PET OWNERSHIP IN AUSTRALIA

Pet ownership is a fact of Australian life

12 million Australians are associated with pets, according to a 1995 study.

The vast majority of Australians have owned pets, currently own pets or intend to own pets in the future. Pets were a part of childhood for more than 83% of Australians and are still the norm for most.

66% of the 6 million households in Australia own pets. Of these, 68% care for one or more dogs, 45% care for one or more cats and 25% own birds.

There are approximately 3.8 million dogs and 2.9 million domestic cats in Australia. Australian pet ownership is demonstrated in Table 1 and analysed on a State by State basis in Table 2.

Whilst most Australians own pets, of those who currently do not own them, 53% would like to have a pet in the future. The main reasons given for not owning a pet at present are:-

  • Living in accommodation not suited to a pet, such as rental properties or accommodation without yard space.

  • No one at home to care for a pet.

    Clearly pet ownership is a significant community interest involving the majority of Australians. As well as educating owners to be responsible in caring for their pets, we must also appreciate and accommodate their needs.

    Table 1: Estimated Australian Pet Population, 1994

    Pet type Millions
    Dogs 3.8
    Cats 2.9
    Birds 9.7
    Fish 11.9
    Other Pets* 0.
    *Other includes pleasure horses, rabbits, guinea pigs, etc.
    Source: BIS Shrapnel Contribution of the Pet Care Industry to the Australian Economy.

    Table 2: Estimated Australian Pet Population by State, 1994 Thousands of Pets

    State Dogs Cats Birds Fish *Other
    NSW 1,226 865 3,200 4,100 300
    VIC 1,012 808 200
    QLD 691 526 1,800 2,100 100
    SA 291 261 800 1,000 100
    WA 345 299 900 1,200 100
    TAS 123 95 300 300 neg
    ACT 60 53 100 200 neg
    NT 31 23 100 100 neg
    Total 3,779 2,930 9,700 11,900 800
               
    *Other includes pleasure horses, rabbits, guinea pigs, etc.
    Source: BIS Shrapnel Contribution of the Pet Care Industry to the Australian Economy.

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    PETNET HOMEPAGE

    Denise Humphries (petcare@interconnect.com.au)