Mars Petcare Annual Report Finds that Pet Owners' Wellbeing was Nearly Twice as Likely to Improve Over the Last Three Years, Compared to Non-Pet Owners

Fourth Annual Report, "Pets for Better Wellbeing," unveils industry-leading research on the critical role of pets

FRANKLIN, Tenn., Nov. 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Mars Petcare launched the "Pets for Better Wellbeing" Report, which leverages new consumer insights to highlight current pet ownership trends. In a time when the pandemic, politics, economic uncertainty and everyday stressors made it more difficult than ever to maintain our wellbeing, pets played an increasingly important role in easing our minds and filling our hearts. The company's fourth Annual Report analyzes the impact of pet ownership on mental and physical wellbeing – comparing responses of pet owners to non-pet owners – and examines potential hurdles to adding four-legged family members.

"The insights from the 'Pets for Better Wellbeing' Report underscore the importance of keeping people and pets together," said Lisa Campbell, Director of External Affairs, Mars Pet Nutrition North America. "This data drives our innovation in pet care and nutrition, and our aspiration to make more communities around the world pet-friendly – so more people and pets can enjoy the positive benefits of a shared life together."

The "Pets for Better Wellbeing" Report's key findings¹ include:

Improved Wellbeing Among Pet Parents:

• Four in 10 pet owners report an overall improvement to their mental (38%) or physical (41%) wellbeing over the last three years, nearly doubling the rate of non-pet owners, at only 23%.
• 92% of pet owners feel their relationship with their pet helped improve their mental and physical wellbeing over the last three years, with 42% indicating their pet improved it 'a lot.'
• 60% of pet owners who are also parents to children say pets improved their youngest owners' mental wellbeing, providing companionship and emotional support that helped with the stress of social isolation.  

Barriers to Bringing – and Keeping – People and Pets Together:

• Among those considering a pet, 66% are concerned about affordability, 47% are concerned about being away for work or travel, and 42% are concerned about finding pet-friendly housing.
• 50% of those who want pets have seen or experienced challenges related to animal type, breed or size restrictions from their local government or rental property.
• 66% of employed pet owners say they're more likely to stay at a company that offers pet-friendly benefits, but only 10% of employers currently do.

Further Evidence of Pets' "Paws-itive" Impact on Our Wellbeing:

• Pets provided companionship (77%) and emotional support (70%) to their owners over the last three years.
• Pet owners are planning to keep their pets close in the year ahead by bringing them when they travel (52%) and to pet-friendly businesses (29%).
• Pet owners are concerned about both their own loneliness (55%) as well as their pet's loneliness (61%) when they do have to be apart.

Critical Need for Adoptions Amid the Animal Shelter Crisis:

• 36% of non-pet owners are considering adopting or fostering a cat or dog in the next 3-5 years. Gen Z and Millennials are nearly twice as likely to have these intentions.
• 61% of those intending to adopt or foster will turn to animal shelters or rescues, a decision that is more critical than ever, with shelters on pace to have their worst overpopulation rates and resource constraints in at least three years².
• Pets adopted from shelters provided an extra boost in mental wellbeing for nearly all of their owners (84%).

While positive strides have already been made, there's still work to be done. Mars Petcare and its family of iconic pet nutrition brands like PEDIGREE^® and CESAR^® will continue to introduce programs that help to ensure more pets are wanted, cared for and welcomed in support of the company's global purpose: A Better World for Pets.  

To read the "Pets for Better Wellbeing" Report and learn more about how Mars Petcare is furthering its purpose, visit BetterCitiesforPets.com/2022Report. To find out how to get involved, visit BetterCitiesforPets.com.

About Mars Petcare   
Part of Mars, Incorporated, a family-owned business with more than a century of history making diverse products and offering services for people and the pets people love, the 85,000 Associates across 50+ countries in Mars Petcare are dedicated to one purpose: A BETTER WORLD FOR PETS. With 85 years of experience, our portfolio of almost 50 brands serves the health and nutrition needs of the world's pets – including brands PEDIGREE^®, WHISKAS^®, ROYAL CANIN^®, NUTRO™,  GREENIES™, SHEBA^®, CESAR^®, 
 IAMS™ and EUKANUBA™ as well as the Waltham Petcare Science Institute which has advanced research in the nutrition and health of pets for over 50 years. Mars Petcare is also a leading veterinary health provider through an international network of over 2,000 pet hospitals and diagnostic services including BANFIELD™, BLUEPEARL™, VCA™, Linnaeus, AniCura and Antech. We're also active in innovation and technology for pets, with WISDOM PANEL™ genetic health screening and DNA testing for dogs, the WHISTLE™ GPS dog tracker, and LEAP VENTURE STUDIO accelerator and COMPANION FUND programs that drive innovation and disruption in the pet care industry. We're also dedicated to providing a safe and fun place for dogs to stay and socialize at over 200 Camp Bow Wow^® doggy day care and boarding facilities. As a family business and guided by our principles, we are privileged with the flexibility to fight for what we believe in – and we choose to fight for: A BETTER WORLD FOR PETS.

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SOURCE Mars Petcare U.S.