More people are choosing to have pets over children: study

Parenting is not a walk in the park, which may be why some are choosing and choosing a walk in the park … with a dog.

Now, a new study has revealed a link between dog ownership and decline in birth levels, confirming the changing elections of many couples.

“One side of the story”

Researchers from the University of Eötvös Loránd in Hungary say the connection is not just because of the children of Ruff (Ahem) children present.

“Some studies suggest that dog owners really have more negative views of motherhood, and dogs who own dogs see the most severe parenting, which can reduce their willingness to have more children,” explains Professor Kubinyi.

“But that’s just one side of the story.”

He adds that research previously shows dog ownership in the US has increased by 37 million since 1996, which exceeds the number of children.

Aussies are also facilitating.

According to data issued by RSPCA in 2023, there are about 28.7 million pets in Australia.

The most common homemith is a dog (48%), with families who love them so much that they are spending $ 1,932.88 ($ 3,218) on average for dog dogs every year.

Are we as obsessed as we prefer dogs over babies?

So in summary, we are obsessed. But are we so obsessed that we are preferring a shaky tail over a sharp belly?

Kubinyi argues that it is actually a decline in social support and the ‘village’ that disappears that is really affecting people for parents.

“The changing role of dog ownership suggests that people in Western societies experience a considerable lack of custody and social support within their families – and they try to compensate this, at least in part, with possible dogs and cats as well.”

He points out that the decline in fertility levels, which is about governments across the globe, is contributing to the growth of dog ownership.

“We need to strengthen family -based social support systems and reduce social isolation. Dog ownership is a great thing when connecting people than isolates them,” Kubinyi concludes.