Are you looking for up-to-date pet ownership statistics to cite in an article, video, social posting, or other content?
Then, look no further! We have vetted and categorized a list of up-to-date stats below.
You are welcome to use any of the stats or graphs in your content. All that we ask in return is that you link back to this article as a source.
We truly appreciate this as it helps us to continue our mission to provide pet wellness education. Thank you so much!
You can use the table of contents to jump to a category or just scroll down for our top pet ownership statistics.
In this Article We Cover:
- United States Pet Ownership Statistics
- United States Financial Pet Ownership Statistics
- United States Pet Bite Statistics
- United States Animal Shelter Statistics
- Benefits of Pet Ownership
- Fun Pet Facts
United States Pet Ownership Statistics
1. As of 2022, 70% of U.S. households (90.5 million homes) owned a pet.1
2. As of 2022, 53% of U.S. households (69 million homes) owned a dog.1
3. As of 2022, 35% of U.S. households (45.3 million homes) owned a cat.1
4 . After dogs and cats, the next most popular pet in the U.S. is freshwater fish which are owned by 9% of U.S. households (11.8 million homes).1
5. In 2022, Millennials represented 32% of all pet owners, Baby Boomers were second with 27%, and Gen X was third with 24%.1
6. In 2022, Gen Z represented 14% of all pet owners.1
United States Financial Pet Ownership Statistics
1. In 2021, U.S. pet owners spent a total of $123.6 billion dollars on their pets.1
2. In 2021, U.S. pet owners spent $50 billion dollars on pet food and treats alone.1
3. Pet owners spent 37% more ($33.1 billion more) on their pets in 2021 than they did in 2018.1
4. In 2021, pet owners spent $34.3 billion on vet care and product sales.1
United States Pet Bite Statistics
1. Approximately 4.5 million dog bites occur in the United States each year.3
2. Approximately 400,000 cat bites occur in the United States each year.3
3. Approximately 250,000 human bites occur in the United States each year.3
4. In children, it is estimated that 10% of human bites become infected compared to a 20% infection rate for dogs, and up to 50% for cats.3
United States Animal Shelter Statistics
1. Approximately 3.1 million dogs and 3.2 million cats enter animal shelters in the U.S. each year.2
2. Approximately 2 million dogs and 2.1 million cats are adopted from animal shelters in the U.S. each year.2
3. Approximately 710,000 lost dogs and 100,000 lost cats are returned to their owners from shelters in the U.S. each year.2
4. Approximately 390,000 dogs and 530,000 cats are euthanized in shelters in the U.S. each year.2
Benefits of Pet Ownership
1. Regularly walking or playing with a pet can decrease blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and triglyceride levels.4
2. Pet companionship can help manage loneliness, depression, anxiety, and symptoms of PTSD.4
Fun Pet Facts
If you’re interested in fun pet facts, we put together two absolutely huge lists of the most popular dog facts and cat facts. We’ve linked the articles below.
Each article contains a curated list of fun pet facts accompanied with graphs and entertaining pictures. We had a lot of fun writing these articles and we hope you enjoy them.
We put together this HUGE list of popular dog facts just for you. Dogs are fascinating animals and great companions!
We put together this HUGE list of popular cat facts just for you. Cats are amazing animals that are full of surprises!
Additional Resources:
- American Pet Products Association
- The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
- American Academy of Pediatrics
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Join Our Mailing List!
We hope you enjoyed reading this article! The Absolute Animal Care Blog features articles that contain our best recommendations for dog and cat wellness, training strategies, and products.
Please join our mailing list to receive updates when new articles are released!