Pets and the Pandemic…
Our ongoing strategic partnership with the AMA will once again give our PIAA members access to research and insights into the Pet Industry in Australia. As industry leaders the PIAA supports and acknowledges the Animal Medicines Australia commissioning of the attached report.
As Australia and the rest of the world adjusted to significant restrictions introduced because of the COVID-19 pandemic, stories began to emerge about an increase in pet ownership. How has the pandemic changed our relationships with our pets and the people that help care for them?
The key objectives for the research were to:
• Explore the uncharted experiences of pet owners during the pandemic, including new ‘pandemic pet parents’ and perceived benefits and challenges;
• Quantify and track key changes to pet ownership, benchmarked against the 2019 national survey to validate any shifts due to COVID-19 and lockdowns; and
• Explore how pet parenting consumption behaviours may be shifting, including sources of information, food, accessories, medicines and veterinary care.
Key findings in the report:
•There has been a substantial boom in pet ownership, 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
•Pet owners reported that the emotional and social benefits gained from their companions more than outweighed any challenges experienced. Indeed, the survey results suggest an estimated 7.3 million households would like to add a pet to their family—including 85% of pet owners and 43% of non-owners.
•On average, pet owners are spending $3,200 per dog and $2,100 per cat each year— primarily on food, veterinary services, and healthcare products.
•Throughout the pandemic, 37% of pet owners reported experiencing difficulty accessing things like pet food, treats and veterinary services.
•A fifth (19%) of all pet dogs in Australia have been procured during the pandemic—divided equally between new owners and experienced dog owners.
•A quarter (24%) of all pet cats in the country were also obtained during the pandemic—again divided between new and experienced cat owners.
We trust that this report will provide you with some important insights into the current industry trends and allow you to make either pivotal changes and or enhancements to your business for success.
If this report poses more questions than answers as to the opportunities that present themselves in the pet industry then please let us know and we would be happy to arrange further discussion.