Care for pandemic pooches a major concern: Survey

What’s to become of the pets when the pandemic wanes? According to survey results released Tuesday, there’s much to bark about.  

According to MetLife Pet Insurance’s new Pet Parent Pulse Survey, 74% of working pet parents are thinking about pet care costs during the transition back to work, while 95% anticipate that a transition back to the office will cause a change in their pet’s routine, or otherwise impact their pet’s overall health. 

The survey also found 40 % of working pet parents are concerned about the expenses associated with their pet’s health care should something go wrong and 34% are worried about the cost to prepare their pet for this transition. 

Younger workers are particularly worried about this — with 85% of Gen Z and 76% of millennial respondents having some level of concern over these potential expenses, compared with 37% of baby boomers. 

“In one way or another, all employees will likely experience either personal or professional adjustments once they enter this next phase of work — but for those who are pet parents, these considerations don’t end with employees and their human families,” Katie Blakeley, vice president and head of MetLife Pet Insurance, said in a statement. “For employees with pets, pet care and overall pet health are often top-of-mind and employers need to consider this as they reimagine the workplace experience.”