PET POPULATION

STATISTICS |

In this page, you can find out how many dogs and cats there are in the UK. Also find out about the percentage of other commonly owned pets in the UK.

 

In 2012, it is estimated that 48% of UK households have at least one pet. This is equivalent of 13 million households.

 
 
 
DOGS:   
How many dogs are there in the UK?
In 2012, the UK dog population is around 8 million.
Approximately 23% of the UK households own at least one dog.
 
 
 
CATS:
How many cats are there in the UK?
In 2012, the UK cat population is around 8 million.
Approximately 19% of the UK households own at least one cat. 
 
 
 
 
OTHER PETS:
Our 2012 research shows that there are currently around 67 million pets in the UK.
The following are the breakdown of approximate number of different pets in the UK.
 
 
Indoor Fish: 20 - 25 million fish kept in tanks 
Outdoor Fish: 20 - 25 million fish kept in ponds
Rabbits: 1 million 
Caged Birds: 1 million 
Guinea Pigs: 1 million 
Hamsters: Over half a million
Domestic Fowl: Over half a million 
 lizards: 300,000
frogs and toads: 200,000 
Newts / Salamanders: 100,000 
Snakes: 200,000 
Tortoises / Turtles: 200,000
Gerbils: 100,000 
Horses / Ponies as pets: 100,000 
Rats: 200,000 
Pigeons as pets: 100,000
People keep Insects: Less than 100,000
Poeple keep Mice: Less than 100,000
 
 
 
Research Details
  • Face-to-face interviews with 2,159 adults, aged 16+
  • Nationally representative of households in UK
  • Conducted by TNS