U.S. Pet Industry Spending Figures & Future Outlook
The following spending statistics are gathered by APPA from various market reseach sources and are not included in the organization’s biennial National Pet Owners Survey.
Total U.S. Pet Industry Expenditures
| Year | Billions of dollars |
| 2018 | $72.13 Estimated |
| 2017 | $69.51 Actual |
| 2016 | $66.75 |
| 2015 | $60.28 |
| 2014 | $58.04 |
| 2013 | $55.72 |
| 2012 | $53.33 |
| 2011 | $50.96 |
| 2010 | $48.35 |
Actual Sales within the U.S. Market in 2018
In 2018, $69.51 billion was spent on our pets in the U.S.
Breakdown:
| Food | $29.07 billion |
| Supplies/OTC Medicine | $15.11 billion |
| Vet Care | $17.07 billion |
| Live animal purchases | $2.1 billion |
| Pet Services: grooming & boarding | $6.16 billion |
Estimated 2019 Sales within the U.S. Market
For 2019, it estimated that $72.13 billion will be spent on our pets in the U.S.
Estimated Breakdown:
| Food | $29.88 billion |
| Supplies/OTC Medicine | $15.51 billion |
| Vet Care | $18.26 billion |
| Live animal purchases | $2.01 billion |
| Other Services | $6.47 billion |
Data sources and notes
1. Food total is based on PFI research consultant Davenport Co, Packaged Facts U.S. Market Outlook 2018-2019, petfoodindustry.com 2018 Industry Report, and Euromonitor International Pet Care in the US plus new information generated by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (US BLS).
2. Supplies based on APPA historical, BCC Research-The Pet Industry, SNIPP Industry Trends 2018, Pet Product News, Grocery Business 2019 Nonfoods Report Packaged Facts Pet Supplies in the US 2018-2019, IBISWorld Industry Report Pet Stores in the US and MarketResearch.com Projected 2018 Trends.
3. Veterinary care includes routine vet care and is based on AVMA, Newsweek, Brakke Consulting, Bain & Co, Fountain Agricounsel 2015 Situation Analysis Report and Packaged Facts Pet Supplies in the US 2017-2018.
4. Live Animal purchases based on APPA, AVMA, Fountain Agricounsel, Packaged Facts Pet Population and Ownership Trends and Euromonitor estimates
5. Other Services based on Packaged Facts, Euromonitor, APPA State of the Industry Report, the balance 5 Hot Trends in the Pet Industry, and IBISWorld
6. Other Services include grooming, boarding, training, pet sitting, pet exercise, pet walking, miscellaneous
7. Pet insurance figures are included in Veterinary Care .
2017-2018 APPA National Pet Owners Survey Statistics: Pet Ownership & Annual Expenses
According to the 2017-2018 APPA National Pet Owners Survey, 68% of U.S. households own a pet, which equates to 84.6 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 2017-2018 APPA National Pet Owners Survey
Number of U.S. Households that Own a Pet (millions)
| Bird | 7.9 |
| Cat | 47.1 |
| Dog | 60.2 |
| Horse | 2.6 |
| Freshwater Fish | 12.5 |
| Saltwater Fish | 2.5 |
| Reptile | 4.7 |
| Small Animal | 6.7 |
Total Number of Pets Owned in the U.S. (millions)
| Bird | 20.3 |
| Cat | 94.2 |
| Dog | 89.7 |
| Horse | 7.6 |
| Freshwater Fish | 139.3 |
| Saltwater Fish | 18.8 |
| Reptile | 9.4 |
| Small Animal | 14.0 |
Basic Annual Expenses
The section serves as a benchmark and the dollar amounts for the categories listed should not be added to report total spending in the prior 12 months. It reports an approximate dollar amount based on consumer recollection of their spending in the prior 12 months. The list is not inclusive of all items possibly purchased, as some items fall into “other” expenses and are not reported here. As such, the dollar amounts should not be added to report total spending in the prior 12 months.
According to the 2017-2018 APPA National Pet Owners Survey, some of the basic annual expenses for dog and cat owners in dollars include:
| Dogs | Cats | |
| Surgical Vet Visits | $474 | $245 |
| Routine Vet | $257 | $182 |
| Food | $235 | $235 |
| Food Treats | $72 | $56 |
| Kennel Boarding | $322 | $164 |
| Vitamins | $58 | $46 |
| Groomer/Grooming Aids | $84 | $30 |
| Toys | $47 | $30 |
