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.

During a survey conducted in 2024, it was revealed that millennials represented the biggest share of pet owners in the United States (** percent), followed in second place by Generation X (** percent). Baby Boomer's came in third, representing some ** percent of pet owners. Pet ownership in the United States Despite some fluctuations, household penetration rates for pet ownership in the United States have generally increased over the years, going from ** percent in 1988 to approximately ** percent in 2023. With millennials constituting the largest group of pet owners in the United States, they also constituted the generational group that planned to spend the most on their pets during the holidays in 2020, with an average spending of ** U.S. dollars, compared to only ** U.S. dollars of average planned spending on pets for Baby Boomers. Pet expenditure in the U.S. Pet food and treats constituted the highest selling category for pet products in the United States, with total food and treats sales reaching **** billion U.S. dollars in 2022. Vet care and product sales were the second biggest pet market category that year, generating around **** billion U.S. dollars in sales. Generally, average annual pet expenditure was higher for dog owners than for cat owners across all pet market categories in 2020.

  Introduction

Pet Ownership Statistics: If you’ve ever wondered how big the pet world has become, you’re in the right place. In 2025, pets aren’t just companions; they’re family, emotional support, and a huge part of our lifestyle. I put together this article to help you truly understand what pet ownership statistics look like today, not just with numbers, but with real insight into how we live, spend, and care for our animals.

We’ll explore everything from how many households have pets to how much people spend, what generations are leading the way, and even how technology is changing how we care for our pets. Think of this as a data-packed guide, the kind you’d want to read, adopt, or if you’re just curious about where the pet world is heading

Wyoming had the highest pet ownership rate in the United States, with ** percent of households owning a pet in 2025. West Virginia came in second place with a ** percent pet ownership rate. In comparison, Colorado's pet ownership rate that year was ** percent.

Introduction

Pet Ownership Statistics: Pet ownership has become very common around the world in 2024. Many people enjoy having pets like dogs, cats, birds, or fish as part of their family. Pets offer companionship, reduce stress, and can make people feel happier. For some, pets provide emotional support or help with daily tasks, especially for people with special needs.

People owning a pet also come with responsibilities, like providing food, regular checkups at the vet, and proper care. Pet owners need to be prepared for the time, money, and attention they need to live healthy and happy lives.

This statistic shows the share of pet owners in the population of selected countries all over the world as of 2016. During the survey, ** percent of respondents in Argentina stated they own a dog, while ** percent said they own a cat.

An estimated ** million households in the United States owned at least one dog according to a 2024/25 pet owners survey, making them the most widely owned type of pet across the U.S. at this time. Cats and freshwater fish ranked in second and third places, with around ** million and ** million households owning such pets, respectively. Freshwater vs. salt water fish Freshwater fish spend most or all their lives in fresh water. Fresh water’s main difference to salt water is the level of salinity. Freshwater fish have a range of physiological adaptations to enable them to live in such conditions. As the statistic makes clear, Americans keep a large number of freshwater aquatic species at home as pets. American pet owners In 2023, around ** percent of all households in the United States owned a pet. This is a decrease from 2020, but still around a ** percent increase from 1988. It is no surprise that as more and more households own pets, pet industry expenditure has also witnessed steady growth. Expenditure reached over *** billion U.S. dollars in 2022, almost a sixfold increase from 1998. The majority of pet product sales are still made in brick-and-mortar stores, despite the rise and evolution of e-commerce in the United States.

The objectives of this study were to assess the association of pet ownership and the quality of life, loneliness, anxiety, stress, and mental health of Canadians during the confinement measures following second wave of COVID-19 in Canada. This dataset contains the questionnaires (English and French), the data, and the R code used between April and November 2021.

Introduction

Pet Insurance Statistics: Pet insurance is a type of insurance coverage designed to help pet owners manage the costs associated with veterinary care for their pets.

It provides financial protection in case of unexpected accidents, illnesses, or injuries to pets. Just like health insurance for humans, pet insurance policies come with various coverage options, deductibles, and premium rates.

********* percent of households in the United States owned one or more pets in 2023/2024. Household penetration rates for pet-ownership have increased by ** percent since the beginning of the survey period in 1988. What kinds of pets do Americans prefer? There were estimated to be around ** million dog-owning households in the United States according to a recent survey, making dogs the most popular kind of pets in American homes. Cats and freshwater fish ranked in second and third places, respectively. Horses and saltwater fish were the least popular types of animals to keep, with around *** million households owning each type of pet. How much do Americans spend on their pets? Total pet industry expenditure reached around ***** billion U.S. dollars in 2022, an increase from the previous year. As well as regular expenses such as food and vet costs, households were estimated to spend around *** billion U.S. dollars on Valentine's Day gifts for their pets in 2023.

Describing the relationship with one’s cat in human terms might reflect an underlying anthropomorphic view of the relationship which might be associated with an owner’s behavior towards their cat and the cat’s living environment. Owners self-categorized the relationship with their cat as either a ‘member of the family’, ‘as a child’, ‘best friend’, or ‘a pet animal’. The extent to which owner- and cat-related factors influence these four relationship descriptions are examined in survey data of approximately 1800 cat owners. Differences in outdoor access, care during absence of the owner, and access to the bedroom are examined between the four relationship perceptions. The owner’s age and household composition, ideas about their cat’s equality, support, and dependency, and whether their cat is a pedigree were significantly associated with relationship description and explained 46% of the variance. Owners who perceive their cat as a child or best friend see their cat as loyal, empathetic, equal to family, and dependent on them for love and care. Their cats are less often left in the care of others, are allowed more often in the bedroom and have less often (unrestricted) outdoor access. Moreover, cats perceived as children are more likely to live in a multi-cat household. Our results provide insight in the factors that are related to different (anthropomorphic) perceptions of the human–cat relationship and how perceptions relate to the living environment of cats.

This statistic shows the average share of pet ownership worldwide as of 2023, by pet type. Across all surveyed countries, ************* are the most popular pet type around the world.

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has affected many industries in significant ways, including the pet industry. During a survey carried out in February 2022, ** percent of respondents in the United States reported acquiring a new pet. This is an increase of **** percent compared to December 2020, when ** percent of respondents reported getting a new pet. Pet ownership during the pandemic With nationwide lockdowns forcing people to spend most of their time confined at home, approximately ** percent of Americans from all generations surveyed in 2020 reported spending more time with their pets as a result of social distancing regulations. Additionally, the pandemic had its impact on the economic situation of millions of people who may have struggled with precarious work or part-time employment that was discontinued due to lockdowns, which made many pet owners concerned about the affordability of pet food and products. In fact, younger generations like Gen Z and Millennials in the United States were more likely than Baby Boomers to be worried about pet expenses during the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. Pet industry in the United States Pet industry expenditure in the United States has witnessed remarkable growth over the years and was forecast to reach nearly *** billion U.S. dollars in 2021, up from less than half that figure only ten years prior when it was approximately ** billion U.S. dollars in 2011. Among the most prominent players in the U.S. pet industry are pet food companies Mars Petcare Inc. and Nestlé Purina Petcare, generating ** billion and ** billion U.S. dollars in revenues, respectively.

According to a survey on pet ownership conducted by Rakuten Insight in January 2022, ** percent of female and ** percent of male respondents in Hong Kong stated that they own at least one pet at the moment. In comparison, about ** percent of female respondents mentioned that they had pets before, but not anymore.

This statistic shows the share of pet owners in the United States in 2017, broken down by ethnicity. According to the report, ** percent of Caucasians own a pet in the United States.

According to a survey conducted by Rakuten Insight on pets owned in January 2022 in India, dogs were the most popular pets, with a share of ** percent. Cats were the second most popular pets, with a share of ** percent.

According to a survey on pet ownership conducted by Rakuten Insight in January 2022, approximately 71 percent of Thai respondents stated that they owned at least one pet. In comparison, about 18.2 percent of Thais answered that they do not own any pet.

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

A survey conducted in the United States in 2023 found that only 24 percent of all pet owners have pet insurance for their dogs or cats. The pet owners belonging to Generation Z were more likely to have insurance for their pets compared to any other generation.

This statistic shows the share of Indonesian respondents of a Rakuten Insight survey who were pet owners, broken down by type of pet, as of June 2018. During the period surveyed, the most popular pet amongst the pet owners in Indonesia were cats, with ** percent of respondents who were pet owners owning a cat. In comparison, **** percent of respondents who were pet owners owned a dog.