Younger generations in Italy more open to having pets over kids

A recent study by the European financial services group Unipol shows that Italian Millennials (people born between 1981 and 1996) and Generation Z (those born from 1997 to 2012) are more open to having pets instead of children.

37% of Millennial pet owners supported this idea, with 36% of Gen Z feeling the same.

In contrast, older generations in Italy, like Baby Boomers (born between 1946 and 1964), are less likely to agree, with only 13% considering pets as replacements for kids.

While 63% of respondents believed pets could not replace children, 28% disagreed, citing that pets fill emotional voids, are easier to manage and can be treated like children.

Additionally, 12% of those surveyed believe rising pet ownership has contributed to the falling birth rates, while 75% disagreed.

The data was drawn from 1,000 surveyed Italians aged 16 to 74 from 14 to 22 February 2024.

Spending attitudes

In Italy, pet owners reported spending an average of €65 ($72) per month on pet care, excluding healthcare and vet visits, with costs rising to €69 ($77) specifically for dog and cat owners.

The average annual expense for veterinary care, including vaccinations and medical visits, is €185 ($206) for dogs and cats, dropping to €164 ($183) in metropolitan areas.

Generation Z owners spent more on pet healthcare (€186/$207) than Baby Boomers (€170/$189).

Another analysis of 9,000 customers across 5 European countries by N26 Bank, conducted from 1 January to 31 December 2023, shows younger generations spend the most overall, with Gen Z leading at 14.1%, followed by Millennials (13.65%), Baby Boomers (13.35%) and Gen X (12.45%). The responses to the survey were from Austria, Germany, Spain, France and Italy.

Shared relationships

Around 56% of Italians own pets, with dogs (36%) slightly more popular than cats (33%).

Gen Z pet owners aged 16 to 26 prefer dogs, while Gen X leans toward cats.

Generation X owners aged between 41 and 56 have the highest percentage of pets (60%), while Millennials between 27 and 40 have the lowest (52%).

Pet owners recognize companionship (48%), happiness (46%) and mental health benefits (33%) as the key advantages of pet ownership, despite acknowledging drawbacks like healthcare costs (26%), finding caretakers when away (26%) and maintenance expenses (17%).

For most Italians (88%), the advantages of pet ownership outweigh the disadvantages.

Traveling with pets

Almost 1 in 4 of those surveyed travel with their pets (38%). This number rises to 46% among metropolitan pet owners.

71% of owners report encountering difficulties while traveling with pets. Transportation (31%), accepting pets at accommodation facilities and managing pets’ needs (28% each) are the most common problems.