economics
2021 Economic impact of the U.S. pet sector
Impact
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$260.5 Billion
Total Economic Output
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$174 Billion
Pet sector contribution to annual gross domestic product
Jobs
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2.78 Million
U.S. jobs are directly and indirectly linked to pets
Taxes
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$23.4 Billion
Public revenues generated by consumer expenditures on pets from local, state and federal taxes
U.S. households spent
$93.95 billion on their pets.
Pet food, including treats, is the largest expense for most pet owners.
Americans spent $50 billion on pet food and treats.
Pet Spending
$50 Billion
Pet Food & Treats
$29.8 Billion
Supplies, Live Animals & OTC Medicine
$34.3 Billion
Vet Care & Product Sales
$9.5 Billion
Other Services
Source: APPA
Pet Ownership
84.9 million
Households in the U.S. have at least one pet.
70%, or about two-thirds, of American households own some type of pet.
186 million
Americans own 186 million dogs and cats.
54% of U.S. households own of a dog and
35% own a cat.
23 million
U.S. households brought home a new pet between spring of 2019 and summer of 2021.
Featured Pet Statistic
70% of American households own at least one pet
State Economic Impact
The 2021 state-specific data will be available later in 2022. The below infographics reflect 2015 data. Click a state to download their economic impact infographic.
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