Would You End A Relationship Over Your Pet?

A new dating dealbreaker has entered the mainstream conversation, and it might just be on your list.  Nearly three-fourths (71%) of U.S. households own a pet, making pet owners a clear majority. If you ask a pet owner, most would consider their pets family and maybe even themselves as pet parents. However, some pet lovers are willing to go further in their love for their favorite animals than others, even giving up a chance at true love and romance.

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According to our recent DatingAdvice Love, Pets & Partnership Survey, 35% of Americans say they would end a relationship immediately if a partner asked them to give up their pet. Another 22% say they would seriously consider making that decision.  Pets have become a serious force in modern romances, with daters even weighing the idea of a “pet prenup” to maintain custody of their shared pets after a split. So of course, daters aren’t taking pet ultimatums lightly. 

Women were more likely than men to say they would end a relationship if a person told them to choose between them or their pet (38% vs. 32%). However, daters are finding ways to avoid these kinds of ultimatums altogether: by dating another pet lover in the same class.  Dog owners showed the most preference for other dog owners, with 68% wanting to date another dog owner, compared with 48% of cat owners who want to date another cat owner. This takes “Are you a dog or cat person?” to a whole new level. 

Source: Dating Advice