DMV employers jump on pet benefits trend for fur baby parents
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Washington companies are jumping on the "fur baby" trend and providing pet bennies to their employees.
The big picture: As people continue to delay having children, more owners are considering their fuzzy offspring part of the fam.
- 94 million American households have a pet, per the American Pet Products Association, and they'll spend a projected $41.4 billion this year on vet care and pet products.
State of play: Tysons-based Hilton offers pet insurance and, starting next month, employees will be able to access pet services through its concierge partnership with Wellthy, a spokesperson tells Axios.
- Think: help finding groomers, vets, boarding spots or doggie-friendly housing. Or, assistance setting up recurring food or prescription deliveries, or with understanding pet insurance claims.
Companies with local footprints like Adobe, Blue Cross Blue Shield, John Hancock, Lyft and Workday partner with pet care group Airvet for free 24/7 virtual vet help and discounts on pet insurance, wellness plans, and backup care via resources like Rover, an Airvet spokesperson says.
And at Google, workers can bring their furry pals (aka Dooglers) to the office and get discounts on pet insurance through the group Perks at Work, a spokesperson tells Axios.
The intrigue: The number of D.C.-area clients Airvet works with jumped 267% between 2023 and 2024, per the spokesperson.
What they're saying: Finding a company where pets are supported as part of an employee's family can be a deciding factor for some when choosing a gig, Airvet CEO Brandon Werber says.
- Many of Airvets' clients say their pet benefits are the highest used and fastest growing option they offer outside of regular health insurance, Werber tells Axios.
While offering these types of benefits is a good way for companies to attract and retain the Gen Z and Millennial fur baby parents, says Werber, the appeal has been far more wide reaching than they expected.
By the numbers: 32% of fur parents said having pet benefits would incentivize them to stay at their job, or to look for another that offers them, according to a 2021 survey led by Nationwide.
- 57% of pet owners said they'd switch to a job with the same pay but with better pet benefits, a 2024 Empower survey of pet owners found.
- And 17% would consider taking a lower-paying job if it offered "pawternity" leave, per the Empower survey.