pets
United States Pet Population and Ownership Trends Report 2022 with Focus on Cats and Dogs
In the wake of COVID-19, pet ownership rates in the U.S. have plateaued. The percentage of U.S. households owning pets slipped slightly from 54% in 2018 to 52% in 2022, for a current total of 68 million pet-owning households.
Last Updated on August 20, 2024 by Daily News Staff
DUBLIN /PRNewswire/ — The “Pet Population and Ownership Trends in the U.S., 6th Edition” report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com’s offering.
In the wake of COVID-19, pet ownership rates in the U.S. have plateaued. The percentage of U.S. households owning pets slipped slightly from 54% in 2018 to 52% in 2022, for a current total of 68 million pet-owning households.
Update: According to the most recent data from the World Animal Foundation, an impressive 86.9 million households in the U.S. now own a pet. This figure represents about 66% of all American households, highlighting the nation’s deep love and commitment to animals. For more detailed insights, visit the World Animal Foundation’s full report on pet ownership statistics here.
The analysis in this report also covers demographic changes from pre-COVID 2017 to post-COVID 2022 in the key pet owner variables of gender(s) in household, generational cohort, race/ethnicity, household income, household composition by marital status and presence/absence of children, and type of residence.
There is no debate over a pandemic-fueled spike in pet care spending in recent years, and a pet adoption bump did occur in response to the sudden stay-at-home/work-from-home dynamics of this COVID-19 era. Nonetheless, as detailed in this report from the publisher, the peak years of pet population gains occurred in the middle of the past decade, rather than post-COVID in the early 2020s.
Pet Ownership: Cats & Dogs
Focusing on dogs and cats, Pet Population and Ownership Trends in the U.S. provides a comprehensive and up-to-date analysis of pet ownership rates, pet population characteristics, and pet owner demographics. This report also provides topline coverage of ownership rates for other types of pets (fish, small mammals, herptiles, and birds).
In addition to laying out key pet owner psychographics and their market implications, this report covers post-pandemic pet acquisition trends by nature of pet adoption (planned, impulse, gift), type of pet, source of pet adoption or acquisition, age of dogs or cats adopted, and size of dogs adopted.
This report includes numerous detailed tables showing historically trended household ownership rates and pet-owner demographics across several metrics:
- By ownership of dogs and/or cats, dogs, cats, and dogs as well as cats
- By number of dogs or cats owned
- By age of dogs or cats owned
- By size (in lbs.) of dogs owned
Key Topics Covered:
CHAPTER 1: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
SCOPE AND METHODOLOGY
- Two Consumer Survey Sources
- Publisher Data
- MRI-Simmons Data
PET OWNERSHIP OVERVIEW
- Pet Population Overview
- Topline Pet Ownership Rates and Customer Base
- Mixed Pet Ownership Trends in Wake of COVID-19
- Increase in Upper-Income, Decrease in Lower-Income Pet Owners
- Key Pet Owner Psychographics
- Pet Parenting and Pets as Family
- Pet Parenting Day and Night
- The Pet Market as Health Market
- Pet Parents Hunt for Pet Health Products
- Addressing Pet Stress Among Dogs and Cats
- Addressing Aging, Weight Conditions of Dogs and Cats
- Veterinarians’ Status as Pet Care Arbiters Is Under Pressure
- Pet Food as Health Care
- Telemedicine and “Smart” Health Product Trends
- Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility
- Overall Pet Acquisition Trends: Dogs, Cats, Other Pets
- Pet Acquisition Sequence by Type of Pet
- Industry-Wide Focus on Pet Adoption
- Annual Pet Acquisition Trends
- Pet Acquisition Patterns by Type
- Age of Dogs Adopted
- Size of Dogs/Cats Adopted
- Impulse vs. Planned: Nature of Pet Acquisition
- Sources of Pet Acquisition
- Influencers on Pet Adoption
- Overall Pet Owner Demographics
- Key Demographic Variables to Pet Ownership Rates
PET POPULATION PROJECTIONS: FOCUS ON DOGS AND CATS
- Dog or Cat Ownership Demographics
- Topline Ownership Rates and Customer Base
- Dog and Cat Ownership Demographics
- Topline Ownership Rates and Population
- Dog Ownership Trends
- Topline Ownership Rates and Population
- Trends by Number of Dogs Owned
- Over Half of Dog Owners Have Senior Dogs
- Trend Away From Smallest Dogs
- Most Popular Breeds of Dog Owned
- Overweight and Special Needs Dogs
- Cat Ownership Trends
- Topline Ownership Rates and Population
- Cats Gain Market Representation
- Trends by Number of Cats Owned
- Size of Cats Owned
- Growth in Share of Cat Owners with Senior Cats
FOCUS ON OTHER PETS
- Topline Ownership Rates and Customer Base
- 14% of Households Own “Other Pets”
- A Return to Form for Other Pets
- Types of Freshwater Fish Owned
- Types of Birds Owned
- Types of Herptiles Owned
- Types of Small Mammals Owned
CHAPTER 2: PET OWNERSHIP OVERVIEW
CHAPTER HIGHLIGHTS
- Topline Pet Ownership Rates and Customer Base
- Mixed Pet Ownership Trends in Wake of COVID-19
- Increase in Upper-Income, Decrease in Lower-Income Pet Owners
KEY PET OWNER PSYCHOGRAPHICS
- Pet Parenting and Pets as Family
- Pet Parenting Day and Night
- The Pet Market as Health Market
- Pet Parents Hunt for Pet Health Products
- Addressing Pet Stress Among Dogs and Cats
- Addressing Aging, Weight Conditions of Dogs and Cats
- Veterinarians’ Status as Pet Care Arbiters Is Under Pressure
- Pet Food as Health Care
- Telemedicine and “Smart” Health Product Trends
- Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility
OVERALL PET ACQUISITION TRENDS: DOGS, CATS, OTHER PETS
- Pet Acquisition Sequence by Type of Pet
- Industry-Wide Focus on Pet Adoption
- Annual Pet Acquisition Trends
- Pet Acquisition Patterns by Type
- Age of Dogs Adopted
- Size of Dogs/Cats Adopted
- Impulse vs. Planned: Nature of Pet Acquisition
- Sources of Pet Acquisition
- Influencers on Pet Adoption
OVERALL PET OWNER DEMOGRAPHICS
- Key Demographic Variables to Pet Ownership Rates
- Key Demographic Variables and Pet Ownership Growth
DETAILED DEMOGRAPHIC TABLES FOR PET OWNERSHIP OVERALL
- Ownership Rates and Customer Base
PET POPULATION PROJECTIONS
CHAPTER 3: FOCUS ON DOGS AND CATS
CHAPTER HIGHLIGHTS
DOG OR CAT OWNERSHIP DEMOGRAPHICS
- Topline Ownership Rates and Customer Base
- Key Demographic Variables to Dog or Cat Ownership Rates
- Key Demographic Variables and Dog or Cat Ownership Growth
DETAILED DEMOGRAPHIC TABLES FOR OWNERSHIP OF DOGS OR CATS
- Ownership Rates and Customer Base
DOG AND CAT OWNERSHIP DEMOGRAPHICS
- Topline Ownership Rates and Population
- Key Demographic Variables to Dog + Cat Ownership Rates
- Key Demographic Variables and Dog and Cat Ownership Growth
DETAILED DEMOGRAPHIC TABLES FOR OWNERSHIP OF DOGS AND CATS
- Ownership Rates and Customer Base
DOG OWNERSHIP TRENDS
- Topline Ownership Rates and Population
- Trends by Number of Dogs Owned
- Over Half of Dog Owners Have Senior Dogs
- Trend Away From Smallest Dogs
- Most Popular Breeds of Dog Owned
- Overweight and Special Needs Dogs
DOG OWNERSHIP DEMOGRAPHICS
- Key Demographic Variables to Dog Ownership Rates
- Key Demographic Variables and Dog Ownership Growth
DETAILED DEMOGRAPHIC TABLES FOR DOG OWNERSHIP
- Ownership Rates and Customer Base
CAT OWNERSHIP TRENDS
- Topline Ownership Rates and Population
- Cats Gain Market Representation
- Trends by Number of Cats Owned
- Size of Cats Owned
- Growth in Share of Cat Owners with Senior Cats
- Overweight and Special Needs Cats
CAT OWNERSHIP DEMOGRAPHICS
- Key Demographic Variables to Cat Ownership Rates
- Key Demographic Variables and Cat Ownership Growtha
DETAILED DEMOGRAPHIC TABLES FOR CAT OWNERSHIP
- Ownership Rates and Customer Base
CHAPTER 4: FOCUS ON OTHER PETS
CHAPTER HIGHLIGHTS
TOPLINE OWNERSHIP RATES AND CUSTOMER BASE
- 14% of Households Own “Other Pets”
- A Return to Form for Other Pets
- Types of Freshwater Fish Owned
- Types of Birds Owned
- Types of Herptiles Owned
- Types of Small Mammals Owned
For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/tgidu7
SOURCE Research and Markets
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Last Updated on April 12, 2026 by Daily News Staff
6 ways to keep your pets happy and healthy
(Family Features) Warmer weather means it’s time to spring clean, get grooming and prepare your pets’ diets to support them through the season.
Keep your furry friends happy and healthy this spring with these six tips from the experts at Zesty Paws, an award-winning pet supplement brand:
Give Skin and Coats a Little TLC: Many pets form winter coats during the colder months to help them stay warm and comfortable then shed the coats in the spring to prepare for warmer temperatures. Some pets may need extra help maintaining their shiny, healthy coats, especially if mats have formed in their fur or if they are breeds that develop a thick undercoat. Professional grooming, at-home brushing and regular bathing can all be helpful ways to speed up the process to remove some of the extra fur and decrease the prevalence of dander, dust and pollen that can attach to fur and skin through the season.
Add Seasonal Allergy Support with Supplements: Just like humans, furry friends can develop and experience seasonal allergies, too. Giving your pets’ immune systems some extra support can help ease some common allergy symptoms. Supplements like Zesty Paws Aller-Immune Bites for Cats and Aller-Immune Bites for Dogs are chewables that provide seasonal allergy support by aiding normal immune functions, skin health and gut flora, and may also help maintain normal histamine levels.
Ease Back into Exercise: The change in weather means more time for outdoor adventures with your pets, but don’t forget to cool down and warm up as you and your pets ease back into the season. Planning for short, leashed walks and timed play sessions can help your pets gradually prepare their hips and joints for fun, warm weather activities.
Watch Out for Pet Pests: Once temperatures start to rise, the tiny, creepy critters start crawling. Fleas, ticks and other pests can cause serious health concerns for pets. This spring, make sure your pest control programs are primed and ready for added protection. Talk to your veterinarian about the best routine and products for your pets.
Freshen Up Bedding and Bowls: It’s important to keep a clean environment by scrubbing, sweeping and vacuuming regularly to decrease allergens in the home. When you’re tackling this year’s spring cleaning, remember to put your pets’ bedding and bowls on the list, too. Updating or disinfecting your pets’ blankets, litter boxes, toys and other supplies is a good way to keep them feeling safe and comfortable in the home.
Schedule an Annual Vet Visit: Spring is a good time to schedule your pets’ annual vet visits. Make sure they’re up to date on all vaccinations, get their dental health checkups and re-evaluate nutrition plans.
Find more advice for keeping your pet healthy and happy at zestypaws.com.
SOURCE:
Zesty Paws
Our Lifestyle section on STM Daily News is a hub of inspiration and practical information, offering a range of articles that touch on various aspects of daily life. From tips on family finances to guides for maintaining health and wellness, we strive to empower our readers with knowledge and resources to enhance their lifestyles. Whether you’re seeking outdoor activity ideas, fashion trends, or travel recommendations, our lifestyle section has got you covered. Visit us today at https://stmdailynews.com/category/lifestyle/ and embark on a journey of discovery and self-improvement.
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The Farmer’s Dog is expanding its reach through a new retail collaboration with Walmart, a move that will make its personalized, human-grade dog meal plans available to more pet owners across the United States. According to a corrected press release issued March 24, the company’s service will become available through Walmart.com beginning in April, marking The Farmer’s Dog’s first launch into retail.
The New York-based company says the partnership is designed to increase access to minimally processed dog food at a national scale. By working with Walmart, The Farmer’s Dog aims to connect with millions of dog families who may be looking for alternatives to more heavily processed pet food options. The company has positioned itself as a leader in human-grade pet nutrition, emphasizing meals made to support long-term canine health.
Jonathan Regev, CEO and co-founder of The Farmer’s Dog, said the company was founded on the belief that real food can make a meaningful difference in dogs’ lives. He described the Walmart collaboration as an opportunity to meet pet owners where they already shop and to help more dogs eat better and live healthier lives. Walmart also framed the partnership as part of its broader effort to offer customers products and services for every member of the household, including pets.
Since its founding, The Farmer’s Dog says it has served more than 1 billion meals and helped shift consumer attention toward fresher, less processed nutrition for dogs. The company also pointed to published metabolomics research that it says demonstrates health improvements associated with its meals. With the Walmart launch set for April, dog owners nationwide will soon have another way to access The Farmer’s Dog’s personalized meal plans online.
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Our Lifestyle section on STM Daily News is a hub of inspiration and practical information, offering a range of articles that touch on various aspects of daily life. From tips on family finances to guides for maintaining health and wellness, we strive to empower our readers with knowledge and resources to enhance their lifestyles. Whether you’re seeking outdoor activity ideas, fashion trends, or travel recommendations, our lifestyle section has got you covered. Visit us today at https://stmdailynews.com/category/lifestyle/ and embark on a journey of discovery and self-improvement.
Pup-Peroni is giving dog owners a new reason to show off their pets. The brand has teamed up with Walmart to launch the nationwide #BestPup_Contest, a promotion that will give one winning dog the chance to appear on limited-edition Pup-Peroni packaging sold exclusively at Walmart stores and online.
The campaign ties into Pup-Peroni’s broader “Treat the Best to the Best” messaging and turns social sharing into a high-visibility brand moment. Rather than offering a standard giveaway alone, the contest invites pet parents to compete for something more memorable: a spot on real retail packaging.
How the Contest Works
To enter, dog owners must post a photo or video on Instagram or TikTok from a public account and include a one-sentence caption explaining why their dog is the best. Entries must also include the hashtag #BestPup_Contest and tag @PupPeroni and @Walmart.
According to the announcement, entries are being accepted through May 27, 2026. The contest is open to legal residents of the 48 contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., age 18 or older. No purchase is necessary.
What the Winners Receive
The grand prize winner will receive a $5,000 Walmart gift card and have their dog featured on limited-edition Pup-Peroni Original Beef Recipe packaging beginning in August at select Walmart locations and online. Five runners-up will each receive a $1,000 Walmart gift card, a year’s supply of Pup-Peroni treats, and custom medals.
The promotion stands out because it blends user-generated content, retail exclusivity, and pet-owner enthusiasm into one campaign. For a brand built around the bond between dogs and their owners, it is a smart way to turn everyday social behavior into a branded experience that feels personal and shareable.
Product and Brand Details
Pup-Peroni says its Original Beef Recipe treats are made with real beef as the first ingredient and slow-cooked for 2.5 hours for a tender texture and rich flavor. The product is available at grocery stores and major retailers, including Walmart.
Since 1984, Pup-Peroni has positioned itself as a craveable dog treat brand focused on bringing dogs and owners closer together. This latest Walmart-exclusive contest extends that identity with a campaign designed to celebrate dogs while driving attention both online and in-store.
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Our Lifestyle section on STM Daily News is a hub of inspiration and practical information, offering a range of articles that touch on various aspects of daily life. From tips on family finances to guides for maintaining health and wellness, we strive to empower our readers with knowledge and resources to enhance their lifestyles. Whether you’re seeking outdoor activity ideas, fashion trends, or travel recommendations, our lifestyle section has got you covered. Visit us today at https://stmdailynews.com/category/lifestyle/ and embark on a journey of discovery and self-improvement.
