
• Millennials may rely on UberEats or GrubHub for their meals but when it comes to their pets, only home cooking will do: The survey shows that 13 percent of millennials cook food specifically for their pet every day, while two-thirds (67%) of millennials have indicated that they will take the time to cook meals specifically for their pet on occasion.
• Although food, toys and clothes are among the top purchases pet owners tend to make, digital natives are flexing their tech savvy spending power at the checkout counter: Pet tech purchases such as activity tracking collars, automated treat dispensers and location trackers for pets were more prevalent among millennials (51%) than the generations before them.
• It may be unfair to blame millennials for killing restaurant chains, but when it comes to planning brunch or other social outings, a Fido-friendly place certainly comes into play: TruPoll research indicates that almost one-third (30 percent) of millennials choose the restaurants or bars they frequent based on the ability to bring their pets.
• A defining mark for millennials:  When getting inked, the research shows that five percent of millennials choose to permanently tattoo their body with the love of their life…their pet.

To view the entire TruPoll whitepaper and learn more about the methodology behind the research, please visit: http://trupanion.com/about/media-resources

About Trupanion
Trupanion is a leader in medical insurance for cats and dogs throughout the United States and Canada. For almost two decades, Trupanion has given pet owners peace of mind so they can focus on their pet's recovery, not financial stress. Trupanion is committed to providing pet owners with the highest value in pet medical insurance. Trupanion is listed on NASDAQ under the symbol "TRUP". The company was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Seattle, WA. Trupanion policies are issued, in the United States, by its wholly-owned insurance entity American Pet Insurance Company and, in Canada, by Omega General Insurance Company. For more information, please visit Trupanion.com.

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