American Dog Population Rises To 77.5 Million

According to the 2009-2010 National Pet Owners Survey, companion animal ownership in the U.S. is an all time high, with 62% of all households (71.4 million) having at least one companion animal. Over the past decade, this number has been increased substantially from 50% in 1998 (61.2 million households).

According to the findings of this report, there are 77.5 million dogs, 93.6 million cats, 171.7 million freshwater fish, 11.2 million saltwater fish, 15 million birds, 15.9 million small animals, 13.6 million reptiles and 13.3 million horses owned in the U.S.

Other Findings:

• 17% of dog owners have implanted an electronic tracking device in their dog; those in the Western region are more likely to have them than in other parts of the country.
• Dog visits to the vet average 2.8 per year.
• 13% of dogs and 21% of cats are obese, according to veterinary standards.
• 15% of dog owners say they would prioritize their dog’s medical expenses over their own.
• 7% of dog, cat, bird, and horse owners say they have made financial provisions for their companion animal in their will.
• One third of dog, cat, and bird owners and nearly half of horse owners have named a guardian for their companion animal in their will.
• 20% of vacationing dog owners take their dogs with them on car vacations, averaging 5 car trips per year.
• 3% of dog owners take their dogs to work more than once a month.
• In a disaster situation, more than half of dog, cat, bird, reptile and other small animal owners say they would take their companion animals with them. Less than 10% say they would bring their animal to a shelter or abandon them.
• More than half of companion animal owners have purchased a gift for their companion animal in the last year.