A growing number of young Americans are choosing pets over children.

“They’re my family, they’re my children,” Raven McGregor says.

The Atlanta woman is a self-described “bulldog mom” to Sonny and Zoe. She even runs a popular Instagram page dedicated to the pair.

“My mom calls my dogs her grandchildren,” McGregor says.

For her, there’s no distinction between human children and what she calls her four-legged ones.

“They are a part of the family, and we don’t look at it as if they are pets,” she explained. “They are truly like little kids with four legs.”

She’s not alone: According to a recent Harris Poll, 43% of Americans say they would prefer to have a pet as their child rather than a human one.

Economic pressures shaping family choices

Experts point to economic instability as one factor influencing decisions around parenthood. As the fertility rate dropped to a record low in 2024, some Americans say concerns about finances are shaping long-term life plans.

On TikTok, Sarah Morris shares her life with her fiance and their two cats, Sundae and Banana. She balances a 9-to-5 job as a flight attendant with brand partnerships online, but says even that leaves little financial flexibility.

“It was simple math right now. I’m already stretched thin, so adding that child, adding that burden, is a barrier for me,” Morris said. “When people feel secure, they make long-term plans. When (in) times of instability, they have to adapt, and adapting for us right now looks like shifting what the meaning of family looks like.”

The cost comparison: Kids vs. Pets

The financial gap between raising children and caring for pets is significant.

A 2022 Brookings Institution study found it costs about $300,000 to raise a child in the U.S. from birth through age 17 — covering housing, food, clothing, and education. By comparison, pet expenses average roughly $27,000 over 18 years.

Janie Budnick, founder and president of 4-Legged Kids — a St. Louis-staffed in-home pet care service — has witnessed the shift firsthand over the past three decades.

“I have four cats and I have four kids, and which one do you think is easier to take care of?” Budnick said, with a smile.

She says pets today are increasingly treated like children.

“If you do some of the comparison between what a healthy pet, what the expenses are during a year versus a healthy child, I mean, you can be 10 times-plus,” she explained.

Still, Budnick urges thoughtful reflection before making a decision about parenthood.

“If anyone has a hesitation about having a human child, please do not,” she stated. “So I mean, you have to really be confident in yourself that that’s the path that you want to take to bring a human into this world.”

A global trend

This shift isn’t limited to the United States: In China, more people are also choosing pets over children, citing rising costs of living and evolving views on marriage and family life.

For many, the definition of family is expanding — and for now, that includes wagging tails, purring companions and plenty of love.

As McGregor put it simply, “They’re my family, they’re my children.”

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