2021-2022 APPA National Pet Owners Survey Statistics: Pet Ownership & Annual Expenses
According to the 2021-2022 APPA National Pet Owners Survey, 70% of U.S. households own a pet, which equates to 90.5 millions homes.
In 1988, the first year the survey was conducted, 56% of U.S. households owned a pet.
Breakdown of pet ownership in the U.S. according to the 2021-2022 APPA National Pet Owners Survey
Number of U.S. Households that Own a Pet (millions)
| Bird | 9.9 |
| Cat | 45.3 |
| Dog | 69.0 |
| Horse | 3.5 |
| Freshwater Fish | 11.8 |
| Saltwater Fish | 2.9 |
| Reptile | 5.7 |
| Small Animal | 6.2 |
Pet Ownership by Generation (% of Current Pet Owners)
| Gen Z | 14% |
| Millennial | 32% |
| Gen X | 24% |
| Baby Boomer | 27% |
| Builder | 3% |
Average Amount Spent on Common Pet Categories in the Past 12 Months
The incredible variety of pet care categories makes it difficult to compare amounts spent across different pet species. The list below is included to give the reader an idea of the types of categories included in the Survey but is not exhaustive of all the expenses captured in the individual pet species report sections. It reports an approximate dollar amount based on consumer recollection of their spending in the prior 12 months. As such, the dollar amounts should not be added to report total spending in the prior 12 months.
According to the 2021-2022 APPA National Pet Owners Survey, some of the basic annual expenses for dog and cat owners in dollars include:
Dogs Cats
Surgical Vet Visits $458 $201
Routine Vet $242 $178
Food $287 $254
Food Treats $81 $72
Kennel Boarding $228 $78
Vitamins $81 $47
Grooming aids/brushes $47 $31
Toys $56 $41
**Note: APPA does not ask Survey Participants how much in total they spend on their dog or cats annually. The expenses listed above are not all inclusive and each category was asked separately of the survey participant.