New research claims Millennials are leaving TVs and air-conditioners on for pets

Sploot, bork, floof, blep, mlem. When the internet creates its own lexicon about something, then you know it is well-loved.

Dogs – and doggo lingo – don’t just proliferate on our screens in memes and videos. The RSPCA says that 62 per cent of Australian households have a pet, which has created a billion-dollar pet industry.

New research by Origin Energy, however, has revealed that Millennials treat their pets very differently to Baby Boomers. They found that 18 to 34-year-olds are three times more likely to leave the airconditioner running when their pets are left, compared to only 5 per cent of Australians aged 55-79.  Similarly, they also leave the TV on for their pets as company (14 per cent) more often than their older counterparts – again just 5 per cent of Boomers do this.

Is this another example of the flagrant spending of these smashed avocado-eating cafe dwellers? Not so, according to the chief vet at RSPCA Victoria, Emma Bronts. “Putting the aircon on, really thinking about the needs of your pet, is actually something we should be encouraging,” she says.

“There are lots of dogs that we choose to own that are not necessarily the best dogs for the climate and conditions in which we live,” she says. “A husky isn’t made for 40-degree heat.”

Larger dogs with thicker, longer coats, and especially those bred for more Arctic conditions, will all suffer, as will overweight and older dogs when the temperatures soar.

Smaller dogs and cats with smooshed in faces (brachycephalic syndrome) like pugs, French bulldogs and Boston terriers, have respiratory issues and are prone to overheating.

“If you’ve got a dog that’s not very good at regulating their heat – small dogs with pushed-in noses – they really struggle in hot weather and don’t cope very well. To leave them inside with the airconditioning on is the best thing for them. It means that they’re not going to get stressed, not struggle to breathe,” says Bronts.

That Millennials leave the TV on is another sign that they are more in tune with the needs of their dogs, she says. “That is actually really beneficial if you’ve got a dog that has anxiety issues, and might not feel comfortable alone. It’s not necessarily that they’re watching the TV, but there’s sound and noise and comfort and familiarity, similar to when someone is in the house.

“If you do have an anxious dog, it’s certainly recommended as something that might allow them to cope better when they’re by themselves.”

Origin Energy’s general manager of customer care, Jan Prichard, says their research shows that increasingly Australians are connecting more with their animals and their needs. “It’s not just a pet; it is a member of the household,” she says.

While a pet’s welfare is important, “some of those behaviours can generate a significant bill, and as a result, you start to get bill shock,” she says.

“Certainly, airconditioning is one of the biggest costs that you’re possibly going to have and a pretty significant impact on the environment. But there are other choices that people can make.”

Passive cooling options, such as shading the home externally (blinds, shutters and trees) helps keep heat out, as will sealing window and door gaps. Internally, keeping curtains and doors closed also helps. “There are a lot of things people can do before turning the airconditioning on, certainly for a pet,” says Prichard.

She says that Origin will advise their customers that if they are going to use aircon, they should cool only certain rooms– instead of the entire home – and to keep the temperature at 24 degrees. “You’ll feel comfortable at this temperature, and every degree below that adds 5 to 10 per cent to your energy use,” she says.

Setting a timer can also allow you to keep things cool for your pet while keeping costs down.

Fans can also provide a cheaper alternative. No matter how you choose to keep your pets cool this summer, when you head out the door, be sure to boop their snoot on the way out.