Survey results show how Gen Z’s love of pets can help end smoking

Pet owners place a great deal of value on the health and well-being of their pets, according to new survey results that shed light on the opportunity to inspire young pet owners to help end tobacco use.

truth® surveyed 1,000 15-21 year-olds to explore Gen Z’s love of pets. Sixty-seven percent of respondents said they were pet owners.

Those pet owners take their pets’ health seriously: 52 percent said they had taken their pets to see a vet 1-3 times in the past 12 months, roughly the same amount who said they had gone to the doctor personally 1-3 times in the same period (55 percent).

Nearly 25 percent of young pet owners said they have taken a sick day in order to take care of a pet. And 40 percent of young pet owners said they would find negative comments about their pets more offensive than negative comments about themselves.

Young pet owners are also more likely to buy organic food for their pets than even for themselves. Forty percent of young pet owners said they were either very likely or pretty likely to buy organic food for their pets. Only 33 percent said they were very likely or pretty likely to buy organic food for themselves.

The survey results indicate the inspirational potential pets can have on ending tobacco use. Nearly 75 percent of all respondents said that it was false to say that secondhand smoke can’t hurt pets. Seventy-five percent also said that the harm to pets is another reason not to smoke. 

Having warned of a world without cat videos with the ad “#CATmageddon,” truth®continues to call attention to the impact of tobacco on our pets. A new ad called “#FinishIT” makes clear that dogs and cats are twice as likely to get cancer if their owner smokes.

With the teen cigarette smoking rate currently at seven percent, the latest ad urges, “Let’s treat our best friends like real best friends.” The ad is meant to inspire and empower teens to ‘Finish It’ and end tobacco use for good if not for themselves, then for their pets.