by Evan Boswell
Young people, particularly Millennials, have been the subject of an interesting development since the pandemic began: climbing pet ownership. Young people are finding that, given the state of the economy and the world at large, raising a child right now or at all is not something they're interested in. As a result, pets have filled the role of companionship and kicked out the crib. Across the board, pet ownership has climbed since the pandemic began, and people's pets are more important to them than ever.
"There are about 23 million pets who have been adopted into American homes since March of 2020. COVID intensified both the number of adoptions and nature of the pet/pet parent relationships as well. For many Millennials and Gen Zs, these pets are truly considered to be family members, or 'fur babies', a term which has recently become part of our cultural lexicon," says Aaron Oaks, CEO of United Pet Care.
One consequence is that new pet owners are now taking on the costs of caring for that animal, and veterinary costs are the biggest of them all. People are looking for ways to get not only affordable care, but the best care for their new families, and pet benefit groups like United Pet Care are working to provide just that.
"The generational change from pets being considered property to part of the family has changed the willingness to pay for care on the consumer side, as well as the level of financial anxiety associated with an unexpected vet bill," says Oaks. "Additionally, pets have been revealed to be a key component of our mental health overall, especially during the pandemic. This shift has led an uprising from an employee perspective to then push their employers to say, 'my pet is an integral part of my wellbeing and family, how will you help care for them through our benefits package?'"
United Pet Care is an alternative solution to managing pet health costs. Provided through an employer, United works to supplant traditional insurance, with its high premiums and costs, with something more user-friendly. Instead of paying into a plan and hoping to be reimbursed, United saves you at the point of sale, deducting savings from the final bill. Additionally, they are able to get bonus savings on services like vaccinations. All of these savings ignore any sort of preexisting condition, eschewing the costs of exorbitant premiums.
Oaks explains, "Many employers are wanting to become pet-friendly companies without making a large investment and there are ways to do this. With our integration directly into their ben-admin systems, it allows for employees to enroll in the benefit without having to navigate to a separate site during the time when they are making many (sometimes overwhelming) company benefit decisions. This makes the process seamless and easy to enroll."
Advertising a pet care benefit can also be great for employers, too. For pet-owners, it provides a needed service, and it's one that is not quite ubiquitous yet, allowing an employer to stand out. To add, it shows the character and culture of the workplace in question, one that cares and provides for pets and pet-owners. Even to non pet-owners, a workplace that advertises pet benefits can be very attractive. Essentially, providing a pet benefit will make an employer stand out, which is increasingly vital following the Great Resignation. Millennials and other young folk are leaving and reentering the workforce at high rates, and at a staggering rate, so adapting to new demand is a must. Pet-owners are placing a very high priority on their pet's care, and providing for that need is a surefire way to appear attractive.
90% of pet owners attribute their positive mental health and wellbeing to their pets. Clearly, these creatures and their companionship are deeply important to us. It is only natural that we are going to want to provide for them the best available. Pet care is a burgeoning industry seeking to cater to this need, and United is at the forefront, looking to give effective, comprehensive, and accessible support for employers and clients alike.
Find United Pet Care on The Granite List