Give a dog a bone: Spending money on pets promotes happiness

Abstract

Pet owners routinely spend money on services, accessories, and gifts for their pets. The present research investigates the affective consequences of pet spending. Specifically, we propose that spending money on pets promotes happiness. As predicted, a lab study demonstrated that pet owners who were randomly assigned to recall a time they spent money on their pet reported greater happiness than those who recalled spending money on themselves. Likewise, a field study demonstrated that pet owners who were randomly assigned to spend $5 on their pet reported greater happiness than those who were assigned to spend on themselves or another person – an effect specific to feelings of happiness rather than to mood more generally. This research offers pet owners an evidence-based strategy for boosting happiness, representing an additional intentional activity that can be used to improve well-being.