Pet Population 2008 To 2012
2012 Pet population and ownership:
PFMA research shows that in 2012, 48% of UK households owned at least one pet. This would be approximately 13 million households with pets. Approximately 23% own at least one dog and 19% own at least one cat
Below you can see the estimated population of UK pets, as well as a breakdown of the most popular pets, in 2012.
All pets: around 67 million
Indoor Fish: 20 - 25 million fish kept in tanks
Outdoor Fish: 20 - 25 million fish kept in ponds
Dogs: 8 million
Cats: 8 million
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: 100,000
Rats: 200,000
Pigeons: 100,000
Insects: Less than 100,000
Mice: Less than 100,000
2011 Pet population and ownership:
PFMA research shows that in 2011, 45% of UK households owned at least one pet. This would be approximately 12 million households with pets, out of approximately 27 million UK households in total. Below you can see the estimated population of UK pets, as well as a breakdown of the most popular pets, in 2011.
All pets: around 64 million
Outdoor fish: 20 million
Indoor fish: 20 million
Cats: 8 million
Dogs: 8 million
Rabbits: 1 million
Guinea pigs: 1 million
Caged birds: 1 million
Domestic fowls: 0.5 million
Hamsters: 0.5 million
2010 Pet population and ownership:
In 2010, approximatly 13 million UK households had pets. Below you can see the estimated population of UK pets, as well as a break-down of the most popular pets, in 2011.
All pets: around 65 million
Outdoor fish: 20 million
Indoor fish: 20 million
Cats: 8 million
Dogs: 8 million
Rabbits: 1 million
Caged birds: 1 million
Guinea pig: 0.5 million
Domestic fowls: 0.5 million
Hamsters: 0.5 million
2009 Pet population and ownership:
Pet ownership trends in 2009 was also approximately 13 million UK households with pets. Below you can see the estimated population of UK pets, as well as a break-down of the most popular pets, in 2011.
All pets: around 66 million
Outdoor fish: 20 million
Indoor fish: 20 million
Cats: 8 million
Dogs: 8 million
Rabbits: 1 million
Caged birds: 1 million
Domestic fowls: 800'000
Guinea pig: 700'000
Hamsters: 400'000
Over the years many trends emerge in our pet population statistics. In 2008 we carried out research to give an insight into what the pet purchasing trends in the UK were;
In 2008:
60% of single people in the UK bought a pet for companionship.
21% of owners bought their pet for companionship, compared to only 5% who had their pet for security reasons.
39% of London’s pet owners purchased their pet for companionship, despite having 7.5 million neighbours across the city.
21 % of pet owners wanted a pet since childhood, and almost half of people living in the North East wanted a pet since their early years.
In 2008 the main source in which owners aquired their dogs were:
Rescue Centre: 32%Friend/acquiantance: 25%
Recommended Breeder: 16%
Private Ad: 16%
Internet: 8%
Pet Shop: 7%
Top five reasons for owning a cat or dog are (in 2008):
Companionship
Owner/partner/child always wanted one
Owner believes that they are easy to look after
They were rescued
Fits in with lifestyle