In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, thousands of dogs and cats have been fostered or adopted by employees shifting to remote work lifestyles, so much so that many animal shelters are empty.

With so many employees welcoming these new family members into their households, there are bound to be implications for new pet-parent finances. According to MetLife's most recent U.S. Employee Benefit Trends Study, employees are more concerned about their finances than any other aspect of their well-being, including physical, mental and social health. In fact, millennials and Gen Zers, who comprise the majority of dog parents, have been hit particularly hard by the financial fallout from the pandemic.