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Which Country Has the Highest Percentage of Pet Ownership? 2024 Guide

Written by: Chelsea Mortensen

Last Updated on March 24, 2024 by Dogster Team

Which Country Has the Highest Percentage of Pet Ownership? 2024 Guide

Note: This article’s statistics come from third-party sources and do not represent the opinions of this website.

If there’s one thing that ties people from every culture together, it’s our love of animals. Whether you go to Guyana or Greece, India or Iceland, you’re sure to see dogs, cats, and all manner of animals kept as pets by loving owners. But have you ever wondered where in the world people want pets the most? Argentina has the highest rate of pet ownership per capita!

Even though pets are common in every country, there are some places where they’re much more common than others. Here are eleven fascinating statistics about pet owners from around the world, including:

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The 11 Global Pet Ownership Statistics

  1. Around 80% of people in Argentina had owned a pet at some point in their lives
  2. More than 50% of the world’s population owns a pet
  3. There are more than 90 million pet dogs in the United States
  4. Central and South America are the regions of the world with the most pet ownership
  5. Around 100 million dogs live in China
  6. Over the course of five years, the number of pet dogs in India grew by a whopping 58%
  7. By the end of a five year study, there were 10% fewer dogs in Switzerland than when it started
  8. Almost 60% of Russians own a cat
  9. There are 101 small dogs for every 1,000 Brazilians in the country today
  10. During the COVID-19 pandemic, searches related to dog and cat adoption were 2.5 times higher than normal
  11. Cats and dogs were both popular during COVID-19, but interest in cats lasted longer
GLOBAL_PET_OWNERSHIP_FACTS_&_STATISTICS
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Which Country Owns the Most Pets?

1. Around 80% of people in Argentina had owned a pet at some point in their lives

(Growth from Knowledge)

There are lots of ways to count pet ownership, but if you just look at what percentage of people have a pet in their home, Argentina takes the lead. Argentina has the highest rate of pet ownership per capita. Sixty-six percent of people in Argentina own a dog, while 32% own cats and 12% own fish.

Cat and Dog_Chendongshan_Shutterstock
Image By: Chendongshan, Shutterstock

2. More than 50% of the world’s population owns a pet

(Growth From Knowledge)

You might expect pet ownership to be confined to only rich countries, but that’s not true. In fact, a 2016 study of more than 20 countries found that people own pets all over. In fact, they estimated that 1 in 3 households included a dog. And when you count all pet types, 57% of the world’s population owned a cat, dog, bird, or other pet. That’s a lot of pets!


3. There are more than 90 million pet dogs in the United States

(Quotation Check)

Argentina might have the most owners, but the USA has the most dogs per capita. For every 1,000 people living in the United States, there are 274 dogs. That means that there’s more than one dog for every four people in the US. The USA has the largest population of pet dogs of any country too, if you don’t count strays.

dog walker
Image Credit: Photo Spirit, Shutterstock

4. Central and South America are the regions of the world with the most pet owners

(Growth from Knowledge)

Pet ownership varies from place to place, but Central and South America score consistently high in pet ownership. Several Latin American countries were among the top ranked for dog ownership, including Mexico (64%) and Brazil (58%). On the other hand, Asia has a much lower rate of pet ownership than the rest of the world.

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Pet Ownership Differences by Country

5. Around 100 million dogs live in China

(Quotation Check)

China doesn’t have a very high rate of pet ownership, but they are home to the most dogs—more than any other country. However, many of these dogs aren’t house pets. In fact, some estimates say that 40% of the dogs in China are strays. That, combined with China’s massive population, means that dog ownership is fairly rare.

group of dogs in the park
Image Credit: Aneta Jungerova, Shutterstock

6. Over the course of five years, the number of pet dogs in India grew by a whopping 58%

(The Atlantic)

Countries with rapidly developing economies often find that more people buy pets because of it. That’s certainly the case with India. India has the fastest growing rate of dog ownership! Most of this growth comes from an increasing middle class in India. Once people don’t have to worry about putting food on the table, they’re much more likely to own a dog.


7. By the end of a five-year study, there were 10% fewer dogs in Switzerland than when it started

(The Atlantic)

On the other end of the scale, there are a few countries where pet ownership is becoming less common, not more. Switzerland is the worst offender. Switzerland’s pet dog population is shrinking the fastest. It’s not clear why Swiss dog ownership is falling, though.

two dogs with leash
Image Credit: Matej Kastelic, Shutterstock

8. Almost 60% of Russians own a cat

(Quotation Check)

The eternal debate of cats versus dogs goes on all over the world. In most countries, there are more dog owners or ownership is about equal. But cats clearly take the prize in Russia, where there are 22.3 million cats and only 16 million dogs. Even more striking, only 29% of Russians own a dog.

Another fun fact about Russia: it’s the country where the most pets are rescued from the streets; about 20% of pet owners got their pets that way.


9. There are 101 small dogs for every 1,000 Brazilians in the country today

(The Atlantic)

Lots of factors go into the breed of pet you own, but for Brazil, the trend is clear. Small dogs (dogs under 20 pounds) are king there. The country has the biggest rate of ownership of small breeds of dogs, many of which live in small apartments. And with Brazil’s big cities still growing, the love of small breeds isn’t likely to change any time soon.

Shih Tzu
Image Credit: Dietmar Sobotzki, Pixabay

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Pet Ownership in a Time of COVID

10. During the COVID-19 pandemic, searches related to dog and cat adoption were 2.5 times higher than normal

(Frontiers)

If you got your first pet during the pandemic, you’re not alone. In fact, interest in pet ownership peaked around the world! In a study of search trends from a half-dozen countries on several continents, there was a definite increase in searches for dog and cat adoptions. All that time at home made some people eager for companions!


11. Cats and dogs were both popular during COVID-19, but interest in cats lasted longer

(Frontiers)

During the peak months for pet searches, cats and dogs were both equally boosted by the pandemic. But cats had a longer run of it; searches for dogs slowly dropped back to normal by December 2020. On the other hand, cat searches remained high throughout the entire study.

Estrela Mountain Dog and a cat
Image Credit: Joao Marques, Shutterstock

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Frequently Asked Questions About Pet Ownership Around the World

What Cultural Factors Affect Pet Ownership?

Pet ownership varies a lot from country to country, and cultural factors play a big role. Economics, attitude towards animals, and even religion can affect pet ownership. For example, many Muslim people associate dogs with uncleanliness. Although these beliefs are slowly changing, countries like Egypt and Saudi Arabia still have fewer dogs per capita than almost anywhere else. (Oxford University Press)

Do Richer Countries Own More Pets?

There’s some correlation between wealth and pet ownership, but not as much as expected. People living in deep poverty and with a much lower standard of living are less likely to own pets, but this correlation disappears quickly. Many developing countries have high rates of pet ownership, with pet owners spread across all income levels.

Are There Differences in Pet Ownership between Urban and Rural Areas?

Living in the city or the country might not have much of an impact on whether you own a pet, but it does change the types of pets that are owned. Unsurprisingly, smaller breeds of dogs are favored in urban areas with lots of apartment dwellers, while big dogs are more common in the suburbs and the country. This is true all over the world! People in rural areas are also more likely to own “working pets”—pets that are just as important for guarding, herding, hunting, or pest control as they are for companionship.

woman playing with her pets
Image Credit: Josep Suria, Shutterstock

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Conclusion

The world’s a big place, and if you’ve ever visited a foreign country you know just how different it can feel from home. But all over the world, you can find pet owners. People from every nationality, income level, and lifestyle love their pets and want to have the best for them. Some of these facts might seem surprising on the surface, but in the end, it just goes to show that wherever you go, you just need to find a dog or a cat to feel right at home.

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