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Owning a pet in Australia is relatively common. In a survey conducted in 2016 about pet ownership in the country, the age bracket with the highest rate of pet ownership was ** to 24-year-olds, with around ** percent of survey respondents in that age range claiming to have a pet in their household. Pet ownership tended to decline for respondents from older age brackets; in fact, less than ** percent of people 65 years and older owned a pet. Pets included dogs, cats, fish, birds, reptiles and small mammals.

What is the pet situation?

In 2015, the most common pet owned by Australians were dogs; almost ** percent of pet owners had at least one in their household. Dogs in Australia are not only companion animals but can also take on pet therapy, assistance and working roles. Although Australia has one of the highest pet ownership rates in the world, the leading reason for not owning a pet or getting another pet was that respondents’ lifestyles or homes were not suitable.

Pet care and expenditure

Food and veterinary services contributed the most to expenses for people owning pets in Australia. The pet food market is a billion-dollar industry in Australia alone. As Australians become more conscious of ingredients in products, the quality may increase as consumers expect more or are willing to pay more for pet food. In fact, premium and super-premium pet food products accounted for the majority share of sales in the country in 2017. The market is expected to grow annually into the foreseeable future, with product innovation directed by consumer trends.