Note: This article’s statistics come from third-party sources and do not represent the opinions of this website.

Pets have played a significant role in US households for decades. Every year has seen an increase in pet ownership, and this was made especially apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, 2022–2023 has seen a slight change in trends. While the majority of US households live with at least one pet, the number of pet owners has tapered and declined slightly in 2022.

We’ll cover the latest trends in US pet ownership and the possible causes for the changes we’re starting to see in the past couple of years.

The 20 US Pet Ownership Statistics

1. 86.9 million US households own at least one pet.
2. 60% of US pet owners are female.
3. Millennials are the generation most likely to own pets, accounting for 33% of all pet owners.
4. Approximately 23 million US households added a pet between March 2020 and May 2021.
5. About 65.1 million households in the US own at least one dog.
6. Roughly 46.5 million US households own at least one cat.
7. Americans owned an average of 1.46 dogs per household in 2020.
8. 23% of dogs were purchased from breeders in 2021.
9. About 24% of cats were acquired from friends, relatives, or neighbors in 2021.
10. The French Bulldog is the most popular dog breed in America, with 108,000 registered in 2022.
11. Freshwater fish are the third most popular pet in the US, owned by 11.1 million households.
12. Saltwater fish are the least popular pets, found in 2.2 million households.
13. 53% of dog owners and 43% of cat owners consider their pets as part of the family as much as a human member.
14. The state with the highest rate of pet ownership is Wyoming at 71.8%.
15. The rate of pet ownership is highest among people living in mobile homes, and 62% of pet owners in mobile homes own dogs.
16. There has been an increase in poultry ownership, with 10.6 million homes owning backyard chickens between 2021–2022.
17. Approximately 6.3 million cats and dogs wind up in US animal shelters each year.
18. There are between 30-40 million community cats in the US.
19. 90% of dogs and 87% of cats adopted during the pandemic were still with their owners in May 2021.
20. Approximately 390,000 dogs and 530,000 cats are euthanized in US shelters annually.

Who Owns Pets In The U.S?

1. 86.9 million US households own at least one pet.

(Forbes)

There were 90.5 million households living with pets between 2021–2022. A more recent survey saw that this number has decreased to 86.9 million households with pets. Researchers have found several reasons for this decline in pet ownership, including increased inflation rates and people choosing not to bring home a new pet after one has died.

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2. 60% of US pet owners are female.

(Infogroup)

A survey completed by Infogroup found that certain groups of people are more likely to own pets. Along with female pet owners, 75% of individuals with a household net worth greater than $220,000 are more likely to have pets. 58% of the individuals who participated in this survey were also college graduates.

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3. Millennials are the generation most likely to own pets, accounting for 33% of all US pet owners.

(APPA 2023–2024 Survey)

Millennials have surpassed Baby Boomers when it comes to pet ownership. Millennials and Gen-Z are also more likely to subscribe to internet pet product subscriptions. The most common types of internet pet product subscriptions are food, treats, and medication.

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4. Approximately 23 million US households acquired a pet during the pandemic (March 2020-May 2021).

(ASPCA Survey)

The COVID-19 pandemic saw a rise in pet adoptions, with about 1 in 5 households adopting a pet during the beginning of the pandemic. Many individuals adopted pets due to stress and having more time to care for a pet.

What Kind Of Pets Do They Own And Where Do They Live?

5. About 65.1 million households in the US own at least one dog.

(APPA 2023-2024 Survey)

Dogs remain the most popular pets in the US. The highest expense that dog owners pay for is surgical vet visits, and the second most expensive annual expense is food. Most dog owners spend an average of $730 a year on their pets, while 8% of dog owners spend over $2,000 a year on their dogs.

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6. Roughly 46.5 million US households own at least one cat.

(APPA 2023-2024 Survey)

Cats are the second most popular pet in the US. They’re continuing to rise in popularity as the percentage of pet cats in homes increased by 4% between 2016 to 2022. The current population of pet cats is between 60.2 million to 61.9 million.

Cat owners spend an average of $653 a year on their cats. The most significant expenses come from veterinary care and food.

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7. Americans owned an average of 1.46 dogs per household in 2020.

(AVMA)

The number of dogs in homes decreased over the past several years. In 2016, the national average was 1.6 dogs per household, and that average decreased to 1.46 in 2020. While the number of dogs per home decreased, the population of pet dogs has increased. This is because more households are adopting dogs, and there are many more households with one dog.

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8. 23% of dogs were purchased from breeders in 2021.

(AVMA 2022 Sourcebook)

While some people purchased puppies from breeders, the majority of pet dogs were acquired at pet stores. 43% of pet dogs were purchased at pet stores, and 38% of pet dogs were adopted from an animal rescue or shelter.

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9. 33% of cats were acquired from friends, relatives, or neighbors in 2021.

(AVMA 2022 Sourcebook)

While it’s common for dogs to be purchased from breeders, it’s fairly uncommon for cats to be purchased from breeders. A 2022 survey discovered that just 7% of pet cats were acquired through a breeder. The most common ways people got their pet cats was through pet stores, adoption agencies, or from friends. Stray cats are also almost twice as likely than dogs to become pets.

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10. The French Bulldog is the most popular dog breed in America, with 108,000 registered in 2022.

(AP Press)

The Labrador Retriever was the most popular dog in the US for 31 years. In 2022, the French Bulldog finally surpassed the Labrador Retriever and became the most popular dog breed of the year. The AKC saw 716,500 dog registrations and about 1 in 7 registrations were French Bulldogs.

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11. Freshwater fish are the third most popular pet in the US, owned by 11.1 million households.

(APPA 2023-2024 Survey)

Freshwater fish are popular because they can be relatively easy to care for, and they’re good for people with pet allergies. They can also help reduce stress, and many people enjoy arranging and maintaining aquariums.

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12. Saltwater fish are the least popular pets, found in 2.2 million households.

(APPA 2023-2024 Survey)

While freshwater fish are the third most popular pets, saltwater fish are the least popular type of pets. Many saltwater fish that are commonly kept as pets have more colorful and vibrant appearances than freshwater fish. However, they require more extensive knowledge and expertise, so most people prefer having freshwater fish as pets.

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13. 53% of dog owners and 43% of cat owners consider their pets as part of the family as much as a human member.

(Pew Research Center)

People’s attitudes about their pets have changed over the decades, with more people starting to view their pets as family members. Women are more likely than men to view pets at the same level as human family members. 64% of lower-income families view their pets at the same level as human family members, and 61% of urban dwellers treat pets at the same level as human family members.

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14. The state with the highest rate of pet ownership is Wyoming at 71.8%.

(World Population Review)

Wyoming has the highest overall pet ownership rate in the US. Idaho has the highest dog ownership rate, while Vermont has the highest cat ownership rate. States that have the lowest overall pet ownership rates are Rhode Island, South Dakota, and New Jersey.

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15. The rate of pet ownership is highest among people living in mobile homes, and 62% of pet owners in mobile homes own dogs.

(AVMA 2022 Sourcebook)

Homeowners of single-family houses and mobile homes are more likely to have dogs than condominium owners and apartment dwellers. When it comes to cats, there isn’t much difference between homeowners and renters living with cats.

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16. There has been an increase in poultry ownership, with 10.6 million homes owning backyard chickens between 2021–2022.

(APPA 2021-2022 Survey)

Backyard chickens have become more popular in recent years. They tend to be a more low-maintenance pet than other types of common pets, and many people keep chickens to have a fresh supply of eggs. Chickens can also be good for the garden as coop waste is a good compost and natural fertilizer.

The Dark Side Of US Pet Ownership

17. Approximately 6.3 million cats and dogs wind up in US animal shelters each year.

(ASPCA)

Animal shelters typically receive about 3.2 million cats and 3.1 million dogs per year. While some cats and dogs come in as strays, some are relinquished by their owners or are lost pets. When it comes to pet adoptions, about 4.1 million shelter animals are adopted or rehomed every year.

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18. There are between 30-40 million community cats in the US.

(Humane Society)

Community cats are outdoor cats that live in neighborhoods and don’t have an owner. They’re usually found in more densely populated areas where they can find food and water more easily. Community cats can be fearful or avoidant of humans, or they can be extremely friendly. Cats that appear to be more socialized are often considered for adoption.

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19. 90% of dogs and 87% of cats adopted during the pandemic were still with their owners in May 2021.

(Frontiers)

The rise in pet adoptions during the pandemic raised concerns that pets would be returned to animal shelters once COVID-19 restrictions had been lifted. However, the majority of pets remained with their new families. Even though most pandemic pets haven’t been relinquished, pet owners face challenges caring for their pets due to inflation and returning to offices for work.

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20. Approximately 390,000 dogs and 530,000 cats are euthanized in US shelters each year.

(ASPCA)

The number of dogs and cats that are euthanized has steadily decreased since 2011. The decrease in euthanized animals is due to a rise in adoption rates and efforts to reunite stray pets with their families.

Frequently Asked Questions About US Pet Ownership

How can I help decrease the rate of animals euthanized in shelters?

Even though the animal euthanasia rate has decreased over the past decade, there’s still a significant amount of shelter animals that are euthanized each year. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to help continue to decrease the euthanasia rate.

First, promote pet adoptions over purchasing pets from pet stores. You may want to consider fostering animals if you’re not able to provide a forever home for a pet. It’s also important to have your own pets spayed or neutered to prevent cat and dog populations from rising and increasing the risk of animals becoming homeless.

Another way to reduce the number of strays entering animal shelters is to microchip your pets. Microchips can help animal shelters identify pets more quickly and increase the likelihood of them reuniting with their families.

I think I want to buy an exotic pet. Is it legal in my state?

As of 2023, 20 states have a comprehensive ban on exotic pets. This means that these states ban the private ownership of wild cats, large non-domesticated carnivores, non-human primates, and reptiles. Some states have a partial ban that may allow some exotic animals to be pets while excluding others. Alabama, Nevada, and North Carolina don’t have a state ban on exotic pets, but they still have rules for importing and health concerns.

It’s important to note that states can leave it to local municipalities to make their own exotic pet laws. So, even if a state has a partial ban on exotic animals, certain cities in that state can have stricter exotic pet ownership laws. Therefore, make sure to contact your local municipality to know which exotic pets are allowed in your neighborhood and if you must register for a license to keep an exotic pet. (Animal Law)

What is the most pet-friendly city in the US?

In general, the US is a pet-friendly country. However, there are some cities that are much more pet-friendly than others. Here are the top five most dog-friendly cities in 2023:

These cities are considered to be dog-friendly because of dog walkability, easy access to pet health care, and stores that welcome pets.

Cat-friendly cities differ from dog-friendly cities. Cat-friendly cities are categorized by the number of cat-friendly rentals, access to veterinary care, number of cat cafes, and number of pet stores. Here are the top five cat-friendly cities in 2023:

How much money do Americans spend on their pets?

There has been a general increase in pet spending, with pet owners spending $136.8 billion on their pets in 2022. This increase is caused by a variety of factors, including rising inflation rates, increasing veterinary care costs, and the humanization of pets.

Dogs tend to have the highest annual costs, with the majority of dog owners spending between $500 to $1,999 a year on their dogs. Most cat owners will spend around $650 a year on their cats. Most pet care expenses go to food, veterinary care, and toys.

What are the most common health concerns in American pets?

A survey conducted in 2022 revealed the 10 most common health issues in dogs:

The same survey gathered the top 10 most common health issues in cats:

(Nationwide)

Conclusion

The most significant change in pet ownership in the US is the decline in pet ownership. Several reasons for this change include lifestyle changes after the pandemic, inflation, and people choosing not to bring home a new pet after a pet dies.

Despite the slight decline in pet ownership, the majority of Americans still have at least one pet, and most Americans view their pets as family members. So, the US continues to be a relatively pet-friendly country with many Americans who show a lot of love and care to their beloved pets.

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Featured Image Credit: Tatyana Vyc, Shutterstock