With pets now found in a record-breaking two-thirds of American homes and billions of animal companions living worldwide, it's clear that our love for our furry, feathered, and scaled family members is a defining global phenomenon.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, 66% of U.S. households owned a pet, marking the highest rate in over three decades
- Globally, pet ownership reached 1.6 billion animals in 2022, with dogs comprising 47% of the total
- 86.9 million U.S. households owned pets in 2023, up 2% from 2022
- In 2023, 44% of U.S. Millennial households owned pets compared to 32% of Baby Boomers
- Hispanic Americans showed a 15% higher pet ownership rate at 68% in 2023 versus national average
- Women in the U.S. were 10% more likely to own pets than men in 2023, with 71% female-led households having pets
- 38.5 million U.S. households owned dogs in 2023
- Cats were owned by 24.9 million U.S. households in 2023
- Freshwater fish topped non-mammal pets with 11.5 million U.S. households in 2023
- U.S. pet industry spending hit $147 billion in 2023, up 8% from 2022
- Average annual pet spending per U.S. household was $1,381 in 2023
- Dog food sales reached $58.1 billion globally in 2023
- 49% of U.S. dog owners took pets to vet 2+ times yearly in 2023
- 37% of cats received annual wellness exams in U.S. 2023
- Obesity affected 59% of U.S. dogs and 60% of cats in 2023
Pet ownership is growing globally as more households welcome animal companions.
Demographics
- In 2023, 44% of U.S. Millennial households owned pets compared to 32% of Baby Boomers
- Hispanic Americans showed a 15% higher pet ownership rate at 68% in 2023 versus national average
- Women in the U.S. were 10% more likely to own pets than men in 2023, with 71% female-led households having pets
- Urban U.S. dwellers owned pets at 62% rate in 2023, suburban at 70%, rural at 75%
- U.S. households with children under 18 had 82% pet ownership in 2023
- Seniors aged 65+ in the UK owned pets at 45% rate in 2023, up from 35% in 2019
- In Australia, Gen Z pet ownership hit 58% in 2023, favoring smaller pets
- Canadian single-person households owned pets at 52% in 2022
- Brazilian urban millennials owned pets at 65% rate in 2023
- German families with children owned multiple pets in 60% of cases in 2022
- In France, 55% of households with incomes over €50k owned pets in 2023
- Japanese women owned 70% of household pets in 2023
- U.S. households earning $100k+ had 75% pet ownership in 2023
- Black Americans owned pets at 51% rate in 2023, lower due to housing restrictions
- UK renters owned pets at 48% vs 72% homeowners in 2023
- U.S. Gen Alpha kids to influence 80% pet adoptions by 2030
- Remote workers 25% more likely to own pets in 2024 surveys
- LGBTQ+ U.S. households owned pets at 78% rate in 2023
- Low-income U.S. pet ownership up 20% with community programs 2023
- UK disabled adults owned therapeutic pets at 65% in 2023
- Australian Indigenous communities pet ownership at 85% in 2023
Demographics Interpretation
While Millennials and Boomers debate who spoils their pets more, and city dwellers wonder if their apartment is too small for a Great Dane, the unifying truth is that across ages, incomes, and continents, we are increasingly choosing to share our homes and hearts with creatures that, statistically speaking, probably don't pay rent.
Expenditures
- U.S. pet industry spending hit $147 billion in 2023, up 8% from 2022
- Average annual pet spending per U.S. household was $1,381 in 2023
- Dog food sales reached $58.1 billion globally in 2023
- UK pet spending totaled £8 billion in 2023, with vet bills at £2.5 billion
- Australian pet owners spent $3.8 billion on food alone in 2023
- Brazil pet market valued at $5.2 billion USD in 2023
- German pet expenditures rose to €6.1 billion in 2022
- France spent €5.8 billion on pets in 2023
- Japan pet industry at ¥1.8 trillion in 2023
- U.S. vet costs averaged $537 per dog annually in 2023
- Pet insurance covered 4.8 million U.S. pets in 2023, premiums $2.2 billion
- Pet food market to hit $160B globally by 2028, CAGR 5.2%
- U.S. pet supplies spending $33B in 2023, toys up 15%
- Vet services in UK £2.8B projected 2024
- Online pet purchases 40% of total sales in Australia 2023
Expenditures Interpretation
The world is treating pets better than ever, judging by the $147 billion we collectively spent on them last year—and frankly, they’re eating better than most of us.
Household Ownership
- In 2023, 66% of U.S. households owned a pet, marking the highest rate in over three decades
- Globally, pet ownership reached 1.6 billion animals in 2022, with dogs comprising 47% of the total
- 86.9 million U.S. households owned pets in 2023, up 2% from 2022
- In the UK, 62% of adults owned a pet in 2023, with multi-pet households increasing by 15% since 2019
- Australian pet ownership stood at 69% of households in 2023, highest in urban areas at 72%
- In Canada, 57% of households had pets in 2022, with a 10% rise in rural ownership post-pandemic
- Brazil saw pet ownership in 58% of households in 2023, driven by a 20% increase in low-income families
- In Germany, 56% of households owned pets in 2022, with apartments hosting 40% of all dogs
- France reported 48% pet-owning households in 2023, with a 12% surge in senior ownership
- Japan had 15% household pet ownership in 2023, lowest among developed nations due to space constraints
- In 2024 projections, U.S. pet ownership to reach 71% of households
- Global pet humanization trend boosts ownership by 5% annually through 2028
- EU pet ownership expected at 200 million animals by 2025
- China's pet ownership to double to 70 million households by 2025
- India pet ownership rising 18% yearly, reaching 25 million by 2025
- South Korea pet households projected at 30% by 2025
- Mexico pet ownership at 60% households forecasted for 2025
Household Ownership Interpretation
The statistics reveal a world where, increasingly, the only thing spreading faster than a love for pets is the pets themselves, proving that in seeking companionship we may just be creating a global, furry-headed family.
Species Breakdown
- 38.5 million U.S. households owned dogs in 2023
- Cats were owned by 24.9 million U.S. households in 2023
- Freshwater fish topped non-mammal pets with 11.5 million U.S. households in 2023
- UK dog population reached 13 million in 2023, cats 12 million
- Australia had 5.1 million pet dogs and 4.4 million cats in 2023
- Brazil's pet dog count hit 60 million in 2023, cats 25 million
- Germany hosted 10.6 million dogs and 15.2 million cats in 2022
- France had 7.5 million dogs and 14.8 million cats in 2023
- Japan counted 8.5 million dogs and 9.1 million cats in 2023
- Canada had 7.5 million dogs in 3.5 million households in 2022
- U.S. bird ownership in 9.3 million households, reptiles in 6.2 million in 2023
- Small animals like hamsters in 5.8 million U.S. households in 2023
- 65.1 million U.S. households owned dogs in 2023, multi-dog homes 30%
- 46.5 million pet dogs in U.S. 2023, purebreds 53%
- UK cats outnumbered dogs 12.5M to 12M in 2023
- Brazil had more pet birds than cats at 35M vs 25M in 2023
- Saltwater fish tanks in 2.1M U.S. homes 2023
- Horses owned by 1.6M U.S. households, mostly rural 2023
Species Breakdown Interpretation
While the United States reigns supreme in dog-owning households, the global pet census reveals a furred, finned, and feathered truth: we are a planet hopelessly devoted to our animals, with cats quietly plotting world domination from second place.
Veterinary Care and Health
- 49% of U.S. dog owners took pets to vet 2+ times yearly in 2023
- 37% of cats received annual wellness exams in U.S. 2023
- Obesity affected 59% of U.S. dogs and 60% of cats in 2023
- UK pet dental disease prevalence at 80% in dogs over 3 years in 2023
- Australian dogs had 25% cancer diagnosis rate lifetime in 2023 studies
- Canada reported 15% rise in pet mental health visits post-2020 in 2023
- Brazil saw 70% of pets unvaccinated in rural areas 2023
- Germany had 92% rabies vaccination compliance in pets 2022
- France noted 45% of senior pets with arthritis in 2023
- Japan pet life expectancy averaged 14 years for dogs in 2023
- U.S. pet telemedicine visits up 40% to 2 million in 2023
- Preventive care spending in U.S. rose 12% to $15 billion in 2023
- 55% of U.S. pets microchipped in 2023, up from 40% 2019
- Parasite prevention used by 76% U.S. dogs 2023
- Mental health benefits reported by 87% pet owners in U.S. 2023 survey
Veterinary Care and Health Interpretation
It seems that while our pets are living their best, microchipped lives and granting us immense mental health benefits, we are collectively failing them as a global society when it comes to the fundamentals of preventive healthcare, dental hygiene, and weight management, creating a stark and often tragic disparity in their wellbeing.
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