<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Many Australians are rethinking traditional family life due to rising costs, changes in rental laws, and a desire for independence.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>And that is resulting in the number of dogs per household overtaking the number of kids in a cluster of suburbs, new research shows.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>For pet parents, factoring animals into daily plans is nothing new.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But local government data and business trends indicate that caring for pets now occupies a greater share of their owners' lives.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>LIVE UPDATES:</span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>If you want a sense of just how much things have changed, look no further than Sydney's Inner West – where the average household now boasts more dogs than children.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Close to 50,000 dogs are microchipped across the local government area, up from about 43,200 in 2023 following a pandemic-era lift.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/dog-ownership-sydney-council-pets-cost-of-living/5f227574-2e2b-42da-94ae-324866b1caac" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Marrickville leads with around 4300, followed by Leichhardt and Balmain.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>To keep pace with surging demand, Marrickville daycare centre </span><a href="https://kip.com.au/" rel="" target="" title="Kip Happy Stays"><span>Kip Happy Stays</span></a><span> has rolled out additional services.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>One of their trainers, Mandi Wright, said this is driven by a growing number of residents treating dogs "as part of the family."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"While we've traditionally offered boarding at our larger facilities in Lake Macquarie and the Hunter Valley, this expansion makes it much easier for Inner West pet owners to access high-quality care locally."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Demand for off-leash space is also high – Inner West Council maintains 44 such areas, among the most in Sydney, with more in the pipeline.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>To support the growing pet population, a council spokesperson revealed that a dedicated team has been introduced to handle requests for microchipping, registrations, complaints, and park patrols.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Meanwhile, changes to rental laws have lowered barriers to pet ownership for many – a pattern of note in the Inner West, where over 40 per cent of residents rent.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The pet parent conversation is not confined to a single neighbourhood.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In Peakhurst, 62-year-old Rosie finds her days filled with "unconditional affection" from her kelpie, Roxy, rather than children.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Having a pet allows me to nurture and care for another being while still maintaining independence in my personal, career, and lifestyle choices. It felt like the right balance for where I am in life."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>While having a pet isn't cheap, Rosie noted that the costs are often more predictable than those of raising children.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Still, this doesn't mean that one subset of parents is financially better off.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>One Inner West local spends close to $10,000 a year on daycare alone to work full-time at her office job.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The woman, who asked to remain anonymous, adopted her French bulldog, Trunks, during the pandemic.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>She told nine.com.au that, remarkably, it’s often parents themselves who are the most supportive of her decision to be kid-free.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Overall, I do believe attitudes are becoming more accepting of having pets instead of children," she said.</span></div></div><div class="player__video-container"><img alt="" src="https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/o7tg1V3vuyMIHBGTS2pHrB1sT0c=/750x0/https%3A%2F%2Fvms-network-images-prod.s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com%2F2026%2F03%2F763693%2Fnala.png"/></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Trunks' mum said that although day-to-day costs affect everyone, she sees them as just one part of a broader equation when deciding whether to have kids.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I think more people would have children if homes weren't 10 times their salary, if childcare were completely free or more heavily subsidised, and if there was easy, uncapped and free access to specialised services pre and post birth."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Ultimately, deciding who makes up your family (child or canine) comes down to the individual, Rosie believes.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"There's no one-size-fits-all answer – both paths come with rewards and trade-offs. What matters most is choosing a lifestyle that aligns with your priorities, values, and vision for your future."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><strong><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></strong></em><span> </span><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><em><strong><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>Apple</span></strong></em></a><span> </span><em><strong><span>and</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>Google Play</span></strong></em></a></li><li><em><strong><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>ticking this box here</span></strong></em></a></li><li><em><strong><span>Sign up to</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" rel="" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></strong></em></a><a href="https://www.nine.com.au/?rf=true#:~:text=National,killer%20invading%20Australia" target="_blank" title="'Kitty flipping' sounds cute. 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