As the number of US couples without children increases, a growing number of them are favoring – and pampering – pets as their kids. Throughout the past several decades, the number of married couples in the United States and UK without children has increased. In 1970, 40% of married couples had kids, while just 20% did in 2012, according to the US Census Bureau. Though this statistic doesn’t account for unmarried couples with children, it still demonstrates a change in the traditional family unit.