Since 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of people owning pets in Australia has greatly increased, as compared to other years, creating a new record; 69% of the total households across the regional, metropolitan and remote areas of Australia now own pets.
According to Animal Medicines Australia’s latest Pets, about 29 million pets have found new homes in about 10 million households throughout Australia. Most of these households are new to the adoption of pets and recently developed an interest in owning pets after the pandemic.
Based on the research, dogs are front in line in the adoption list, taking about half of the total adoption list. Cats occupy about one-third of the population, leaving the rest to other pets, like fish.
Various people have various reasons for adoption; however, the most common reasons include; companionship, relaxation, compassion, and pets’ positive effects on their mental health—the pets improve their physical and psychological health.
Based on the research, there are four different kinds of pet owners. The first group(30%) is those whose focus is convenience and affordability, so they are only willing to spend only on essential items for their pets. The second group(25%) comprises those willing to go the extra mile to ensure they have taken great care of their pets- the group is mainly made of retirees and idlers.
Another group (27%) is mainly made up of middle class to high class, who appreciate warm quality care for their pets. This means they are open to spending extra money for their pets’ services and products besides the necessities.
They are the least expected group to own pets, yet they are the ones who own the most significant number of pets and ensure their animals receive the best treatment, even though it stretches their budget.
Despite the increase in pet owners, some people still desire to have pets but cannot adopt them due to various obstacles, such as housing restrictions and financial limitations.
This group primarily consists of individuals living in rental properties or apartments who may face misunderstandings with their landlords due to strict pet ownership policies. Disobeying such policies could result in eviction.
Although the decision is difficult, many people in that situation often prefer to leave their pets with a trusted friend or relative. In contrast,e others opt to take them to animal shelters- the number of people trusting animal shelters has risen from 15% to 20% since 2015.
In the same way, there was a significant increase in the number of people who adopted pets; according to SEC Newgate’s Mood, a significant number of people chose to surrender their pets due to financial instabilities and social problems.
The statistic portrayed an evident number of people dealing with heavy constraints and therefore had to give up their pets to manage the cost of living.
It raised a gap in society, where there needs to be a program supporting pet owners in Australia going through a difficult financial time, given that the pets have significance in their owners, including offering mental health pandemic, a significant problem in Australia.
To optimise the benefits of pet ownership among the people in Australia, various organisations like AMA suggested the government should have policies that support responsible pet adoption among Australians.
He gave various options, like offering support to constrained pet owners and pushing for policies that support animal policy
Amazing Pet Discoveries and Statistics in Australia
1. Australia Is Home to Over 30 Million Animals
(RSPCA)
Australia is among the leading countries in pet ownership, with more than 60% of the citizens being pet owners. 60% of the population is made up of women, while the remaining percentage is made up op of people from the Gen-Z era
2. Dogs Take up the Greatest Percentage of Pet Ownership
(RSPCA)
In Australia, dogs have taken up most of the total number of pets owned(61%), contributing to over 5.7 million dogs nationwide. Many groups of people, singles, children, families and senior citizens have pointed out that dogs are the best animals for companionship.
3. Cats Are the Second Most Preferred Animals
(RSPCA)
Cats comprise 40% of the total pets owned in Australia, with about 4 million cats coming second after dogs. Generally, most cats are more independent and require less attention than dogs, making them easier to maintain, with a relatively lower budget for food and general maintenance.
4. Fish Is Also a Popular Pet in Australia, After Dogs and Cats
(Pursuit)
Fish accounts for 18% of the entire pet population. Although fish are easy to care for, they require informed care, as a wrong move, even on a diet, can easily kill them.
Unlike birds, dogs and cats, which require a lot of detail and attention, fish favour even people who are mostly away from work and lack time to play with their pets- looking at the fish as they swim in the water gives a calm feeling.
Birds comprise 15% of the population, and just like fish, they require fewer details.
5. The Most-Owned Dog in Australia Is Cavoodle
(Canberra Times)
The Great Australian Survey released a survey showing that most Australians currently own Cavoodles, a crossbreed between toy poodles or miniature King Charles Spaniels and have named their dogs Luna. They are known for their teddy bear appearance and have gained popularity in the past ten years.
The Cavoodle is a sucker for affection and loves being around children, which makes it thrive in families. They mostly enjoy play but can still be calm and adapt to the apartment lifestyle. When a Cavoodle spots a stranger approaching your door, the first instinct is to bark, although they generally do not bite.
6. Most Australians Like It When Their Dogs Sleep in Their Beds.
(Canberra Times)
Although some people may have reservations about having dogs sleep on their beds, most Australians prefer when their dogs sleep on their beds, which comes with benefits like warmth, comfort and extra security.
7. Over 50% Of Dog Owners Have a Harder Time Dealing With Animal Loss Than Human Demise
(Canberra Times)
Most Australians take dogs as close family members and have a difficult time when they lose a pet companion, more than they have when dealing with a human loss. That extra connection usually comes from animals’ unconditional love and ongoing loyalty.
Although friends and family are also a particular aspect of life, animals have a special touch, making it harder to lose an animal than a friend.
8. Over 30% Of People Below 35 Years Have Created an Instagram Profile Dedicated to Their Dog
(Scratch)
Naturally, people want to share cute photos and memorable moments with people on social media, and Instagram is a great platform to broadcast the happy moments of your pet.
Over 30% of Australian pet owners have agreed to have created profiles for their dogs and consistently share moments.
9. A Good Number of Australian Pet Owners Are Thinking of Adding Another Pet
(Statista)
After most pet owners experienced the joy of owning a pet, adding another was an automatic temptation.
10. Most People Spend About $550 on Vet Services
(Statista)
When people adopt pets, the hope is that they will need to take their pets to the vet only once a year for vet services. however, that is not always the case; when medical emergencies come up, they end up spending a lot of money beyond the usual check-up services- a visit to the vet in Australia costs about $600
11. Australians Spend About $85 and $62 Monthly on Cat and Dog Insurance
(Statista)
Many Australians have invested heavily in pet adoption to ensure their pets are cared for if something happens to the owners. The average amount of money they spend is about $85 per month to cover insurance for a 5- year dog and $62 for a five-year-old cat.
The idea is to find the best insurance provider when your pet is still young- ensuring a one-year-old dog and cat will cost $68 and $30, respectively.
12. The Largest Amount of Money Spent on Pets Is on Food
(Statista)
If you own a pet, chances are you will spend more than 55% of the total amount on pets on food, about 22% on vet bills and 10% on medication. Food is a regular expense, which is why it takes over the budget; in addition, most people will choose the best quality food for their pets, which is quite expensive.
13. The High Pet Costs Are the Major Reason Most People Have Not Adopted a Second Pet
(Statista)
Although the cost of having a pet is not that high, adding another pet can be overwhelming, so most people opt to remain with one pet despite the obvious temptation to get another pet.
14. The Total Number of Pets Rehomed by the RSPCA to Animals in 2021 Was 26,230
(Statista)
The RSPCA is an organisation whose primary role is to rehome dogs in Australia; however, many dogs are brought into Australia from other countries. In 2021, the number of animals rehomed was 26,230, which is a drastic fall from 2018
15. The Majority of Australians Prefer to Adopt Pets From Shelters
(Statista)
Here is a report of the survey that was conducted on adoption;
- 39% of pet owners got their pets to animal shelters
- 37.8% were adopted from an animal breeder
- 1 in every five people got it from friends and family as a gift
If people adopted pets from animal shelters instead of from other sources, fewer euthanised animals would be every year.
16. In 2021, Over 13000 Lost Pets Were Reunited with Their Owners
(Statista)
In 2021 the number of pets reunited with their families was 14000; about 8500 were dogs, 2500 were cats, and the remaining percentage was mainly birds. Sadly, since then, the number of untraced pets that RSPCA has raised yearly has increased.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Many Australians Own Pets?
Australians mostly prefer to keep dogs, as compared to other pets. In 2022 alone, about 48% of Australian households kept dogs, while 40% kept cats.
What Is the State of the Australian Pet Industry?
In 2023, economists predict that revenue from the Food segment will rise by 2.9%, which amounts to US$3.09bn.
How Many People Own Pets in Australia?
Research on domestic pet ownership shows that the average number of people who own dogs is 1.4, which rises from 1.3 in 2019. Likewise, the average number of people owning cats rose from 1.4 to 1.6 between 2019 and 2021
Which Is the Most Popular Pet in Australia?
The most common pet in Australia is dogs, which comprise about 48% of the entire pet population, followed by cats, which cover about 33%. Australia is currently among the leading countries worldwide in pet ownership, with about 30 million pets.
What Is the Fastest-Growing Pet Industry?
With over 300% of searches on Google in the last 20 years, CBD is the fastest-growing pet supplement. The searches for CBD are expected to rise more after they reached a new peak in 2021.
Which Is the Top Country in Pet Ownership?
The USA has the most significant number of dogs in the world. In 2021, there were 274 dogs out of every 1000 people, most of them being pets. The total number of dogs in the USA is 90 million, just a step behind China.
Conclusion
Australia is a pet-friendly country, and just like other countries, cats and dogs have taken up the hearts of their citizens. Research shows that the Cavoodle is the most owned pet in most Australian homes, and most people prefer to call it Luna.
Although statistics are expected to change over time, the fact that people will always prefer to keep dogs as pets, both for security and companion purposes, will remain constant.
More people may start warming up to dogs sleeping on their beds as more people create social media platforms just for that. With that in mind, we hope the number of dogs being euthanised yearly reduces as the dogs find new homes to warm up.