Last September, I wrote a commentary entitled, “Animal welfare tops the ballot for many voters.” At its conclusion I speculated: “It is therefore not a far stretch to conclude pet owners will vote for candidates that share their values when it comes to protecting animals.”


There is now some evidence supporting that hypothesis.


One month after my article appeared, the release of a survey conducted on behalf of Banfield Pet Hospital found 65% of pet owners said that when they vote (in the 2020 elections) they will take into consideration how different issues might impact their pet’s future.


More recently, Perri Otto, a graduate student from the University of Colorado at Denver, conducted a survey among registered voters that found 62.7% of respondents who owned pets said they would be more likely to vote for candidates who supported strong animal protection laws. This survey was mailed to 2,100 randomly selected registered voters picked from the Colorado secretary of state voter database. The survey was split evenly among the seven congressional districts, 300 surveys each, and further divided by 100 Republicans, 100 Democrats, and 100 unaffiliated voters. To reduce possible bias between rural and urban areas, the survey was limited to pet ownership and did not include livestock, wildlife, or other animals.


A total of 637 responses, or 30.3%. were returned: 255 from Democrats, 205 from Republicans, and 157 from unaffiliated voters. Of those, 65.9% identifying as Democrats said they would be more likely to vote for candidates who supported strong animal-protection laws; 46.8% of Republicans would be more likely, as would 59.9% of unaffiliated voters.


In terms of pet ownership, 72% of respondents indicated they currently owned pets. Of the 28% who did not, 45.5% said they still would be more likely to vote for candidates that support strong animal protection laws.


As to negative responses, only 1.9% of Democrats, 8.3% of Republicans, and 7.3% of unaffiliated voters said they would be less likely to vote for candidates who supported strong animal protection laws. The remaining 33% (combined) replied it would have no influence as to who they would vote for.


Lawmakers need to be mindful of the shifting demographics in our state, which includes the increased importance pets play within families, and how it will affect future voting trends. Consider a 2019 survey among 2,000 pet owners on behalf of the pet food company “I and Love and You” that found 34% of parents said they preferred their pets over their own children, while a 2016 article in Forbes Magazine noted a growing number of millennials were choosing pets over parenthood. As my dog would say, that’s something to chew on. 

To assist voters in their search for animal-friendly candidates, Colorado Voters for Animals produces an annual scorecard that rates legislators based on past support of animal-related bills, and in election years CVA’s “ballot buddy” ranks candidates based on responses to survey questions concerning animal welfare.

Roland Halpern is executive director of Colorado Voters for Animals, a nonpartisan nonprofit advocacy organization whose mission is to identify and help elect animal-friendly candidates and work with lawmakers to pass sensible animal protection laws.