Number of pet owning households in the United States 2025| ��ƽ��

Number of pet owning households in the United States from 2011/2012 to 2025/2026, by species (in millions)

Characteristic	Dog	Cat	Freshwater fish	Reptile	Small animal	Bird	Horse	Saltwater fish
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Sources

Release date

2026

More information

Region

United States

Survey time period

2011/2012 to 2024/2025

Method of interview

Online survey

Supplementary notes

The figures are based on the 2025-2026 APPA National Pet Owners Survey.
The source does not provide the publication date. The release date given is the date of access.

Citation formats

An estimated ** million households in the United States owned at least one dog according to a 2025/26 pet owners survey, making them the most widely owned type of pet across the U.S. at this time. Cats and freshwater fish ranked in second and third places, with around ** million and **** million households owning such pets, respectively.

Freshwater vs. salt water fish

Freshwater fish spend most or all their lives in fresh water. Fresh water’s main difference to salt water is the level of salinity. Freshwater fish have a range of physiological adaptations to enable them to live in such conditions. As the statistic makes clear, Americans keep a large number of freshwater aquatic species at home as pets.

American pet owners

In 2024/2025, around ** percent of all households in the United States owned a pet. This is an increase from 2020, but still around a ** percent increase from 1988. It is no surprise that as more and more households own pets, pet industry expenditure has also witnessed steady growth. Expenditure reached over *** billion U.S. dollars in 2025, over a ninefold increase from 1998.