In 2020, pet ownership in the U.S. rose from 67% of households to an all-time high of 70%, wrote Steve King, president and CEO of the American Pet Products Association (APPA), in a preview of the association's soon-to-be-released “2021-2022 APPA National Pet Owners Survey.”

Is the number of pet owners increasing?

Pet ownership is expected to keep growing even after the pandemic caused a significant bump in pet ownership, according to research from L.E.K. Consulting. The number of pet dogs and cats in the US increased from 140 million in 2019 to 149 million in 2020, representing approximately 7% growth.

How much has pet ownership increased since Covid?

During a survey carried out in December 2020, 10 percent of respondents in the United States reported acquiring a new pet. This is an increase of four percent compared to June of that year, when six percent of respondents reported getting a new pet.