How Pets Contribute to Healthy Aging: Benefits, Challenges, and Considerations

In September 2025, the Michigan Poll on Healthy Aging asked a sample of Michigan adults age 50 and older about their pets, perceived benefits and challenges of having a pet, and reasons for not having a pet. This report summarizes their responses and includes comparisons to findings from the rest of the U.S. via the National Poll on Healthy Aging.  

What we learned from older Michiganders

• More than half of Michiganders age 50 and older (54%) said they have a pet, most commonly dogs (67%) and cats (51%), followed by fish (5%), birds (4%), reptiles (3%), small mammals (like rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters) (2%), large mammals (like horses, sheep, pigs) (1%), or another kind of pet (1%).  
   
• Older Michiganders more likely to have a pet included adults age 50-64 (63% age 50-64 vs. 44% age 65+). Adults who felt isolated or a lack of companionship at least some of the time were also more likely to have pets than those who hardly ever felt isolated or a lack of companionship.  
   
• According to Michigan pet owners age 50 and older, the five most common benefits of having a pet were that their pet gives them a sense of purpose (87%), helps them enjoy life (72%), connects them with others (72%), reduces stress (67%), and helps them feel loved (66%).  
   
• 38% of Michiganders age 50 and older with pets agreed that having a pet strains their budget.  
   
• Those without pets most commonly said their main reasons for not having a pet were not wanting to be tied down (42%), just choosing not to have a pet (30%), and cost (29%).  

Explore more findings through this interactive data dashboard.  
 

How Michigan compares with the rest of the country

• Michigan adults age 50 and older who reported feeling isolated or a lack of companionship at least some of the time were more likely to have pets than those who hardly ever felt isolated or a lack of companionship. This relationship was not found for the rest of the U.S., where the frequency of pet ownership was similar regardless of feelings of loneliness or isolation.  
   
• Michigan pet owners age 50 and older were more likely than pet owners age 50 and older in the rest of the U.S. to agree that having a pet strains their budget (38% in Michigan vs. 31% in the rest of the U.S.).  

Implications

This poll shows that pets provide many Michiganders age 50 and over with several benefits to their health and well-being, such as making them feel more socially connected, giving them a stronger sense of purpose, and helping lower stress levels. Yet, pets can also contribute to financial strain. Caring for a pet takes time, flexibility, and money, with many older Michiganders saying that personal preference and financial costs were their main reasons for choosing not to have a pet. For some older adults in Michigan, fostering, pet sitting, or spending time with a friend’s or family member’s pet may offer companionship and other benefits without the full responsibilities that go along with having one’s own pet.

Resources  

For those considering a new pet:

• Local organizations like the Capital Area Humane Society and the Kalamazoo Humane Society participate in Pets for the Elderly, whose goal is to provide companionship for older adults while saving the lives of companion animals in shelters. The Humane Society of Huron Valley also offers special, often free, adoption programs for people over 62 looking to adopt older animals.  

For those unable to have their own pets:

• Some organizations like PACE of Southwest Michigan offer pet therapy to eligible participants, which can be a valuable, cost-effective option. Therapaws of Michigan and Pet-a-Pet Club also conduct regular visits to many hospitals and long-term care communities.  
   
• Like many animal shelters, Michigan Humane in the greater Detroit metropolitan area has a short-term, foster care program and Dog Day Getaway, where individuals can be temporary caretakers for shelter animals. The organization can also help people explore placement options for their pets, including rehoming with a new family. See this list of registered animal shelters by county to find the shelter closest to you and explore their services.  
   
• Local Area Agencies on Aging or other organizations may be able to provide robotic companion animals under certain circumstances.  

About the poll

Michigan Poll on Healthy Aging findings come from a survey conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago for the University of Michigan Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation. The survey was administered online and by phone in September 2025 to 1,270 Michigan adults age 50 to 93 from the AmeriSpeak® panel, including a non-probability oversample. The national analysis is based on a national, non-Michigan sample of 2,334 U.S. adults age 50 to 95 from the AmeriSpeak® panel. Results are weighted to reflect the 50+ population in Michigan and nationally.  

The Michigan poll is supported by the Michigan Health Endowment Fund.  

Read past Michigan Poll on Healthy Aging reports and national findings, and learn about the poll methodology.  

Citation

University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging Team. How Pets Contribute to Healthy Aging: Benefits, Challenges, and Considerations. Michigan Poll on Healthy Aging. February 2026. Available at https://ihpi.umich.edu/national-poll-healthy-aging/michigan-findings/how-pets-contribute-healthy-aging-benefits-challenges