According to an online survey conducted in 2024, it was estimated that 13.5 million dogs and 12.5 million cats were living in UK homes in that year. In addition, the pet population in the United Kingdom also included around 1.3 million indoor birds and 1 million rabbits. Expenditure on pets in the UK In 2021, consumers spent over 9.6 billion British pounds on pets and related products in the United Kingdom, almost double the pet expenditure levels ten years prior, when pet owners in the UK spent a total of 5.13 billion British pounds in 2011. Since dogs and cats were the most common pet animals in UK homes, dog food and cat food were also the most valuable segment in the pet market in the UK. For instance, the UK dry dog food market was valued at 576 million British pounds. Pets at Home Pets at Home is a British pet supplies retailer operating more than 452 stores in the United Kingdom. It is one of the leading pet retailers in Europe, with an annual turnover of 948 million euros in 2019. Pets at Home revenue amounted to more than 1.14 billion British pounds in 2021. Over the last decade, the British pet retailer witnessed its revenues increase every year from a figure of approximately 517 million British pounds generated in 2011.

The share of households owning a pet in the United Kingdom remained relatively stable between 2012 and 2018, hovering around an estimated percentage of 47 to 45 percent. However, pet ownership levels peaked to an unprecedented high of 62 percent in 2022, likely as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and increased time spent at home. In 2023, this figure shrank to 57 percent.

Pet ownership in the UK With more than half of UK households owning at least one pet in 2021/22, dogs and cats were the most common household pets in that year, with an estimated 13 million dogs and 12 million cats living in homes. As of 2020, the United Kingdom was the second highest-ranking European country in terms of its dog population, preceded only by Germany.

Consumer spending on pets in the UK As the pet population in the United Kingdom increased in size, so did consumer spending on pet food and pet-related products and services. Spending on pets and related products reached almost eight billion British pounds in 2020, a notable increase from a mere 2.9 billion British pounds in 2005. Among the most expensive pet-related expenditures are veterinary and pet services, which constituted almost four billion British pounds in 2020.

This dataset is a modelled dataset, describing a lower estimate of cats per square kilometre across GB. The figures are aligned to the British national grid, with a population estimate provided for each 1km square. These data were generated as part of the delivery of commissioned research. The data contained within this dataset are modelled figures, based on lower 95th percentile national estimates for pet population, and available information on Veterinary activity across GB. The data are accurate as of 01/01/2015. The data provided are summarised to the 1km level. Further information on this research is available in a research publication by James Aegerter, David Fouracre & Graham C. Smith, discussing the structure and density of pet cat and dog populations across Great Britain. Attribution statement: ©Crown Copyright, APHA 2016

Policy development, implementation, and effective contingency response rely on a strong evidence base to ensure success and cost-effectiveness. Where this includes preventing the establishment or spread of zoonotic or veterinary diseases infecting companion cats and dogs, descriptions of the structure and density of the populations of these pets are useful. Similarly, such descriptions may help in supporting diverse fields of study such as; evidence-based veterinary practice, veterinary epidemiology, public health and ecology. As well as maps of where pets are, estimates of how many may rarely, or never, be seen by veterinarians and might not be appropriately managed in the event of a disease outbreak are also important. Unfortunately both sources of evidence are absent from the scientific and regulatory literatures. We make this first estimate of the structure and density of pet populations by using the most recent national population estimates of cats and dogs across Great Britain and subdividing these spatially, and categorically across ownership classes. For the spatial model we used the location and size of veterinary practises across GB to predict the local density of pets, using client travel time to define catchments around practises, and combined this with residential address data to estimate the rate of ownership. For the estimates of pets which may provoke problems in managing a veterinary or zoonotic disease we reviewed the literature and defined a comprehensive suite of ownership classes for cats and dogs, collated estimates of the sub-populations for each ownership class as well as their rates of interaction and produced a coherent scaled description of the structure of the national population. The predicted density of pets varied substantially, with the lowest densities in rural areas, and the highest in the centres of large cities where each species could exceed 2500 animals.km-2. Conversely, the number of pets per household showed the opposite relationship. Both qualitative and quantitative validation support key assumptions in the model structure and suggest the model is useful at predicting the populations of cats at geographical scales important for decision-making, although it also indicates where further research may improve model performance. In the event of an animal health crisis, it appears that almost all dogs could be brought under control rapidly. For cats, a substantial and unknown number might never be bought under control and would be less likely to receive veterinary support to facilitate surveillance and disease management; we estimate this to be at least 1.5 million cats. In addition, the lack of spare capacity to care for unowned cats in welfare organisations suggests that any increase in their rate of acquisition of cats, or any decrease in the rate of re-homing might provoke problems during a period of crisis.

This dataset is a modelled dataset, describing the predicted population of dogs per postcode district (e.g. YO41). This dataset gives the mean estimate for population for each district, and was generated as part of the delivery of commissioned research. The data contained within this dataset are modelled figures, based on national estimates for pet population, and available information on Veterinary activity across GB. The data are accurate as of 01/01/2015. The data provided are summarised to the postcode district level. Further information on this research is available in a research publication by James Aegerter, David Fouracre & Graham C. Smith, discussing the structure and density of pet cat and dog populations across Great Britain.

According to a 2024 survey, dogs were the most commonly owned pet in UK households. The share of households reporting dog ownership stood at 36 percent. The second most common house pet among UK households were cats, with around 26 percent of respondents stating their ownership. Pet ownership in the UK In the past year, pet ownership levels in the UK decreased by five percent when compared to 2022. This decrease could be explained by the change in owner's routines since pandemic restrictions have lifted. The share of UK households owning a dog or cat also decreased in comparison to previous years. Happiness, companionship, and man’s best friend A 2020 survey asked dog owners to state their reasons for owning a dog and all linked their ownership to either improving their happiness and/or providing companionship. Happiness was the most common response, with 51 percent stating ‘because they make me happy’. Whereas 47 percent stated their dogs provided ‘love/affection’ and 35 percent stated their dogs provided ‘companionship’. It seems the old saying “man’s best friend” still holds true to this day.

This dataset is a modelled dataset, describing the predicted population of cats per postcode district (e.g. YO41). This dataset gives the upper estimate for population for each district, and was generated as part of the delivery of commissioned research. The data contained within this dataset are modelled figures, based on upper 95th percentile national estimates for pet population, and available information on Veterinary activity across GB. The data are accurate as of 01/01/2015. The data provided are summarised to the postcode district level. Further information on this research is available in a research publication by James Aegerter, David Fouracre & Graham C. Smith, discussing the structure and density of pet cat and dog populations across Great Britain. Attribution statement:

This dataset is a modelled dataset, describing the mean cat ownership characteristics per household at a postcode district level(e.g. YO41). This dataset gives the mean household owership rate for each district, and was generated as part of the delivery of commissioned research. The data contained within this dataset are modelled figures, based on national estimates for pet population, and available information on Veterinary activity across GB. The data are accurate as of 01/01/2015. The data provided are summarised to the postcode district level. Further information on this research is available in a research publication by James Aegerter, David Fouracre & Graham C. Smith, discussing the structure and density of pet cat and dog populations across Great Britain. Attribution statement: ©Crown Copyright, APHA 2016

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About this Dataset

The Oxford Pets dataset (also known as the "dogs vs cats" dataset) is a collection of images and annotations labeling various breeds of dogs and cats. There are approximately 100 examples of each of the 37 breeds. This dataset contains the object detection portion of the original dataset with bounding boxes around the animals' heads.

Origin

This dataset was collected by the Visual Geometry Group (VGG) at the University of Oxford.

The UK cat population was estimated at 12.5 million in 2024, marking a decrease of around one million from the year. 2024 reached the highest recorded figure since the survey began. It is important to note that the survey changed from face-to-face to online in 2021, making it difficult to compare years. Across the UK the share of households owning at least one cat is going strong, if a little behind those who choose the company of canines.  Cats make people happy   Dogs may reign supreme in the nation, but cats are still a popular choice for pets in the UK, and for the sweetest reasons too. It is safe to say that UK cat owners have strong emotional ties with their furry friends, with majority of people viewing cats not just as pets but as reliable sources for love, affection, and happiness.    EU loves cats more than UK   When compared with the rest of the EU, the United Kingdom fares relatively behind in pet ownership. In 2019, the share of UK households with at least one pet cat placed the country in the lower ranks. In contrast, Central European countries such as Romania, Latvia, and Hungary had the highest share of households with cats.

This dataset covers quarantine licences issued by APHA to enable cats, dogs and other rabies susceptible mammals to enter an approved quarantine facility in England. This data set contains details of whether the licence issued was for an animal that was either an illegal landing (illegal) or if the owners of the animal applied for a quarantine licence prior to travelling as it was known that the animal could not meet the import requirements (standard). The dataset also covers species, quantity, date the animal(s) landed in England, date the animal(s) were released from quarantine, country of origin and the port of landing in England. The data also lists the reason the animal entered quarantine but this is only for animals landed illegally. Attribution statement: ©Crown Copyright, APHA 2016

The Cat & Dog Body Segmentation Supplementary Dataset is tailored for the visual entertainment industry, comprising a variety of internet-collected images with resolutions exceeding 440 x 440 pixels. This dataset focuses on contour segmentation, specifically delineating the outlines of cats and dogs of various breeds, providing detailed data for applications requiring precise pet representations.

The present dataset is based on a questionnaire which is also part of this package. The enclose questionnaire includes identifiable and relevant variables names (yellow highlighted).

Participants were recruited by Norstat, a European-based survey company, with the aim of gaining a representative sample of Austrian, Danish and UK citizens, including pet owners. The survey company administers and hosts online panels comprising citizens from many European countries. We aimed for a sample that is representative in terms of age, gender, and region. Therefore, a stratified sampling principle was set up where individuals within each stratum were randomly invited to participate. The invitations were issued through e-mail that contained a link to the online questionnaire. Data was collected from 11-25^th of March 2022 in Austria, from 11-24^th of March 2022 in Denmark and from 8-23^rd of March 2022 in the UK. The invitation provided information about the background of the study, the participating universities, ethical approval, estimated time for questionnaire completion and further, participants were informed that the completion of the questionnaire was voluntary and anonymous, and that they could exit the survey at any point. Before participants were directed to the survey, they ensured informed consent by confirming that they are over 17 years old, and consent to participate in this survey.

Besides the questionnaire the dataset includes a csv and an Excel file consisting of the data that is used in the ms. and an rtf and a pdf file with data variable names/labels, and value labels.

Exports of Live Animals in the United Kingdom decreased to 74.03 GBP Million in December from 111.39 GBP Million in November of 2023. This dataset includes a chart with historical data for the United Kingdom Exports of Live Animals.

Forecast: Import of Live Animals Except Farm Animals to the UK 2024 - 2028 Discover more data with ReportLinker!

Images of cats and dogs from the Oxford IIIT Pet Dataset, by Omkar M Parkhi and Andrea Vedaldi and Andrew Zisserman and C. V. Jawahar, created under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

According to a survey of UK pet owners carried out in March 2022, around 87 percent of dog owners stated that owning a pet made them mentally healthier. Figures were lower for cat and rabbit owners, at around 82 and 78 percent, respectively.

Nigeria Exports of live animals to United Kingdom was US$225 during 2015, according to the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade. Nigeria Exports of live animals to United Kingdom - data, historical chart and statistics - was last updated on March of 2025.

United Kingdom Exports of live animals was US$773.02 Million during 2024, according to the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade. United Kingdom Exports of live animals - data, historical chart and statistics - was last updated on March of 2025.

This dataset provides figures for the number of animals imported (from third countries) or consigned (from the European Union (EU)) into Great Britain in 2016. These datasets cover a number of livestock species. The layout and structure of the dataset is the same for each species. The data have been gathered from intra-community trade animal health certificates (ITAHC) for trade from the EU, and Community Veterinary Entry Document - Animals (CVED-A) for imports from third countries outside the EU that must accompany a consignment. Structure: The datasets contain information for England, Wales and Scotland. The top row of the spreadsheet indicates which country the figures relate to. Please note: figures given in these datasets may vary to those produced by HMRC. This is because APHA's data is taken directly from certificates, while HMRC calculate statistical figures based on other sources. Data Fields in Imports Datasets: Certified Purpose: The second row of the spreadsheet lists the purpose for import as indicated on the certificate. Animals can be imported/consigned for a number of reasons:- Breeding: Have to comply with certain disease requirements and be resident in the place of origin for 30 days before export. They are consigned for purposes of breeding. Fattening: Have to comply with certain disease requirements and be resident in the place of origin for 30 days before export. They are consigned for purposes of food production. Slaughter: There are fewer animal health guarantees on animals consigned for slaughter as they must travel directly to slaughter. Approved Bodies: Animals imported under Balai regulations can be exempted from rabies quarantine if imported from an approved premises. Country: The left column indicates which country the animals were imported/consigned from. This may include an assembly centre where animals have been resident for no longer than 6 days. Number of Consignments: Under each certified purpose, figures are given for the number of consignments received from the country listed into England, Wales or Scotland. Number of Animals: Under each certified purpose, figures are given for the number of animals received from the country listed into England, Wales or Scotland. Total Animals: The total number of animals imported/consigned from the country listed into England, Wales and Scotland, across all consignments. Date: The dataset indicates the date as of which the data are correct. Attribution statement: