ST. LOUIS — If you ask us, every day is ‘love your pet day.’ But if you’d like to really spoil your furry family member, Wednesday is the day to do it.
To mark National Love Your Pet Day on Feb. 20, we gathered up some statistics that show just how much Americans adore their furry friends.
Nearly 70 percent of U.S. households own a pet, according to the American Pet Products Association.
The APPA estimated we spent $72 billion on our pets in the U.S. in 2018. That number is expected to rise based on the trends in recent years.
Millennials are especially fond of shelling out money for their ‘fur babies.’
According to a survey in 2018 by TD Ameritrade, on average, Millennials spent $1,285 a year on dogs, while cat owners spent $915 a year.
The survey also found Millennials were expected to spend more money on their dogs over the course of the pet’s life than they would on their own health care costs.
When it comes to holidays, Americans make sure their pets don’t feel left out—whether that means getting them a Halloween costume, making sure they have presents under the Christmas tree or baking a special dessert for their furry Valentine.
Pet owners were estimated to spend $866 million on pets this Valentine’s Day, according to the National Retail Federation. The survey found about one in five people would buy their pet a present.
And while we’re talking about Valentine’s Day, here are a couple more statistics that might surprise you. A majority of pet owners said they would rather spend the romantic day snuggling with their pet than with their valentine.
The survey from PetFirst Pet Insurance found 71 percent of pet owners prefer to snuggle with their dog or cat. Just 10 percent said they prefer to snuggle with their partners. The love was mutual. Ninety-five percent of people in the survey said their pet is more likely than their sweetheart to greet them at the door with a kiss or a purr.
Pets also feel the love on Halloween. Owners were expected to spend about $480 million treating their pets to costumes, according to the National Retail Federation. The average pet owner would shell out $16 per costume for their furry ghosts and goblins.
As for the most popular pet costumes? Pumpkin, hot dog, bumble bee, devil, cat and dog topped the list.
There must be a lot of “good boys” and “good girls” because Americans really go all out for their pets around the holidays.
The Saint Leo University Polling Institute conducted a survey in 2018 asking 698 Floridians how much they planned to spend on presents for their pets. Based on all of the answers, the average was $237.37.
Americans sure do love their pets!
