More than 70 percent of U.S. households include a pet and 88 percent of them think of it as part of the family. Plus, according to an ASPCA survey, 23 million American households added a new pet since the beginning of the pandemic. Modern pet parents want housing, workplaces, products and experiences to recognize and integrate their animals.
Put another way — if your workplace, rental housing community, restaurant, hotel or homeless or domestic violence center does not accommodate pets, a substantial segment of potential clients (or employees) won’t feel welcome and may even choose the competition. “ Aimee Gilbreath, president, PetSmart Charities.
Source: Forbes, January 5, 2022. Link. Since data often tells a story, consider the following:
- According to a recent survey, pet friendliness is second only to budget on the wish list when pet owners are looking for new rental housing, and it’s one of the things they are least likely to compromise on when making a selection.
- In another survey, nearly one in two Gen Zers and one in three Millennials said they would consider looking for another job post-pandemic if their workplace was not pet-friendly.
- Residents in pet-friendly units stayed 21% longer than non-pet friendly units, according to one study.