75 Pet Ownership Statistics for 2026
The most comprehensive collection of pet ownership data — covering costs, health benefits, apartment living, insurance, vet care, and the booming pet industry. Sourced from AVMA, APPA, ASPCA, NAPHIA, HABRI, and more.
📅 Last Updated: May 2026
🐾 Key Numbers at a Glance
95M
U.S. households with pets
U.S. households with pets
$165B
Pet industry size (2026 projected)
Pet industry size (2026 projected)
71%
U.S. households that own a pet
U.S. households that own a pet
$4,272
Avg annual cost per pet
Avg annual cost per pet
7.03M
Insured pets in North America
Insured pets in North America
90%
Owners say pets improved their health
Owners say pets improved their health
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🏠
Pet Ownership in America
95M
U.S. households own a pet, according to the 2025 National Pet Owners Survey — an all-time high.
Source: APPA 2025 NPOS
71%
Percentage of U.S. households that own at least one pet — up from 56% two decades ago.
59.8M
U.S. households own a dog — up from just 31.3 million in 1996, nearly doubling in three decades.
Source: AVMA 2024
49M
U.S. households own a cat — a 23% increase in 2024 reflects a new generation of dedicated cat owners.
Source: APPA 2025 Dog & Cat Report
68M
Dogs owned in the U.S., up from 65.1 million in the 2023–2024 survey period — cats and dogs are both gaining.
Source: PetfoodIndustry / APPA
1.6
Average number of dogs per dog-owning household — a number that has remained consistent since 1987.
1.8
Average cats per cat-owning household in 2025, down from 2.2 in 1987 — smaller, more focused cat households.
14.1%
Of dog surrenders to shelters are caused by housing issues — making pet-friendly housing a critical adoption barrier.
Source: The Zebra / ASPCA Data
60%
Of animals entering U.S. shelters in 2024 came in as strays, followed by owner surrenders at 29%.
Source: ASPCA Shelter Statistics 2024
757K
Animals experienced non-live outcomes in U.S. shelters in 2025 — a 1% decline from 2024, reflecting improving live-release rates.
💰
Pet Spending & Costs
$4,272
Average annual routine cost per pet (food, vet, grooming, supplies) — the real price of pet parenthood in 2025.
$1,445
Average amount U.S. households spend per pet in 2026, across all species and expenses.
$67.8B
Spent on pet food in the U.S. in 2025 — the largest single category of pet industry spending.
Source: World Animal Foundation / BLS
$41.4B
Spent on veterinary care and products in 2025 — a 4% increase year-over-year as care standards rise.
Source: Capital One Shopping / APPA Data
$367
Average annual veterinary spending per dog owner, according to Forbes Advisor’s 2026 pet ownership analysis.
$339
Average annual food spending per dog owner — food is the #2 expense behind vet costs for most dog households.
$200
Average cost of the last veterinary visit, as reported by pet owners in 2025 — up from $147 in 2024.
$598
Average total veterinary spending per dog owner in 2025, per AVMA’s tracking — cats averaged $529 in the same period.
Source: AVMA 2025
$99
Average annual grooming spend per dog owner — a growing category as pet owners prioritize appearance and hygiene.
Source: Forbes Advisor / APPA
$102.3B
Projected U.S. pet eCommerce sales — online pet retail is now a dominant and fast-growing share of total spend.
🏢
Apartment & Urban Pet Ownership
58%
Of renter households report having a pet — more than the 33% who report having a child in the home.
Source: Multifamily Dive 2024
$35.65
Average monthly pet rent charged by U.S. landlords in 2025 — ranging from $34.88 in small cities to $37.14 in large ones.
$200+
More than half of renters with pets paid over $200 for a pet deposit when moving in — a significant upfront cost.
60%
Of renters said they’d be less likely to rent an apartment that required a pet deposit — a key factor in housing decisions.
14.1%
Of dog surrenders to shelters are attributed to housing issues — pet restrictions are a leading cause of pet homelessness.
Source: The Zebra / ASPCA Research
10%
Of pet owners cited rising rent costs as a reason for giving up or rehoming their pet — housing costs directly impact pet ownership.
Source: Forbes Advisor 2026
22.6%
Of cats surrendered to shelters are given up because their owners had too many animals — density limits affect cats most.
Source: The Zebra / ASPCA Research
39%
Of student renters own pets — a sign that younger renters are driving demand for pet-friendly apartment policies.
Source: PetScreening.com Data
🛡️
Pet Insurance
$5.2B
Total written premium for the North American pet insurance industry in 2024 — a 20.8% increase over 2023’s $4.2 billion.
7.03M
Pets were insured in North America at end of 2024 — up 12.2% from 6.25 million in 2023, showing rapid adoption.
$675
Average annual accident & illness premium for dogs ($56.30/month) — cats average $383/year ($31.94/month).
Source: NAPHIA Average Premiums Data
~90%
Of all insured pets in North America are in the United States — Canada makes up the remaining share.
Source: NAPHIA / Coverager
+20.8%
Year-over-year growth in pet insurance premium volume — one of the fastest-growing segments in the entire insurance industry.
$56/mo
Average monthly pet insurance cost for dogs; cat owners pay around $32/month — both costs rising year over year.
+12.2%
Growth in total pets insured from 2023 to 2024 — more pet owners are recognizing the financial value of coverage.
7%
Of pet owners cited inability to afford medical bills as a reason for rehoming a pet — the insurance gap has real consequences.
Source: Forbes Advisor 2026
🩺
Pet Health & Vet Care
79%
Of dog owners seek routine veterinary care for their pet — compared to just 48% of cat owners, a significant gap.
Source: AVMA / PMC Research
43.3%
Of pet owners visited their vet twice in the previous year — while 15.8% visited three or more times, per 2025 AVMA data.
-3.1%
Decline in veterinary patient visits per practice in 2025 — continuing a multi-year trend as cost concerns keep owners away.
$214
Average cost of a routine vet visit for dogs in 2025; cats averaged $138 — prices up significantly from prior years.
$200
Average reported cost of the last veterinary visit in 2025 — a sharp jump from $147 in 2024 and $190 in 2023.
Source: AVMA 2025 Survey Data
48%
Of cat owners regularly seek routine vet care — versus 79% of dog owners, highlighting the “cats vs. dogs” care disparity.
Source: AVMA Research / PMC
15.8%
Of pet owners visited the vet three or more times in the last year — typically driven by illness, injury, or senior pet care needs.
Source: AVMA 2025
12%
Of pet owners cited inflation as a reason for rehoming a pet — rising vet and food costs are making pet ownership harder to sustain.
Source: Forbes Advisor 2026
❤️
Human-Animal Bond
97%
Of pet owners say their pet is a member of the family — the bond between humans and companion animals has never been stronger.
Source: HABRI & Chewy Health Study 2025
90%
Of pet owners report that their pets have helped improve their mental or physical health — a strikingly high self-reported benefit rate.
Source: HABRI & Chewy Health Study 2025
77%
Of pet owners say their pet is their best friend — highlighting the emotional depth of the human-animal relationship.
Source: HABRI & Chewy Health Study 2025
↓BP
Pet ownership is correlated with reduced blood pressure and decreased prevalence of systemic hypertension, per peer-reviewed research.
↓ Stress
Human-animal interaction (HAI) is shown by HABRI-backed research to reduce anxiety, depression, and loneliness across age groups.
Source: HABRI Mental Health Blog 2024
Resilience
Research shows pets help buffer stress, promote resilience, and aid recovery from adverse circumstances — including trauma and grief.
Source: HABRI Mental Health Research
↑ Social
Older adults who own pets report increased activity, greater social connection, reduced loneliness, and improved quality of life.
Source: UC Davis Health 2024
Every Stage
HABRI research demonstrates the positive influence of the human-animal bond on health at every stage of life — childhood through old age.
📈
Pet Industry Market Size
$158B
Total U.S. pet industry expenditures in 2025 — a 3.7% year-over-year increase driven by food, vet care, and premium products.
Source: APPA 2025 State of the Industry
$165B
Projected U.S. pet industry expenditures for 2026 — the industry shows no signs of slowing as pet ownership reaches record levels.
+3.7%
Year-over-year growth rate for the U.S. pet industry in 2025 — consistent growth despite broader economic pressures on consumers.
Source: Pet Age / APPA
6.60%
Projected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for the U.S. pet market from 2026 to 2031, reaching $228 billion by decade’s end.
$228B
Projected U.S. pet market size by 2031 — sustained by premiumization, pet humanization, and expanding insurance markets.
Source: Mordor Intelligence 2026
$67.8B
Pet food is the largest subcategory of the pet industry in 2025 — premium and functional foods are the fastest-growing segment.
Source: World Animal Foundation / BLS
$41.4B
Veterinary care and products is the #2 industry subcategory in 2025 — driven by specialist care, diagnostics, and pharmaceuticals.
Source: Capital One Shopping / APPA Data
$5.2B
Pet insurance is now a $5.2B industry in North America alone (2024) — one of the fastest-growing niches within the broader pet sector.
$289B
Global pet care market size projected for 2026 — expected to reach $496.75 billion by 2034, reflecting worldwide growth in pet ownership.
Source: World Animal Foundation 2026
📋 Methodology & Sources
Statistics on this page were compiled from primary research organizations and industry reports, including the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), American Pet Products Association (APPA), ASPCA, North American Pet Health Insurance Association (NAPHIA), Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI), and the Insurance Information Institute (III). Additional data sourced from Forbes Advisor, Fortunly, World Animal Foundation, Capital One Shopping, Mordor Intelligence, and the Shelter Animals Count database. All statistics reflect the most recently available data as of May 2026. Where possible, we link directly to original sources. Some figures are survey-based estimates and may vary across sources. If you spot an outdated stat, let us know.