How Often Do Kids Ask For A Pet?
Pet Business | November 10, 2020
by Carley Lintz
With the holiday season fast approaching, it’s time for kids to start preparing their wish lists—many of which will include a furry friend. But, that won’t be the last time parents hear the phrase, “Can we get a pet?” In fact, according to a new report, the average child will beg their parents for a pet 1,584 times before they turn 18 years old!
The research, commissioned by toy manufacturer Spin Master, surveyed 2,000 parents of school-aged children and found that 74% of kids have asked for a pet. And it’s not just a one-time thing. Most children ask an average of 11 times pet month starting when they’re six years old.
Considering their persistence, it’s unsurprising that two-thirds of parents eventually give in. Most do so after their child has been consistently asking for three years.
Around the holidays, it ramps up. The report found that 62% of children who have asked for a pet double-down during the gift-giving season by asking an additional seven times per month. Many of those kids will be happy to hear that one-third of parents plan to buy their child a pet for the holidays this year.
Of course, parents cited more than just their child’s desire as the reason behind adding a pet to the family. Most parents (82%) said they believe it’s important for children to spend time with animals. Other popular drivers included teaching kids to play gentle (58%), learning responsibility (57%) and encouraging kids to spend time outside (46%).
Before giving in, however, 78% of parents said it was important to start small and build up to a new pet. For a quarter of respondents, that meant seeing their child show they could first care for a toy before moving onto a live animal.
According to the survey, the most popular pets to request were:
1. Dog
2. Cat
3. Fish
4. Bird
5. Rabbit
