When it comes to Oregonians, pets are a part of the family.
That’s the finding of a new survey by the Oregon Values and Beliefs Center.
The online survey of nearly 1,500 Oregon residents found that 93% consider their pet to be not only property, but a member of the family.
Because of that, 71% said their pets are allowed to sleep in their owners’ beds. But homeowners, men and people with higher incomes are less likely to allow pets on the bed than renters, women and those with incomes below $50,000.
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Rural residents were more likely than urban ones to adopt a pet in the past two years, according to the survey. But urban residents were more likely to say the stress of the COVID-19 pandemic factored into the decision to get a pet.
Are Oregonians dog or cat people? Nearly half (49%) say they have adopted a pet since the onset of the pandemic. Forty percent say they adopted a cat. And 11% said they adopted some other pet.
Just 4% of Oregonians say they have never had a pet.
Women are more likely than men to have pets (72% to 61%). The same goes for people with children at home compared to those without children (78% vs. 64%).
As for how pets make us feel, 93% said those beloved animals make them laugh. And about 85% say pets help them feel less lonely and reduce stress.
The margin of error in the survey is ±2.5%.
