As of July 2022 it was estimated that there are 28.7 million pets in Australia. Approximately 69% of households have a pet in Australia making Australia having one of the highest pet ownership rates in the world. [1]

How many dogs are there in Australia?

Dogs are the most common pets and account for 47.8% of household pets. The second most common household pet is cats who account for 33% of household pets, followed by fish 12.1%, birds 10.5%, and small mammals, reptiles and other pets account for the remainder.

There are approximately 6.4 million dogs in Australia. The vast majority (75%) of households have one dog, while the rest have two or more dogs. [1]

Dogs and the pandemic

There has been a substantial boom in pet ownership during the pandemic, with an estimated 30.4 million pets across the country. Nationally, 69% of households now own a pet, up from 61% only two years ago. This has been led by a surge in dog ownership—with over a million additional dogs being brought into Australian households since 2019.[2]

Benefits of dog and pet ownership

The most common benefits reported by pet owners include:

• Companionship (unconditional love and joy) (52%) - pet owners reported their pets as a source of unconditional love and joy, life companions, best friends and family members. Many pet owners say they cannot imagine life without their pets.
• Mental health benefits (23%) - pet owners report their pets have a positive effect on their mood and their pets get them out of bed, provided a sense of routine and made them feel calm particularly during the early days of the pandemic when they felt an increase in anxiety and distress.
• Physical health benefits (18%) - pet owners report that having a pet gave them a connection to the community (human interaction) that they would not have otherwise had, whether it be in person or online forums.[1]

What size dog is the most popular in Australia?

Small dogs are the most popular dog size in Australia. Nearly 2 in 5 households in Australia (43%) have small dogs less than 10kg, 35% of Australian households have medium size dogs 10-25kg, and 22% of Australian households have large dogs over 25kg. [1]

What dogs breeds are the most popular in Australia?

Pure Breeds

A study in 2022 revealed that dog owners reported that Labrador Retrievers, German Shepherds, Border Collies, Jack Russells, Pomeranians, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and Chihuahuas. [1].

Designer breeds

Poodle crosses are very popular in Australian households and include cavoodles, labradoodles, groodles and spoodles [1]

Mixed Breeds

Although mixed breed dog owners are not aware of the exact breeds that make up their dog/dogs, the most common mixed breeds include mixes of Stafffordshire Terrier, Kelpie, Jack Russell, Poodle, Labrador and Maltese.[1]

References

[1] Animal Medicines Australia (2022) Pets in Australia: A national survey of pets and people AMAU008-Pet-Ownership22-Report_v1.6_WEB.pdf (animalmedicinesaustralia.org.au)

[2] Animal Medicines Australia (2022) Pets and the Pandemic A social research snapshot of pets and people in the COVID-19 era AMAU005-PATP-Report12_v134_WEB.pdf (animalmedicinesaustralia.org.au)