A pet is not just an animal that shares your home, for most pet owners, their pet is another member of their family. They share their joys and sorrows with their pets just as they would do with the other members of their families.
A pet in the house is quite the norm for most Australians. A recent survey revealed that there were more than 25 million pets in Australia and that nearly 5 million Australian households have one or more pets. Australia’s pet ownership at 63% is certainly among the highest in the world.
Why Have Pets?
For most Australians, a pet is a companion. Seven out of ten pet owners in Australia believe that the need for companionship is the most important reason for having pets. They consider pets to be members of the family and hence the selection of a pet is done with great care and consideration.
Pet Statistics
Dogs seem to be the most favoured pet amongst Australians. Almost 39% of pet owning households prefer a dog over other pets. With almost 4.2 million pet dogs in Australia, they account for a record of 19 dogs for every 100 people.
After dogs, the next most common pets are cats. 29% households in Australia own pet cats. With about 3.3 million cats as pets, their numbers stand at 15 cats for every 100 people.
There are more than 10.7 million fish accounted for pets in Australia. Birds too find their place in the list of favourite pets at 4.8 million pets being recorded.
One look at these statistics and we see that Australia is certainly a pet loving nation.
New Trends: Australian pets are among the most pampered pets in the world
New trends and habits are being observed in the pet food and healthcare sectors. There is now a burgeoning market for premium pet food. With most pet owners willing to spend more to ensure they are getting high quality food for their pets. The pet food industry is now beginning to meet the demands of its consumers who want their pets to be as fit and healthy as possible.
We are now seeing that pet travel companies, doggie day care and pet friendly holiday accommodation are now finding their place of importance alongside vets in the ever growing pet care industry.
Pet toys, custom bedding and day spa / grooming treatments are also now part of the norm for most pets in Australia.
The figures
The pet care industry in Australia is estimated to be worth around $8 billion annually and the recent numbers show that it is only increasing. Going by the trends, pet care in Australia is set to reach astounding numbers in the coming years as more Australians seek to increase the spend on caring for their pets needs to the fullest as they would any other family member.