7 in 10 pet owners say they wouldn't have 'survived' 2020 without their animal companion

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Coronavirus Pandemic breeding creativity in pet industry

In March, analysts projected non-medical pet services like grooming, pet sitting, pet insurance, boarding and training to fall by as much as 45 percent. Nearly a year later, those services are fortunately proving everyone wrong.

More than half of pet owners say they wouldn’t have gotten through 2020 without their animal companion.

In a sample of 1,023 American pet owners who were surveyed between Dec. 22 and Jan. 4, a whopping 71% told Kinship Partners that "they could not have survived" the coronavirus pandemic if they didn’t have their pet at their side.

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Moreover, the pet care company found that 84% of "pet parents" said the pandemic showed them how much their pets improve their lives for the better.

More than half of pet owners say they wouldn’t have gotten through 2020 without their animal companion, according to Kinship Partners. (iStock)

Kinship Partners also found that pet parents shared similar beliefs with human parents, including the 62% who said their pet’s happiness was a top priority versus the 50% who said their pet’s health was a top priority.

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Similarly, 80% of pet parents said their pet deserves more of their time going into 2021. Another 82% told Kinship Partners that they plan on spoiling their pet this year.

"To support today's pet parents, we must understand their journeys, from what inspires them to their biggest worries, and this report is a milestone in uncovering the most pressing areas of transformation in pet care," said Kinship Partners’ President Leonid Sudakov, in a statement.

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Throughout the pandemic, pet adoption and fostering has hit record numbers in the U.S.

Throughout the pandemic, pet adoption and fostering has hit record numbers in the U.S. (iStock)

A data-driven report from the pet nonprofit Shelter Animals Count found that the pet adoption rate shot up 34% on a national level near the start of the pandemic (April 2020). This trend has continued long enough to leave several animal shelters completely emptied or low in stock throughout the country.

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Aside from families wanting to do good or add to their household with animal companions, spending on pets has remained steady, according to reports.

The American Pet Products Association sent out a press release in January that noted pet ownership stayed stable in the country while 64% of pet owners said their spending hasn’t changed when it comes down to taking care of their animals.

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Meanwhile, Kinship Partners found that 44% of pet parents who are married or dating said they would spend more money on their pet than they would on gifts for their spouse or significant other.