Babies or Barkers

The growing popularity of dog ownership
in United States

Are pets becoming substitutes for children in modern society
as birth rates decline?

By Sky Ladfah

Hey there, I'm Max!
I'm the most popular male dogs name
in the U.S.

I'm Olivia!
I'm the most popular baby girl name
in the U.S.

Did you know that currently, there are more households with pets than with children?

The number of babies being born hit an all-time low

The number of babies being born in the United States has been decreasing for over a decade. However, the situation got much worse in 2020 because of the pandemic. High costs of raising a child, financial struggles due to the recession, student loans, high living costs, and pandemic-related economic strain have caused many American to reconsider having children.

Based on 3,866 U.S. adults ages 18 to 49;

0%

said they are very likely
to have children someday

This analysis is based on 3,866 U.S. adults ages 18 to 49, collected as a part of a larger survey conducted Oct. 18-24, 2021.
Source: Pew Research Center

While financial concerns rank among the primary reasons why young Americans are having fewer babies or not having children at all, the U.S. pet industry exceeded $100 billion in sales.

The U.S. pet industry is booming, with people spending a lot more on their pets, especially in 2020. 23 million American households acquired a pet during the pandemic. Bloomberg Intelligence’s Pet Economy Report finds that by 2028, the pet industry is projected to reach a staggering $195.6 billion.

Source: American Pet Products Association
Source: Bloomberg Finance

Dogs take the crown as the most popular pet in the nation.

Pets in the U.S. by Number of Households:

Dog

45%

65.1M
households

Cat

32%

46.5M
households

Freshwater
Fish

11.1M
households

Small
Animal¹

6.7M
households

Bird

6.1M
households

Reptile

6M
households

Horse &
Saltwater Fish

4.4M
households

Source: Forbes Advisor
1. The "small animal" category includes pets such as hamsters, gerbils, rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas, mice, rats, and ferrets.

While some Americans may choose to have a dog instead of a baby due to financial considerations, it is important to note that dog ownership still requires a significant financial commitment over the long-term.

Therefore, adopting a dog should be carefully considered and well-planned decision. Let’s have a look at the financial commitments.

The cost of raising Max and Olivia

Here are the estimated costs of Max's and Olivia's expenses.
Click on each bubble to see the expenses in detail.

Max's expenses

Olivia's expenses

Average Total: $6,650

Average Total: $25,163

45% of dog owners thought they were financially ready for dog expenses — but were not.

Expenses for dogs will increase as they get older.

Particularly, in the area of medical care, food and pet insurance.

The lifetime cost of Max is still a lot cheaper than raising Olivia until she reaches the age of 17.

$19,893
to
$55,132

$174,690
to
$372,210

Dogs have become a popular alternative to parenthood, offering companionship, loyalty, and unconditional love.

It's important to keep in mind that while the cost of owning a dog may be lower than that of raising a child, expenses will increase as the dog grows older.

Visit my website:
skyladfah.myportfolio.com

Special thanks:
Richard The, Aaron Hill and
Munus Shih