According to the Pet Food Manufacturers Association’s latest survey, the UK’s pet population in 2026 stands at 36.5 million pets, an increase of 500,000 pets in the last 2 years!
The research reveals that 62% of households own a pet, with dogs and cats by far the most popular pets.
There are now 15.5 million pet dogs with 41% of households owning a dog. That’s up from 12.5 million pet dogs in 33% of our homes in 2021. 31% of UK households own the 13.1 million cats in UK, up from 12.5 million in 2024. There are also 1.4 million indoor birds and 900,000 domestic fowl birds such as chickens, ducks and geese, and there are 700,000 turtles and Tortoises, and 600,000 horses and ponies.
One thing is for sure; we Brits love to have a pet!
Younger owners are driving the increases
The survey shows that dog ownership amongst younger owners in the 25-34 years old age group has increased from 41% in 2021 to 58% in 2026. Even 16 – 24-year-olds are now more likely to own a pet with 53% of them having a dog in their household. Increased flexible working patterns and the recognition that a pet is good for your mental health may have fueled these increases.
Cost pressures continue to squeeze pet owners
There’s no doubt owning a pet is a joy that more and more of us are enjoying, but pet ownership can bring financial pressures as the cost of pet food and vet care continue to rise.
PDSA released their Pet Health Inequality Report in April 2026 warning that ‘Petflation’ (the increasing cost of living and pet ownership) means that owners are having to choose between ‘heating, eating or treating’ their pet, with 2 in 3 UK pet owners are unable to cover an unexpected vet bill. Shockingly, 1 in 10 owners have delayed getting vet treatment for the pet because of the potential cost.
The PDSA’s report reveals that 22% of UK pet owners admit that owning a pet is more expensive than they thought it would be, and that 1 in 10 people have cut back on food, heating and essential travel to save money.
Thank goodness that the PDSA are there to help keep pets and their owners together when an owner simply cannot afford vet treatment or pet insurance. PDSA treated over 422,000 pets in their network of 40 Pet hospitals in 2025. We at Pet Insurance Review are proud to support their work.
Pet insurance can provide a vital safety net
Unexpected vet bills can be a shock, but taking out pet insurance early on can give owners an important safety net and ensure pets can get the treatment they need, when they need it. Choosing the right pet insurer is tricky, which is why we feature insurer information and customer reviews to help pet owners make an informed choice.
Julie recently left a review about her pet insurer provider, Sainsbury’s Bank Pet insurance. As Julie explains, you never know what will happen and pet insurance provides that vital support when the unthinkable happens:
“I have two dogs insured with Sainsburys. My youngest dog got badly attacked by another dog. He nearly died and it cost £5,300 to get him well again. Sainsburys paid me back all the money with no fuss.
My second dog was older so after the age of 8 and when you have reached £495 you do have to pay 20% of the bill. As my dog started to get heart failure, I had to go to the vets a lot but just paying the 20% was great as the vet bills are very expensive. My dog sadly had to be put to sleep, but I felt I had Sainsburys help throughout my journey with my dog. Right to the end. I was aways quickly paid back the money I had spent at the vets. As we know it's hard to lose our precious pets, but I got a lovely card from Sainsburys saying they are thinking of you. It was a nice touch and made me cry but thank you for the card and all your support ....”
To make sure you have the sort of support Julie had, please read our pet insurer reviews and choose the best insurer for you and your pets.