Generation Z And The Future Of Cats And Dogs

https://youtu.be/loLpcd7gqNE

It’s no secret that tobacco kills people, but did you know that Big Tobacco’s products kill pets too? Having warned of a world without cat videos with the ad  CATmageddon, a new survey shows that young pet owners  who are collectively called Generation Z — those born from 2000 onwards — visit the vet just as frequently as visiting the doctor themselves and is being showcased as the generation that you final end  tobacco use for good.

#CATmageddon” premiered on the 2016 Grammy Awards broadcast and has already been viewed more than 33 million times. The next add in the campaign from an organization called the Truth Initiate®, one of the most successful and one of the largest national youth tobacco prevention campaigns, is called #FinishIT  ( above) and  makes clear that dogs and cats are twice as likely to get cancer if their owners smoke.

To explore Gen Z’s love of pets, truth conducted a nationwide survey of 1,000 15-21 year-olds. The survey revealed young pet owners are seriously dedicated to the health of their pets:

Pet owners visit the vet just as frequently as they visit the doctor themselves
Pet owners are more likely to buy organic food for their pets than for themselves
Nearly a quarter of pet owners have taken a sick day to care for their pet
It’s clear that today’s youth care about animals. With the teen cigarette smoking rate currently at 7 percent, this latest ad urges, “Let’s treat our best friends like real best friends.” The ad is meant to inspire and empower teens to ‘Finish It’ and end tobacco use for good if not for themselves, then for their pets.

“The more attention we generate and the more young people we engage to help us finish the tobacco epidemic, the more lives – humans and pets – we can save,” said Robin Koval, CEO and President of Truth Initiative.  “When one out of four young pet owners has taken a sick day to care for a pet, you know you will grab their attention with the truth about pets and cancer. “We’ve watched for more than 50 years as people increasingly treat their pets like true members of the family, so we’re not surprised to see that many young pet parents take their pet’s health so seriously,” said Dr. Whitney Miller, Director of Veterinary Medicine for Petco. “That’s why we’re thrilled to provide helpful tips for pet parents concerned about the effects of secondhand smoke on their pets and an easy way they can help spread the word and show their support for this powerful campaign.”