Animals · Facts & sources
5 sourced facts about pets, each with the context behind the number. 4 more are in today's round and appear here after it closes.
Answer95 million households
The figure comes from APPA's survey of pet owners, cited in its 2026 State of the Industry Report, which tracks ownership by species and generation.
Source: American Pet Products Association (APPA), 2025 National Pet Owners Survey (2025) americanpetproducts.org
Answer$158 billion
Spending is projected to reach $165 billion in 2026.
Source: American Pet Products Association (APPA), industry trends and stats (2024) americanpetproducts.org
Answer4.2 million
Adoptions rose slightly above 2024 levels but not enough to significantly reduce the number of animals in shelters.
Source: ASPCA, U.S. Animal Shelter Statistics (2025) aspca.org
AnswerSlightly more cats: 3 million vs. 2.8 million dogs
Cats also led adoptions, with about 2.2 million adopted compared with about 2 million dogs.
Source: ASPCA, U.S. Animal Shelter Statistics (2025) aspca.org
Answer59%
Owner surrenders were the next biggest source at 30%, a pattern consistent with prior years.
Source: ASPCA, U.S. Animal Shelter Statistics (2025) aspca.org