Pets
New Survey Reveals Pet Ownership At All Time High
By
Dec 19, 2005, 00:15

(NAPSI)-It's "reigning" cats and dogs-and other kinds of pets, too.

According to the 2005-2006 APPMA National Pet Owners Survey, pet ownership is currently at its highest level, with 63 percent of all U.S. households owning a pet. That equates to more than 69 million households. That's up from 64 million in 2002 and 51 million in 1988, when American Pet Products Manufacturers Association's (APPMA) tracking began.

The survey found Americans own approximately 73 million dogs, 90 million cats, 139 million freshwater fish, 9 million saltwater fish, 16 million birds, 18 million small animals and 11 million reptiles.

"The steady increase in pet ownership confirms that a growing number of us are realizing pets truly enhance our lives," said Bob Vetere, managing director and COO of APPMA.

In fact, 59 percent of those surveyed said pets are good for their health. Forty percent said owning a dog motivates them to exercise regularly.

Additional trends included:

• Part of the family. Three-quarters of dog owners consider their dog to be like a family member and more than half of cat owners say the same.

• Pet gifts and parties. Eight out of 10 dog owners buy dog gifts and 63 percent of cat owners purchase gifts for the family feline.

Additionally, 9 percent of dog and 5 percent of cat owners host birthday parties for their pets.

• Pets and travel. Nineteen percent of dog owners bring along their dog when traveling-that's up from 16 percent in 2002.

• Nutrition and food. Obesity is still a concern among pet owners. The weight-control market for pet food has grown 25 percent, making it the fastest-growing segment of the pet food industry.

• Health insurance. Currently, 3 percent of dogs and 1 percent of cats have health insurance.

• Homeopathic remedies. This is gaining in popularity, with 9 percent of cat owners using homeopathic remedies-up from 2 percent in 2002.

• Treats and toys. Giving treats to pets continues to increase with 88 percent of dog owners, 65 percent of cat owners, 73 percent of bird owners and 75 percent of small animal-owners giving treats.

• Loss of a pet. One out of 10 dog owners will purchase a headstone for their pet's final resting place.

• Pet product purchases. The demographics indicate that the person most responsible for purchasing pet products is a 46-year-old woman.

To learn more or to order the survey, visit www.appma.org.

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