Pet anxiety tops list of caregiver concerns in recent survey

Photo: Wanwajee/Adobe Stock

A recent survey¹ of 600 US pet owners found that most pet owners are more concerned about their pet’s emotional wellbeing than traditional concerns like physical health, aggression, or disobedience. Specifically, pet separation anxiety was cited as the #1 concern among 61% of the pet owners surveyed.

The data was collected between July 3, 2025, and July 9, 2025. The findings, which come from SATELLAI’s inaugural Pet Tech Trends survey, conducted by Pollfish, also revealed that 52% of the pet caregivers surveyed believed the most valuable insight they would want about their pet is how the animal is feeling. According to SATELLAI, the desire to connect with pets on a deeper emotional level was consistent across all ages, regions, and pet types surveyed.¹

In comparison 9% of those surveyed said they most wanted to know if their pet had eaten. Meanwhile, 10% reported prioritizing their pet’s activity level and 16% percent chose knowing where their pet is as the most valuable insight.

“This data shows that pet parents are increasingly attuned to the emotional and behavioral complexities of their furry friends," David Teaster, product marketing director at SATELLAI, said in a news release.¹ "There is a substantial desire among pet owners to learn more about how their pets are feeling and help them communicate those emotional needs effectively....”

For most respondents, their pet’s separation anxiety or stress was a concern, if not the biggest concern. Sixty-one percent of pet caregivers said their biggest behavioral concern was separation anxiety, and 72% said they are at least “somewhat concerned” about their pet’s anxiety or stress when left alone. Concerns over this aspect of their pet’s wellbeing surpassed concerns over behavioral issues like aggression and disobedience with these worries being the top concern for only 19% of respondents.

For pets, anxiety may represent a health risk because of its effects on the immune system. According to an article by dvm360, anxiety may lead to an increased risk of illnesses and infections.² Additionally, chronic stress has been associated with obesity, cardiac disease, and gastrointestinal conditions.²

"Pet anxiety is no longer just another worry of pet owners, but rather their primary concern," Teaster said.¹

With the rise in caregiver concerns over pets’ emotional wellbeing, Teaster predicts future AI-powered pet products will be able to evaluate a pet’s overall wellbeing. “Owners now assign their pets' emotional well-being the same importance as their physical safety, underscoring the importance of developing new tools to address behavioral concerns in real-time," Teaster continued. "The next era for smart pet products is all about this trend, and we're likely to see more all-inclusive, AI-powered products capable of evaluating a pet's overall well-being introduced in the near future.”

References

1. America's pets are stressed — and their owners want to know why: New survey finds pet parents' biggest concern in 2025 is mental health. News release. SATELLAI. August 19, 2025. Accessed August 25, 2025. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/americas-pets-are-stressed--and-their-owners-want-to-know-why-new-survey-finds-pet-parents-biggest-concern-in-2025-is-mental-health-302531137.html
2. Crossley Coppock K. Caring for the emotional well-being of animals. dvm360. June 16, 205. Accessed August 25, 2025. https://www.dvm360.com/view/caring-for-the-emotional-well-being-of-animals