Let’s embark on a global tour of the pet-owning industry
Did you know that seven out of ten households in the US have a pet? ¹ Pets play an important role in the lives of their owners by providing them with unconditional affection and emotional support.
However, this is hardly unique to America. To demonstrate how the relationship between people and animals cuts across languages and nations, we set out to assemble the whole list of pet ownership statistics in the United States (and around the world).
Continue reading to find out everything you need to know regarding pet ownership in various countries. It will make you feel good, and your next trivia night might benefit from it.
U.S. statistics on pet ownership in households
The number of Americans who keep pets has been rising gradually over time. Dogs are the most common pet overall, so keep it up, woof woof, but there is a wide range of pet ownership.
As of 2022, 70 percent of American households (90.5 million dwellings) had pets.
1 69 million households in the United States have a pet dog, as opposed to 45.3 million with a cat.
2.9 million American households own saltwater fish, while 3.5 million own horses.
One in five American households bought a dog or cat just from March 2020 to May 2021.
In the United States, pet ownership has continuously increased. In 1988, 56% of households had pets; in 2019, 67% did.
To see trends in pet ownership by the state, let’s dig a little further.
Data on pet ownership by state
There are some particularly intriguing nuances that we uncover when we break down specific statistics by state. Who knew D.C. residents didn’t need pets very much or that Californians enjoyed pet insurance so much?
With 72% of families having at least one pet, Wyoming is the pet-ownership leader in the nation.
West Virginia (71%), Nebraska (70%), Vermont (70%), Idaho (70%), Arkansas (69%), Indiana (69%), Oklahoma (65%), Mississippi (65%), and Colorado (65%) are the top 10 states with the greatest percentages of households with pets, followed by Wyoming (65%).
Despite not being a state, Washington, D.C., has the lowest percentage of households with pets (38.2%), followed by Rhode Island (45.4%).
The following states have fewer than 50% of households with pets: South Dakota (46%), New Jersey (47%), Massachusetts (49%), and Illinois (49%).
pet ownership state
statistics on pet ownership worldwide
We can observe that different countries and regions have different preferences for pet companions when we look at Asia, Europe, Latin America, and Oceania.
Spoiler alert: Dogs are less well-liked in Turkey than they are in the U.K. Cats, on the other hand, are thriving in Europe, particularly in France, where they are roughly twice as prevalent as companion dogs. This is not credible!
38% of the 88 million households in the European Union as of 2020 had at least one pet.
Cats are the most popular household pet in Europe, with an estimated 110.15 million cats as pets.
Turkey: has the lowest proportion of households in Europe having a dog as a pet—just 5%.
With around 1.37 million pet reptiles, Italy ranks second in the region behind the United Kingdom (1.45 million).
The number of pet decorative birds in Italy is also the highest in Europe (12.88 million).
In Italy, ornamental birds (12.88 million) are the most common type of pet, followed by dogs (8.3 million) and cats (7.93 million).
In Spain, decorative birds (6.99 million) are the most popular type of pet, followed by dogs (6.73 million) and cats (3.8 million).
Spain also has the lowest ownership of cats in Europe, with only 11% of families having at least one pet cat.
Spain has the third-largest population of pet ornamental birds in Europe with 6.99 million, whereas Turkey has 11.2 million
There are 15.1 million more pet cats than dogs in France (7.5 million).
The largest proportion of families with cats as pets among EU nations is seen in Romania (47%).
Romania also shares first place with Poland among EU nations in terms of the proportion of dogs kept as pets (42%).
In 2021, 12.5% of homes in the United Kingdom (33% of them) had a pet dog, 12.2% had a pet cat, and 0.8% had a pet pigeon.
In Asia-Pacific (APAC) countries, 32% of households have dogs, compared to 26% who have cats.
In Thailand, 47% of households have a dog, compared to 16% in Hong Kong.
The Philippines: has the largest percentage of dog owners in APAC (70%).
In Indonesia, cats are the most popular pet, with 47% of households having a cat.
In APAC, Japan has the lowest percentage of homes without pets (72%), and the lowest pet ownership rate.
The biggest proportion of households in APAC—15 percent—own a pet goldfish in Vietnam.
In New Zealand, 64% of households had a pet as of 2020.
With 41% of families having at least one cat, cats are the most common pet in New Zealand.
There are 1.37 million pet fish, which is more than the combined number of cats (1.2 million) and dogs (9% of New Zealand households have pet fish) (851,000).
Pets are kept in 61% of Australian households (5.9 million).
In Australia, there are almost 29 million pets compared to 25 million people.
The majority of Australian families (40%) have at least one dog, whereas 27% have cats, 11% have fish, and 9% have birds.
As of 2019, Brazil had 132 million pets, including 77 million dogs and cats, making it the country with the fourth-largest pet population worldwide.
Dogs vs. Cats: The Battle Goes On
Without examining the rivalry between cats and dogs, no study of pet ownership would be complete. Here is a comparison of dog and cat ownership in the United States, with an emphasis on adoption-related characteristics.
In contrast to 76% of families with cats, 85% of households with dogs view their dog as a member of the family as of 2016.
In general, 46% of cat owners and 40% of dog owners got their pets through recommendations.
Compared to 23% of dog owners, almost 31% of cat owners say they got their pet from a humane society or animal shelter.
Comparatively, only 3% of cat owners got their pets from a breeder, compared to 34% of dog owners.
6% of pet dogs and 27% of pet cats were originally stray animals.
Every year, about 2.1 million cats and 2 million dogs are adopted in the United States.
The difference in generations among pet owners
We have already paid a lot of attention to the animals. Can we learn more about pet owners, though? How, for instance, does pet ownership in the United States differ based on generation? The most recent data are displayed here.
Expenses of Pet Ownership
Here are the expenses associated with pet ownership in the United States, including food, toys, and veterinary care.
In 2020, American pet owners will spend $42 billion on pet food and treats.
It was predicted that American pet owners would spend $9.7 billion in 2021 on services such as insurance, grooming, training, and boarding in addition to veterinary expenses.
The U.S. spent $31.4 billion on vet care and goods sales in 2020, and it was anticipated that this amount would rise to $32.3 billion by 2021.
In 2020, Americans spent $22.1 billion on goods, live animals, and OTC medications.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that in 2011, the average American spent slightly over $500 annually on their dogs.
Total spending in the pet sector
The data reveals that pet sector spending has expanded along with the steady rise in pet ownership in the United States.
Pet-related spending was anticipated to total $109.6 billion in the United States alone in 2021.
Spending in the U.S. pet business increased by 114% from 2010 to 2020.
The United States spent $103.6 billion on the pet market in 2020.
US pet business spending totaled $90.5 billion in 2018 and $97.1 billion in 2019.
Spending on pets in the United States increased from 2019 to 2020 by 6.69%.
According to projections, U.S. pet spending on non-vet care services increased from 2020 to 2021 ($8.1 billion) by 16.5%.
Friendship with animals has health advantages
Most pet owners would likely agree that having a pet makes their lives better. However, did you know that research demonstrates the real health advantages of animal companionship?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, pets company can help people manage loneliness and depression.
Walking or playing with a pet on a regular basis can lower blood pressure, cortisol, and lipid levels.
Animals can offer emotional support and lessen PTSD symptoms as well as anxiety.
Regular outdoor activities with pets can enhance cognitive performance in elderly persons.
The facts about pet health
You must ensure your pet has access to good medical treatment (and pet insurance can help take the bite out of some of those bills). Here is a look at how much money Americans spend on maintaining their dogs.
Warning: Unsurprisingly, buying and caring for a dog seems to end up costing substantially more than keeping a cat.
The U.S. had 118,624 licensed veterinarians as of 2020, which indicates that there are roughly 582 veterinarians for every 100 dog families in the country.
There are roughly 382 more cat-owning homes in the United States than there are veterinary professionals overall.
Dog owners often spend more than twice as much (127.9%) than cat owners ($458 per visit vs. $201) on surgical veterinary appointments.
On average, dog owners pay 36% more ($242 vs. $178) on routine veterinary visits than cat owners.
In the US, the average annual vitamin expenditure for dog owners is $81, compared to $47 for cat owners.
In contrast to 36% of pet cats, 34% of pet dogs appeared to be overweight or obese as of 2016.
statistics on pet health insurance
Over time, the cost of providing medical care for pets has increased. Fortunately, the market for pet health insurance has expanded at the same time, and the correct plan can assist in reducing those expenses.
Check out what Lemonade Pet has to offer if you’re not familiar with the possibilities, or feel free to get your free quotation.
In North America, 3.45 million pets had pet insurance policies as of 2020.
In the United States in 2020, dogs accounted for almost 83% of all insured pets.
By the end of 2020, pet health insurance premiums in the US had reached $1.99 billion.
Between 2016 and 2020, the market for pet health insurance in the United States expanded by an average of 23.2% per year.
The total amount spent by Americans on insurance in 2020, including Accident & Illness and Insurance With Embedded Wellness, was around $1.855 billion.
More dogs and cats are insured by Lemonade in Brooklyn, New York than anywhere else in the country.
What is the price of pet insurance?
Plans for pet insurance differ widely depending on the kind of animal, its breed, age, and residence. Since cats’ medical expenses are less than those of dogs, they are generally less expensive to insure.
Cat health insurance typically costs around $25 per month. Dog health insurance typically costs around $65 per month.
However, with companies like Lemonade, who offer pet health insurance, you can find premiums as low as $14 for cats and $37 for dogs.
13 suggestions for raising pets better
After that statistical tour around the world of pet ownership, I hope your head isn’t spinning. Now, let’s take a slight detour and examine how to generally be a better pet parent.
Pet ownership entails a great deal of responsibility, much like parenting a child. The following “do’s” and “don’ts” can help you be a better pet parent.
Do: Establish clear boundaries with your pet, such as no-go zones in your house.
Establish ground rules and provide rewards for good behavior.
Ensure that your pet is cleaned up after in public areas, such as a dog park or sidewalk.
Provide your pet with a lot of exercise and interaction
Set up a feeding regimen and a balanced diet.
Observe any abrupt changes in behavior or appetite.
Schedule routine examinations
Invest in pet insurance so that you are protected in case of an emergency.
Don’t:
Give your pet some of your food.
Pet waste should not be left behind in public spaces (come on, people!
Give your pet too many treats.
Remove your pet’s leash in public spaces.
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