Young generations of Americans are less likely than previous generations to own a car or a home, less likely to be married, and more likely to get divorced. Yet, the new generations, particularly the millennials, have a tremendous lead over the baby boomers in one area: pet ownership. This new generation may be called the “dog-boomers.”

Three-fourths of Americans in their thirties own dogs, and half own cats. When you compare the millennials with the rest of the general population, you find out that only half own dogs and around a third own cats. This is a dramatic increase.

In recent years, more and more people, particularly the millennials, have identified themselves as pet parents rather than pet owners. This description clearly indicates a shift in the way pets are perceived and their greater meaning to millennials. Some individuals even call their pets “fur babies.”

Some pet parents not only tend to postpone having children but also opt not to have children and instead choose to have fur babies. Yet, since humans are naturally and evolutionarily have the deep impulse and desire to parent. Now, those nurturing instincts are directed toward dogs and cats, making people a “parent” to a pet.

As a family therapist in NYC, I know that there are many reasons why today, more than ever before, pets have become popular. Also, more individuals decide to have pets instead of children. Here are some of the main reasons:

First, more and more families have pets at their home today. The new generation becomes accustomed to having a pet in their life as their grown. As such, many millennials have grown up with pets as a member of the family, so their relationship with them is very different than previous generations who grew up with a cat or a dog in the backyard of the neighborhood; occasionally they had a pet in the house.

The rise of the internet and social media and the drop in human interaction is a big reason for the increased relationship with pets over the past two decades. In many ways, individuals are physically more alone today. The reduced human connection creates a void for companionship that can be filled with the interaction with a pet. As such, the pets are filling an emotional emptiness, making them more important in our lives.

The desire for self-actualization and self-entitlement as individuals, rather than familial or tribal, as well as the want for less parental responsibility, is a greater motivator in the young generation as compared to the older generations.

The perspective of what constitutes a family, its size and its purpose has changed over the years, more so in recent years. For millennials, a family is not just marriage and kids. You can be single, divorced, career-oriented individuals, a blogger or software developer who takes their work with them, and travel the world. Individuals and families can enjoy greater freedom, having a pet rather than the responsibility of a child. In other words, the need for greater freedom – keeping their independent lifestyles (to peruse your career, travel the word and have more free time) pushes individuals to have fewer children and more pets.

I had a client that once told me “My dogs are my family. They give me so much and don’t expect anything in return. They are greeting me at my door every time I come back home after work. They are happy to see me, and their liveliness lifts my spirit.” Animals have the natural nurturing instincts for protection and love. They provide positive energy, unconditional friendship and devotion, which is very needed in at times alienated world.

Pets are often described as providing companionship, emotional support, security, or a sense of “home” or rootedness for “pet-parents,”: but these aren’t traits that describe a child. A dog, in many ways, is cheaper than a baby (huge financial costs of parenting – education), provides unconditional love, and always be there to support you. Your child might be a different story. Yes, dogs need love and attention, but not constant monitoring like a child.

A pet, especially dogs, may also become a service animal. Individuals that being treated for an emotional disorder or disability may use the support or assistance of an animal to help alleviate their health and mental issues. It might be that in the future, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) will identify “replacement-baby syndrome” as a diagnosable condition, and the solution will be a pet that fills the role of a replacement child.