70% of U.S. households have pets, APPA finds in new survey

June 2021

About 70% of U.S. households own pets, according to the American Pet Products Association’s 2021-2022 “National Pet Owners Survey.” This is up from 67% in APPA’s 2019-2020 survey.

The survey found that millennials are the largest group of pet owners, at 32%. Baby boomers came in second at 27%, followed by Generation X at 24%.

Other key findings include:


  • 35% of pet owners said they spent more on pet supplies in the past year than they did the year before.
  • 14% of respondents, including pet owners and non-pet owners, said they got a new pet during the pandemic. One-fourth of those new owners said the pandemic influenced their decision to get a pet.
  • 86% of respondents said they shop online for pet products, up from 72% in the prior year. Before the pandemic, 60% of owners usually purchased pet products at brick-and-mortar stores. That dropped to 41% during the pandemic, according to APPA.
  • 51% of respondents said they’re willing to pay more for ethically sourced pet products and eco-friendly pet products.
  • Pet insurance purchases among dog and cat owners have increased, nearly doubling among cat owners.