The population of dogs kept as pets in the United Kingdom (UK) was estimated at **** million in 2024, which is an increase of around *** million from the previous year. Dog ownership in the UK As the population of dogs grew in the United Kingdom over the last decade, so did the share of dog-owning households in the UK. Between 2019/20 and 2021/22, the share of UK households owning a pet dog jumped from ** percent to around ** percent. This sudden increase could be attributed to the coronavirus pandemic and the resulting government-imposed quarantines that forced people to stay at home. UK households own pet dogs from various breeds. However, Labrador Retrievers were by far the most popular dog breed in the UK, with around ****** registrations in 2020. French Bulldogs were also equally popular with ****** registrations in that year. How much does it cost to own a dog in the UK? Consumer spending on pets and related products went up significantly in the United Kingdom between 2005 and 2020, with expenditure levels peaking at **** billion British pounds in 2020. The annual cost of keeping a pet dog in the UK amounted to an estimated ***** GBP as of 2022. Broken down by expense type, boarding for two weeks cost approximately *** GBP per year and is the costliest part of owning a pet dog, followed by pet insurance estimated at around *** GBP annually.

The change in population of pet dogs in the UK has been significant in the past year. In 2023, **** million of them were cohabiting with their human owners in UK households, a decrease of close to *********** compared to 2022.   Dogs more popular than cats   Dogs are cherished in the United Kingdom – more so than cats. In 2022, pet dogs were more prevalent in the UK with over a quarter of households owning at least ***, as opposed to households with cats. This was the same in previous years as well.

This dataset is a modelled dataset, describing the predicted population of dogs per postcode district (e.g. YO41). This dataset gives the lower 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 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 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:

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.

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.

This statistic shows the estimated population size of all pets in the United Kingdom (UK) from 2009 to 2018. Over the last five years the number of pets in the UK has declined. The pet population peaked in 2013 at 71 million, but as of 2018 is estimated to be around 51 million.

The most popular pet in the United Kingdom is the dog, with 26 percent of people owning one. The least popular pet type is mice with only 00.3 percent of the population owning one.

The United Kingdom is a nation of pet lovers, with 45 percent of the population owning some sort of animal. With such as high percentage of ownership, this means there is a big market for other essentials such as pet food and accessories. In 2017 dog and cat food alone had an estimated market value of 2.5 billion British pounds.

This dataset is a modelled dataset, describing the predicted population of cats 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. Attribution statement:

This statistic shows the population of pet dogs in the United Kingdom (UK) from 2007 to 2012. Between the two years, the number of dogs in the UK has declined slightly to around *** million.

This dataset is a modelled dataset, describing the upper estimate of dog 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 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 an upper estimate of dogs 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 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 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:

According to the most recent pet population survey in 2024, approximately ** percent of responding households in the United Kingdom (UK) owned at least one dog. Between 2010 and 2020, the percentage of households who own at least one dog remained between ** and ** percent. In 2021, the survey changed its format from face-to-face to online, meaning that data should not be directly compared with previous years. Pet dogs in the United Kingdom A downward trend is also reflected in the number of pet dogs owned in the UK, which was approximately ** million in 2023. This constitutes a decrease of *** million compared to 2022. The majority of British dog owners get their pets from a breeder of one specific breed. Approximately ** percent get their dog from a rescue or rehoming center/shelter based in the UK. Most popular dog breeds in the United Kingdom The most frequently registered dog breeds in the UK are Labrador Retrievers and French Bulldogs. Since 2011, the number of registered French Bulldogs has increased from approximately ***** to over ******. The number of Labrador Retrievers remained relatively stable between 2011 and 2020. Both breeds saw a notable increase in registrations during the pandemic year of 2021. For example, the number of Labrador Retrievers increased from around ****** in 2020 to over ****** in 2021.

This statistic shows a ranking of the leading pets owned by households in the United Kingdom (UK) between 2016 and 2019, broken down by region. In London, 14 percent of people were cat owners, while 9 percent owned a dog, making this the only region were cats were more popular than dogs.

In total, 45 percent of the UK population own a pet . This figure has increased by five percent since 2016. Over 90 percent of pet owners in the UK say that owning a pet makes them feel happy and 88 percent feel that pet ownership improves their overall quality of life.

With such as high ownership of pets in the United Kingdom, this leads the path for retailers in a growing and dynamic market. Pet food has a key role to play, with dog and cat food alone estimated at 2.5 billion British pounds in 2017.

Owning a dog cost an estimated ***** British pounds a year in the UK as of 2025. Two weeks of boarding was estimated to cost *** British pounds per year, making up the largest share of total dog expenditure. Expenditure on pets The annual expenditure on pets in the UK has generally been increasing since 2005. As of 2021, expenditure exceeded **** billion British pounds, marking an increase of about 175 percent during this time period. Consumers between 30 and 49 years of age spend the most weekly compared to other age groups, spending an average of *** British pounds per week on pet food and other pet products. Rise in dog registrations in the UK Dog population in the UK surged in 2021. Since 2010, the dog population has been at about *** million, on average. In 2021, however, the population grew by over ** percent, reaching about ** million dogs. The top dog breeds in the UK are Labrador Retrievers, French Bulldogs, and Cocker Spaniels according to dog registrations that year.

This dataset is a modelled dataset, describing an upper 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 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 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

In 2023, the dog population in Europe was measured at approximately ****** million, an increase from around ****** million in the previous year. Overall, the number of pet-owning households in Europe was estimated to be around *** million in 2023. Pets in the European Union With a pet population reaching almost ** million in 2022, cats were the most populous animal type in the European Union, followed by dogs and ornamental birds. Other popular pets that year included small mammals, ornamental fish, and pet reptiles. There were approximately *** million pet reptiles in the European Union in 2022. Germany was home to the highest population of pet dogs in the European Union in 2022, at around **** million. Pet retailers in Europe The German pet food company Fressnapf was Europe’s top pet care retailer, with more than 2.1 billion euros in annual turnover in 2019. Fressnapf’s competitors in Europe are prominent pet care retailers such as the United Kingdom’s Pets at Home, the Belgian company Aveve, and the German Futterhaus, amongst others. Pets at Home is the largest pet retailer in the United Kingdom, recording annual revenues exceeding 1.32 billion British pounds in 2022.

Brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS) is well documented in the three most popular brachycephalic dog breeds of the UK and several other countries: French Bulldogs, Pugs and Bulldogs. More extreme conformation has been found to be associated with increased risk of BOAS and other brachycephalic disease in these breeds, such as ocular, neurological, and dental disease. Less is known about how BOAS and other brachycephalic conformation-related disease affects other breeds such as the Boston Terrier. In this study, one-hundred and seven Boston Terriers were prospectively recruited from the UK dog population and underwent clinical assessment, respiratory function grading and conformational measurements. Whole-body barometric plethysmography was used in a smaller cohort of dogs to compare the quantitative differences in respiratory parameters between both affected and unaffected Boston Terriers, and control mesocephalic dogs. When compared to an equivalent study population of French Bulldogs and Bulldogs, it was found that Boston Terriers have a significantly higher proportion of BOAS Grade 0 dogs at 37.5% compared to 10% and 15.2% respectively (p

The United Kingdom veterinary healthcare market size was USD 1.53 Billion in 2022 and is likely to reach USD 2.80 Billion by 2031, expanding at a CAGR of 6.94% during 2023–2031. The growth of the market is attributed to growing technical developments and public knowledge of zoonotic and foodborne illnesses.



The number of veterinarians employed in the United Kingdom was estimated to be at 27.2 thousand in 2021. As a result of the rising number of veterinarians working in the UK, the number of businesses engaged in veterinary operations has expanded as well. There are 4,058 veterinary businesses in the United Kingdom as of 2018.

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) controls veterinary medicine in the United Kingdom. Veterinary medicine may only be practiced by fully certified and licensed practitioners, according to the Veterinary Surgeons Act of 1966.



Pets are a significant part of family life in the United Kingdom, with families spending over five billion British pounds on veterinarian and other pet services in 2018. In 2018, UK families spent an average of 2.5 British pounds per week on pet food and 2.1 British pounds per week on veterinarian and other pet services.



According to the Pet Food Manufacturers' Association (PFMA), which recently released its yearly pet population numbers for 2021, 3.2 million homes in the United Kingdom have adopted a pet since the epidemic began. Two-thirds (59%) of new pet owners are between the ages of 16 and 34, and 56% of new pet owners have children at home, owing to the influence of Gen Z and Millennials. Despite the fact that 74 percent of respondents said their pet has helped them cope with the epidemic, the survey raises concerns about animal care.



UK has a implemented the Animal Welfare Act 2006 imposes a legal duty of care on their owners or keepers to provide for their animals' welfare needs, which include the five welfare needs of health, diet, environment, behavior, and companionship.



Rising instances of animal diseases on 3^rd November 2021, the virus that causes Covid-19 has been found in a domestic dog in the United Kingdom, according to the country's Chief Veterinary Officer examinations

Boston Terrier BOAS grading, signalment and conformation dataset.

The top dog breed in the UK in 2022, as measured by number of registrations, was the Labrador Retriever breed. Some 44,311 retrievers were newly registered in the UK in 2022. French Bulldogs and Cocker Spaniels rounded out the top three dog breeds in the UK that year.

Surge in UK dog registrations

In 2022, many dog breeds saw a decrease in registrations after large growth in 2021. Over 17 thousand fewer Labrador Retrievers were registered in 2022 than in 2021. Registrations of French Bulldogs and Cocker Spaniels also saw significant decreases in the UK that year.

UK pet food market

Europe and North America produce the most pet food worldwide. In 2022, Europe produced about 11.8 million metric tons of pet food. Though less pet food is produced in North America overall, the United States has the highest pet food revenue worldwide by far. The UK has the second highest revenue, reaching over 6.8 billion U.S. dollars that year.

Background: Genomic methods have proved to be important tools in the analysis of genetic diversity across the range of species and can be used to reveal processes underlying both short- and long-term evolutionary change. This study applied genomic methods to investigate population structure and inbreeding in a common UK dog breed, the Labrador Retriever.

Results: We found substantial within-breed genetic differentiation, which was associated with the role of the dog (i.e. working, pet, show) and also with coat colour (i.e. black, yellow, brown). There was little evidence of geographical differentiation. Highly differentiated genomic regions contained genes and markers associated with skull shape, suggesting that at least some of the differentiation is related to human-imposed selection on this trait. We also found that the total length of homozygous segments (runs of homozygosity, ROHs) was highly correlated with inbreeding coefficient.

Conclusions: This study demonstrates that high-density genomic data can be used to quantify genetic diversity and to decipher demographic and selection processes. Analysis of genetically differentiated regions in the UK Labrador Retriever population suggests the possibility of human-imposed selection on craniofacial characteristics. The high correlation between estimates of inbreeding from genomic and pedigree data for this breed demonstrates that genomic approaches can be used to quantify inbreeding levels in dogs, which will be particularly useful where pedigree information is missing.