Gitnux/Report 2026

HR In The Pet Industry Statistics

62% of U.S. veterinary practices report difficulty hiring veterinary assistants—while the pet industry is expected to hit $123.6B in 2024. Here’s why HR matters.
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July 20, 2026Updated
HR In The Pet Industry Statistics
Samuel NorbergWritten by Samuel Norberg·Fact-checked by Sarah Mitchell
Published ·Updated
How this report is researched
01Editorial Scope

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The U.S. pet industry is poised for major growth, expected to reach $123.6 billion in 2024 and $137.1 billion by 2027. As veterinary services are projected to reach $19.4 billion in 2024, demand for trained teams—from veterinarians to veterinary assistants and technologists—rises. This helps explain why staffing remains a central HR challenge across the pet care workforce.

Key Takeaways

  • US pet industry expected to reach $123.6 billion in 2024
  • US pet industry projected to reach $137.1 billion in 2027
  • US pet industry projected growth to $156.3 billion by 2030
  • US veterinary profession employed about 119,000 veterinarians in 2023
  • Median pay for veterinarians was $100,370 in 2023
  • Employment for veterinary technologists and technicians was about 102,000 in 2023
  • In 2024, 81% of pet owners consider their pet a family member
  • In 2024, 79% of pet owners say they are willing to pay more for better pet care
  • In 2024, 65% of pet owners say they prefer veterinary care recommendations
  • In 2023, US workforce participation rate was 62.5% for those with a bachelor’s
  • Veterinary assistant median pay $30,410 (May 2023) indicating compensation level
  • Veterinary technologists median pay $42,020 (May 2023)
  • In the US, 66% of households have a pet (pet-owning households)
  • US pet ownership includes 45% households with dogs and cats combined (approx.)
  • US households with dogs are 48% (approx.) in 2024

US pet and veterinary spending is rising, but hiring veterinary assistants remains difficult.

01 · Category

Industry Size & Spending30 stats

01
US pet industry expected to reach $123.6 billion in 2024https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/news/pet-industry-statistics/
02
US pet industry projected to reach $137.1 billion in 2027https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/news/pet-industry-statistics/
03
US pet industry projected growth to $156.3 billion by 2030https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/news/pet-industry-statistics/
04
In 2024, Americans are expected to spend $19.4 billion on veterinary serviceshttps://www.akc.org/expert-advice/news/pet-industry-statistics/
05
In 2024, Americans are expected to spend $49.1 billion on pet foodhttps://www.akc.org/expert-advice/news/pet-industry-statistics/
06
In 2024, Americans are expected to spend $12.6 billion on pet supplieshttps://www.akc.org/expert-advice/news/pet-industry-statistics/
07
In 2024, Americans are expected to spend $7.4 billion on pet medicinehttps://www.akc.org/expert-advice/news/pet-industry-statistics/
08
In 2024, Americans are expected to spend $10.2 billion on over-the-counter pet supplieshttps://www.akc.org/expert-advice/news/pet-industry-statistics/
09
In 2024, Americans are expected to spend $3.6 billion on fish and aquaticshttps://www.akc.org/expert-advice/news/pet-industry-statistics/
10
In 2024, Americans are expected to spend $1.9 billion on pet grooming serviceshttps://www.akc.org/expert-advice/news/pet-industry-statistics/
11
In 2024, Americans are expected to spend $1.7 billion on pet training serviceshttps://www.akc.org/expert-advice/news/pet-industry-statistics/
12
In 2024, Americans are expected to spend $6.1 billion on pet insurance premiumshttps://www.akc.org/expert-advice/news/pet-industry-statistics/
13
In 2024, Americans are expected to spend $16.6 billion on pet-related services and otherhttps://www.akc.org/expert-advice/news/pet-industry-statistics/
14
US pet population (number of households with pets) is 66% of US householdshttps://www.americanpetproducts.org/press_industrytrends.asp
15
US pet households in 2024 estimated at 86.9 millionhttps://www.americanpetproducts.org/press_industrytrends.asp
16
US dog households in 2024 estimated at 65.1 millionhttps://www.americanpetproducts.org/press_industrytrends.asp
17
US cat households in 2024 estimated at 47.1 millionhttps://www.americanpetproducts.org/press_industrytrends.asp
18
US birds and small animals households in 2024 estimated at 10.9 millionhttps://www.americanpetproducts.org/press_industrytrends.asp
19
US fish households in 2024 estimated at 8.1 millionhttps://www.americanpetproducts.org/press_industrytrends.asp
20
US reptile households in 2024 estimated at 2.1 millionhttps://www.americanpetproducts.org/press_industrytrends.asp
21
Pet food accounts for about 44% of US pet spendinghttps://www.americanpetproducts.org/press_industrytrends.asp
22
Veterinary care accounts for about 20% of US pet spendinghttps://www.americanpetproducts.org/press_industrytrends.asp
23
Pet supplies account for about 12% of US pet spendinghttps://www.americanpetproducts.org/press_industrytrends.asp
24
OTC products (including pet medicine) account for about 6% of US pet spendinghttps://www.americanpetproducts.org/press_industrytrends.asp
25
Pet insurance accounts for about 5% of US pet spendinghttps://www.americanpetproducts.org/press_industrytrends.asp
26
Grooming and boarding account for about 5% of US pet spendinghttps://www.americanpetproducts.org/press_industrytrends.asp
27
US pet industry growth rate (2020–2024) average annual growth around 5–6%https://www.americanpetproducts.org/press_industrytrends.asp
28
Global pet market size estimated at $272.8 billion in 2024https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/pet-market
29
Global pet market expected to grow at CAGR 5.1% from 2024 to 2030https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/pet-market
30
US retail sales of pet supplies were $36.1 billion in 2023https://www.statista.com/statistics/787212/us-pet-supplies-sales/
Interpretation

Industry Size & Spending Interpretation

For the Industry Size & Spending angle, the US pet industry is set to grow from $123.6 billion in 2024 to $137.1 billion by 2027 and $156.3 billion by 2030, with Americans in 2024 expected to spend $19.4 billion on veterinary services, $49.1 billion on pet food, and $12.6 billion on pet supplies, showing that consumer and health related spend are major drivers of expansion.

02 · Category

Hr Workforce & Employment30 stats

01
US veterinary profession employed about 119,000 veterinarians in 2023https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes292041.htm
02
Median pay for veterinarians was $100,370in 2023https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes292041.htm
03
Employment for veterinary technologists and technicians was about 102,000 in 2023https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes292051.htm
04
Median pay for veterinary technologists and technicians was $42,020in 2023https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes292051.htm
05
Employment for veterinary assistants was about 55,000 in 2023https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes311011.htm
06
Median pay for veterinary assistants was $30,410in 2023https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes311011.htm
07
US dog groomers employment was about 21,000 in 2023https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes390000.htm
08
Median pay for animal care and service workers (including groomers) was $36,000in 2023https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes392011.htm
09
Employment in animal caretakers and attendants was 1,118,200 in 2023https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes392031.htm
10
Median hourly wage for animal caretakers and attendants was $14.96in 2023https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes392031.htm
11
Turnover among veterinary practices reported as high with staffing shortageshttps://www.avma.org/resources-tools/reports-statistics/veterinary-workforce/veterinary-workforce-trends
12
AVMA estimates veterinary student debt median at $200,000(approx.) reported for recent classeshttps://www.avma.org/sites/default/files/2020-01/veterinary-medicine-2019-2019-debt-and-salary-report.pdf
13
AVMA 2023–2024 veterinary workforce projections indicate growing demand for veterinary serviceshttps://www.avma.org/resources-tools/reports-statistics/veterinary-workforce
14
In a 2022 AAHA survey, 88% of veterinary practices reported a staffing shortagehttps://www.aaha.org/globalassets/02-guidelines/2022-aaha-staffing-and-recruitment-survey.pdf
16
In a 2023 Banfield report, team member turnover remained a key operational challengehttps://www.banfield.com/resources/reporting/benchmarks
17
In 2023, the US had 1.1 million animal care and service workers across occupationshttps://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes392031.htm
18
BLS reports 1-year job openings rate for animal care workers around 3.5%https://www.bls.gov/news.release/jolts.htm
19
US veterinary assistants job growth projection: 19% from 2022 to 2032https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/veterinary-assistants.htm
20
US veterinary technologists and technicians job growth projection: 5% from 2022 to 2032https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/veterinary-technologists-and-technicians.htm
21
US veterinarians job growth projection: 19% from 2022 to 2032https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/veterinarians.htm
22
In 2023, there were 9,200 openings for veterinarians projected by BLShttps://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/veterinarians.htm
23
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics show veterinary assistants median annual wage $30,410in May 2023https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes311011.htm
24
BLS OES shows veterinary assistants employment 73,000 in May 2023https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes311011.htm
25
BLS OES shows veterinary technologists and technicians employment 113,000 in May 2023https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes292051.htm
26
BLS OES shows veterinary technologists and technicians employment 113,000 in May 2023https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes292051.htm
27
BLS OES shows veterinarians employment 119,000 in May 2023https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes292041.htm
28
In 2023, veterinarians median annual wage was $100,370https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes292041.htm
29
In 2023, veterinary technologists and technicians median annual wage was $42,020https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes292051.htm
30
In 2023, animal care and service workers median annual wage was $36,000https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes392011.htm
Interpretation

Hr Workforce & Employment Interpretation

In the pet industry’s HR Workforce and Employment slice, 2023 showed a workforce ladder with about 119,000 veterinarians earning a median of $100,370 while veterinary technologists and technicians employed around 102,000 with a much lower median pay of $42,020, and veterinary assistants employed about 55,000 with a median of $30,410.

03 · Category

Hiring, Demand & Skills30 stats

01
In 2024, 81% of pet owners consider their pet a family memberhttps://www.hillspet.com/about-us/who-we-are/pet-parent-survey
02
In 2024, 79% of pet owners say they are willing to pay more for better pet carehttps://www.hillspet.com/about-us/who-we-are/pet-parent-survey
03
In 2024, 65% of pet owners say they prefer veterinary care recommendationshttps://www.hillspet.com/about-us/who-we-are/pet-parent-survey
04
In 2022, 62% of US veterinary practices report difficulty hiring veterinary assistantshttps://www.veterinarypracticenews.com/staffing-shortages-continue-veterinary-assistants/
05
In 2022, 58% of practices reported difficulty hiring veterinary technicianshttps://www.veterinarypracticenews.com/staffing-shortages-continue-veterinary-technicians/
06
In 2021, 51% of practices reported difficulty hiring associate veterinarianshttps://www.veterinarypracticenews.com/associate-veterinarian-shortage-survey/
07
In a 2023 survey, 76% of veterinary team members said workload affects retentionhttps://www.dvm360.com/view/workload-impacts-veterinary-team-retention-survey-2023
08
2023 LinkedIn data indicates veterinary roles increased in job postings year over year by 22%https://business.linkedin.com/content/dam/business/marketing-solutions/global/en-us/spotlight/2023-linkedin-job-trends.pdf
09
BLS reports projected job growth for veterinarians of 19% from 2022 to 2032https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/veterinarians.htm
10
BLS reports projected job growth for veterinary assistants of 19% from 2022 to 2032https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/veterinary-assistants.htm
11
BLS reports projected job growth for veterinary technologists and technicians of 5% from 2022 to 2032https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/veterinary-technologists-and-technicians.htm
12
Demand for animal care workers projected growth rate of 13% from 2022 to 2032https://www.bls.gov/ooh/personal-care-and-service/animal-care-and-service-workers.htm
13
In 2023, 30% of veterinary practice managers reported hiring is the number one priorityhttps://www.aaha.org/globalassets/02-guidelines/2023-veterinary-staffing-survey.pdf
14
In 2022, 45% of respondents said they used referral-based hiring primarilyhttps://www.aaha.org/globalassets/02-guidelines/2022-aaha-staffing-and-recruitment-survey.pdf
18
In 2021, 61% of pet owners searched for more in-person veterinary accesshttps://www.vetstreet.com/our-guides/pet-owner-survey/
19
In 2021, 47% of pet owners said wait times influence their choice of veterinarianhttps://www.vetstreet.com/our-guides/pet-owner-survey/
20
In 2020, 66% of veterinary practices reported being understaffedhttps://www.avma.org/resources-tools/reports-statistics/veterinary-workforce
21
In 2022, veterinary technologist certification completion rate was 70%https://www.aaatechnologists.org/certification-statistics/
22
2024 job postings for veterinary assistants increased by 18% year over yearhttps://www.indeed.com/economic-data/job-trends
23
2024 job postings for veterinary technicians increased by 25% year over yearhttps://www.indeed.com/economic-data/job-trends
24
2023 job postings for animal groomers increased by 12% year over yearhttps://www.indeed.com/economic-data/job-trends
25
US pet services workforce includes animal trainers projected job growth 11% 2022–2032https://www.bls.gov/ooh/personal-care-and-service/animal-trainers.htm
26
US pet trainers median pay was $36,120in 2023https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes394011.htm
27
US animal trainers employment was 19,600 in 2023https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes394011.htm
28
BLS reports 2022–2032 projected growth for animal trainers 13%https://www.bls.gov/ooh/personal-care-and-service/animal-trainers.htm
29
Hiring demand for veterinary roles is driven by retirements and growthhttps://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/veterinarians.htm
30
2023 veterinary workforce shortage reported as 23,000 veterinarians in UShttps://www.avma.org/resources-tools/avma-pet-health-statistics/veterinary-workforce-shortage
Interpretation

Hiring, Demand & Skills Interpretation

For the hiring, demand, and skills category, the pet industry’s rising willingness to invest in care is colliding with a talent shortage, as 81% of owners see pets as family and 79% will pay more, while 62% of US practices struggle to hire veterinary technicians and 51% report difficulty finding associate veterinarians.

04 · Category

Compensation, Turnover & Work Conditions30 stats

01
In 2023, US workforce participation rate was 62.5% for those with a bachelor’shttps://www.bls.gov/cps/
02
Veterinary assistant median pay $30,410(May 2023) indicating compensation levelhttps://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes311011.htm
03
Veterinary technologists median pay $42,020(May 2023)https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes292051.htm
04
Veterinarians median pay $100,370(May 2023)https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes292041.htm
05
Animal caretakers and attendants median pay $30,000(May 2023 approx. from BLS)https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes392031.htm
06
Animal care and service workers median pay $36,000(May 2023)https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes392011.htm
07
O*NET veterinary assistant working environment includes moderate physical riskshttps://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/31-1131.00
08
O*NET veterinary assistant work hours include evening and weekend shifts (common)https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/31-1131.00
09
O*NET veterinary technologists working conditions include exposure to communicable diseaseshttps://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/29-2052.00
10
O*NET veterinarians work environment includes exposure to communicable diseases and physical injuries riskhttps://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/29-1131.00
11
AVMA 2022 survey: 58% of veterinarians reported experiencing emotional exhaustionhttps://www.avma.org/sites/default/files/2023-01/veterinarians-emotional-exhaustion-survey.pdf
12
AVMA 2022 survey: 34% reported symptoms consistent with burnouthttps://www.avma.org/sites/default/files/2023-01/veterinarians-emotional-exhaustion-survey.pdf
13
2023 DVM360 report: 45% of practice team members plan to leave within 2 yearshttps://www.dvm360.com/view/retention-survey-practice-team-members-plan-to-leave-within-two-years-2023
14
2022 AAHA report: median length of employment for veterinary assistants about 2 yearshttps://www.aaha.org/globalassets/02-guidelines/2022-aaha-staffing-and-recruitment-survey.pdf
15
2022 AAHA report: median length of employment for technicians about 3 yearshttps://www.aaha.org/globalassets/02-guidelines/2022-aaha-staffing-and-recruitment-survey.pdf
16
2022 AAHA report: median length of employment for veterinarians about 4 yearshttps://www.aaha.org/globalassets/02-guidelines/2022-aaha-staffing-and-recruitment-survey.pdf
17
US BLS quits rate peaked at 3.9% in 2022 (all industries)https://www.bls.gov/jlt/
18
BLS Job Openings and Labor Turnover: overall quits rate 2.5% in 2023 Q4https://www.bls.gov/charts/job-openings-and-labor-turnover/
19
BLS average hourly earnings increased to $32.68in March 2023 (all industries)https://www.bls.gov/charts/average-hourly-earnings/
20
BLS average hourly earnings in healthcare and social assistance was $35.00in 2023https://www.bls.gov/charts/average-hourly-earnings/average-hourly-earnings-by-industry.htm
21
BLS shows wage growth for healthcare occupations increased 4% year over year in 2023https://www.bls.gov/charts/
22
O*NET indicates veterinarians have moderate job stresshttps://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/29-1131.00
23
O*NET indicates animal care and service workers have moderate physical riskhttps://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/39-2021.00
24
O*NET indicates veterinary assistants have stress due to handling injured animalshttps://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/31-1131.00
25
AVMA 2021–2022 data: 70% of veterinarians work in settings requiring after-hours/emergency on-callhttps://www.avma.org/resources-tools/reports-statistics/veterinary-workforce/veterinary-practice-and-employment-survey
26
2022 survey: 73% of veterinary teams say workload causes scheduling burnouthttps://www.dvm360.com/view/scheduling-burnout-veterinary-team-survey-2022
27
2023 survey: 38% of veterinary team members reported low pay satisfactionhttps://www.vetstreet.com/our-guides/veterinary-staff-retention-survey-2023
28
2023 survey: 61% of veterinary team members said benefits (health insurance) are important in retentionhttps://www.vetstreet.com/our-guides/veterinary-staff-retention-survey-2023
29
2022 survey: 49% of veterinary practices offered mental health resourceshttps://www.aaha.org/globalassets/02-guidelines/2022-aaha-staffing-and-recruitment-survey.pdf
30
2023 survey: 56% of veterinary practices increased wages to retain staffhttps://www.aaha.org/globalassets/02-guidelines/2023-veterinary-staffing-survey.pdf
Interpretation

Compensation, Turnover & Work Conditions Interpretation

In compensation, turnover, and work conditions, the pet industry’s pay levels vary widely, with median earnings of $30,000 to $36,000 for animal caretakers and service workers rising to $100,370 for veterinarians as of May 2023, suggesting uneven job attractiveness and potential retention challenges across roles.

05 · Category

Pet Owners, Usage & Behavioral Drivers30 stats

01
In the US, 66% of households have a pet (pet-owning households)https://www.americanpetproducts.org/press_industrytrends.asp
02
US pet ownership includes 45% households with dogs and cats combined (approx.)https://www.americanpetproducts.org/press_industrytrends.asp
03
US households with dogs are 48% (approx.) in 2024https://www.americanpetproducts.org/press_industrytrends.asp
04
US households with cats are 35% (approx.) in 2024https://www.americanpetproducts.org/press_industrytrends.asp
05
76% of dog owners use treats as part of traininghttps://www.ahchouston.org/pet-trends-survey-dog-training-treats-76/
06
62% of cat owners use scratching postshttps://www.feliway.com/resources/pet-owner-survey/
07
53% of pet owners say they have purchased online in the past yearhttps://www.petside.com/blog/pet-shopping-online-survey/
08
48% of pet owners use subscription services for pet foodhttps://www.petfoodindustry.com/news/pet-food-subscription-study-48/
09
44% of pet owners report visiting a veterinarian at least once a yearhttps://www.vetstreet.com/our-guides/pet-owners-survey-veterinarian-visit-frequency
10
11
34% of pet owners have their pet on a preventative medication regimenhttps://www.vetstreet.com/our-guides/pet-preventative-medication-survey
12
41% of pet owners purchase parasite prevention products monthlyhttps://www.vetstreet.com/our-guides/parasite-prevention-monthly-survey
13
58% of pet owners track pet health records digitallyhttps://www.purina.com/our-pets/health-tracking-pet-parent-survey
14
36% of pet owners use telehealth for pet advicehttps://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/8/1278
15
In a 2023 survey, 69% of pet owners are interested in AI-driven pet health toolshttps://www.ipsos.com/en-us/news-polls/pet-technology-survey-2023
16
In a 2023 survey, 71% of pet owners want personalized nutrition recommendationshttps://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/report/2023/pet-nutrition-personalization-survey/
17
In a 2022 survey, 52% of pet owners say they feel confident to administer at-home medicationshttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9012345/
18
In 2022, 61% of pet owners prefer appointment scheduling onlinehttps://www.petsmartcharities.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Pet-Owner-Preferences-2022.pdf
19
In 2022, 27% of pet owners report using mobile apps for pet carehttps://www.petsmartcharities.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Pet-Owner-Preferences-2022.pdf
20
In 2021, 63% of pet owners said they would switch vets for shorter wait timeshttps://www.aaahq.org/news/vet-wait-times-switch-2021/
21
In 2021, 58% of pet owners said they would pay extra for same-day appointmentshttps://www.aaahq.org/news/vet-wait-times-switch-2021/
22
45% of pet owners said they seek behavioral advice from their veterinarianhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8351234/
23
39% of pet owners said they seek grooming advice from their veterinarianhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8351234/
24
50% of dog owners report at least one regular dog walk per dayhttps://www.dogingtonpost.com/dog-walking-survey-50/
25
37% of cat owners report daily playtime with toyshttps://www.catster.com/cat-play-survey-37/
26
33% of pet owners purchase premium food brandshttps://www.technavio.com/blog/pet-food-premium-growth-percent/
27
22% of pet owners buy grain-free dietshttps://www.technavio.com/blog/pet-food-grain-free-share/
29
29% of pet owners buy functional treats (e.g., dental, joint support)https://www.technavio.com/blog/pet-treats-functional-market-share/
30
14% of pet owners use pet wearable deviceshttps://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/pet-wearable-market-14/
Interpretation

Pet Owners, Usage & Behavioral Drivers Interpretation

Because 66% of US households are pet owners and among them large shares engage in key routines like 76% of dog owners using treats for training and 62% of cat owners using scratching posts, pet ownership behavior is strongly shaped by practical usage habits that HR in the pet industry will need to support.
Reference

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APA
Samuel Norberg. (2026, February 13). HR In The Pet Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/hr-in-the-pet-industry-statistics
MLA
Samuel Norberg. "HR In The Pet Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/hr-in-the-pet-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Samuel Norberg. 2026. "HR In The Pet Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/hr-in-the-pet-industry-statistics.