Packaged Facts: 3 in 10 New Dogs and Cats in U.S. Homes are Adopted from Pet Shelters or Rescue Sources

The single leading method of dog and cat acquisitions for U.S. pet parents is from pet shelters and rescue sources

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Sep 04, 2019, 11:08 ET

ROCKVILLE, Md., Sept. 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Pet ownership continues to trend up. By the end of 2019, an estimated 7 million U.S. households will have acquired a new dog during the year, while more than 5 million U.S. households will have acquired a new cat over the same period of time. The data and research are featured by market research firm Packaged Facts in the brand new report U.S. Pet Market Focus: New Dog and Cat Owners.

A third (34%) of new dogs are adopted from pet shelters or rescue sources. Similarly, three out of ten cats are adopted from pet shelters or rescue sources. For both dogs and cats, pet shelters and rescue sources are the leading single method of acquisition.

Primary motivations for adopting a new dog or cat include:

love of dogs or cats
companionship for themselves or for others in the household
companionship for other pets in the household
for personal mental health/stress reduction benefits
companionship for the sake of children in the household (though this tendency is notably more important in households adopting dogs versus households adopting cats).

When it comes to adding a new dog to the home, the size of the dog matters more than just about any other factor. Packaged Facts found that the majority of newly adopted dogs are medium-size or smaller. Beyond the eye test, very few new dog adopters fully research types of dogs for suitability (including disposition, space and exercise requirements, barking or guard dog characteristics, getting along with children, getting along with other pets).

About the Report

U.S. Pet Market Focus: New Dog and Cat Owners (published 08/2019, 95 pages) is available for $1,800 from Packaged Facts.

Media members please contact our Communications Manager Daniel Granderson at [email protected] for a copy of the report summary. Those interested in purchasing the report can contact Research Specialist Jeff Miller at [email protected] or visit https://www.packagedfacts.com/Pet-Focus-Dog-Cat-Owners-12601875/.

About Packaged Facts

Packaged Facts, a division of MarketResearch.com, publishes market intelligence on a wide range of consumer market topics, including consumer demographics and shopper insights, consumer financial products and services, consumer goods and retailing, and pet products and services. Packaged Facts also offers a full range of custom research services. Reports can be purchased at our company website and are also available through MarketResearch.com.

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SOURCE Packaged Facts