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