The landscape of pet ownership in Canada reveals that a significant majority of Canadians own pets, with dogs and cats being the top choices. Notably, Millennials, Gen Z and families with children under 18 are the most likely demographics to have pets. While in-store shopping remains the preferred method for purchasing pet supplies, online sales are gaining traction, particularly among younger consumers. Standard pet food and treats dominate purchases, but younger buyers are increasingly opting for premium products. Most pet owners spend between $25 and $99 monthly on their pets, and shopping preferences vary by gender and pet type.
Shifts in shopping habits show that factors like brand loyalty, price and convenience greatly influence purchasing decisions. Social media plays a crucial role in pet-related purchases, especially among younger Canadians who view their pets as family members. There is a growing concern about pets’ dental health and loneliness, indicating opportunities for brands to create educational content and develop innovative products like user-friendly dental care solutions and interactive pet cameras. Additionally, a notable portion of pet owners remains skeptical about the value of pet insurance while showing interest in automatic delivery services, highlighting potential areas for consumer education and engagement.
This report looks at the following areas:
- Pet ownership
- Pet-related purchases and purchase locations
- Food and treat purchase factors
- Impact of social media on purchasing
- Pet ownership and identity
- Attitudes toward pet insurance and pet supplies delivery
- The pet store experience
Canadians don't view their pets as just animals living in their homes; they are integral members of the family and their ownership immeasurably shapes pet parents' identities.
Candace Baldassarre, Research Analyst
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Executive summary
- What you need to know
- What consumers want & why
- Market predictions
- Opportunities
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Consumer Insights
- Consumer fast facts
- Pet ownership
- It’s raining cats and dogs!
- Canadians own a variety of pets
- Graph 1: pet ownership, 2024
- Canadians own a variety of pets
- Gendered preferences around ownership persist
- Graph 2: pet ownership (select), by gender, 2024
- Subscription box for cat and owner
- More cats is easier than more dogs
- Graph 3: number of dogs vs number of cats owned, 2024
- Having kids (often) means having pets
- Purina appeals to parents with education
- Space constraints affect what pets consumers own
- Graph 4: pet ownership (select), by area lived, 2024
- Owning homes and owning pets
- Atlantic Provinces owners stand out
- Graph 5: pet ownership (select), overall vs Atlantic Provinces, 2024
- Newer Canadians are less likely to own pets
- Pet-related purchases
- Diverse purchases and purchase habits
- Graph 6: typically purchases for pet, by purchase location, 2024
- Diverse purchases and purchase habits
- Younger consumers see the value in specialty pet food
- Graph 7: typically purchases specialty pet food, by age, 2024
- What you own dictates what you buy
- Graph 8: typically purchases for pet, by pet ownership, 2024
- Atlantic Provinces are eager to buy food in-person
- Graph 9: typically purchases standard pet food and/or treats in-store only, overall vs Atlantic Provinces, 2024
- Newcomers are not afraid of ordering online
- Spending on pets
- Canadians are shelling out to care for their pets
- Canadian are shelling out to care for their pets
- Graph 10: monthly spending on pets, 2024
- Multiple animals means multiplying monthly spending
- Graph 11: monthly spending on pets (NET), by pet ownership, 2024
- The trials and tribulations of buying for Floofie
- Increasing prices means something’s got to give
- Younger consumers are especially feeling the pinch
- Graph 12: “I have had to change my pet food purchasing habits due to rising prices (eg changing brands, type of food)” (% agree), by age, 2024
- Newer Canadians look to affordable options to offset costs of living
- Financial situation and changes in purchasing habits are inextricably linked
- Graph 13: “I have had to change my pet food purchasing habits due to rising prices” (% agree), by household income, 2024
- Graph 14: “I have had to change my pet food purchasing habits due to rising prices” (% agree), by household financial situation, 2024
- Pet supply purchase locations
- Pet stores are prime purchase location for most
- Graph 15: typical pet supply purchase location, 2024
- Women gravitate toward different shopping locales
- Graph 16: typical pet supply purchase location (select), by gender, 2024
- The influence of pet type on shopping locations
- Graph 17: typical pet supply purchase location (select), by pet ownership, 2024
- Newer Canadians seek out value
- Multicultural Canadians are motivated to purchase from Costco
- Graph 18: typically purchases pet supplies from Costco, overall vs Chinese vs South Asian consumers, 2024
- Urban and suburban pet owners have more places to purchase
- Graph 19: typical pet supply purchase location (select), by area lived, 2024
- Regional differences in shopping preferences prevail
- Graph 20: typical pet supply purchase location (select), by region, 2024
- The pet store experience
- Pet stores are a happy place for pet owners
- Pet stores are primo in pet owners’ eyes
- Women pick up extras for their furry friends
- Quebec pet stores can improve their experience
- Graph 21: attitudes toward pet stores (% agree), by region, 2024
- When people feel comfortable financially, pet stores confer quality
- Graph 22: pet stores offer superior quality products vs other retailers (eg Walmart, Amazon) (% agree), by household financial situation, 2024
- Rural residents are less inclined to frequent pet stores
- Graph 23: attitudes toward pet stores (% agree), by area lived, 2024
- Inspired by social media
- Social media inspires younger Canadians to purchase for their pets
- Newcomers are no stranger to social media
- Black and South Asian consumers are especially inspired by social
- Graph 24: “I have purchased a product for my pet after seeing it on social media” (% agree), overall vs Black vs South Asian, 2024
- Marketing to LGBTQ+ pet owners means using social media
- Food and treat purchase factors
- Price is paramount
- Graph 25: factors that typically impact choice of pet food and treats, 2024
- Treating pet owners to purchase perks
- Women want natural and/or organic
- Niche factors are not just nice-to-have for younger consumers
- Graph 26: factors that typically impact choice of pet food and treats (select), by age, 2024
- Cat owners are less concerned when purchasing
- Graph 27: factors that typically impact choice of pet food and treats (select), by pet ownership, 2024
- South Asian pet owners’ priorities are multifaceted
- Graph 28: factors that typically impact choice of pet food and treats (select), overall vs South Asian consumers, 2024
- Newcomers have a vested interest in ‘veterinarian-recommended’ food and treats
- Graph 29: typical pet food and treat purchases are impacted by factor of “veterinarian-recommended”, overall vs consumers living in Canada for less than five years, 2024
- The privilege of purchasing sustainable packaging
- Graph 30: pet food and treat purchases typically impacted by sustainable packaging, by household financial situation, 2024
- Pets and identity formation
- Pets aren’t just animals living in their owners’ homes
- Men build friendship and community around their pets
- Graph 31: attitudes toward pet ownership (% agree), by gender, 2024
- Pets provide leisure and socialization opportunities for lower income households
- Graph 32: “I have built friendships/community around my pet” (% agree), by age and household income, 2024
- Chinese pet owners are more likely to be pet parents
- Newcomers to Canada look to pets for community-building
- Graph 33: “I have built friendships/community around my pet” (% agree), overall vs consumers living in Canada for less than five years, 2024
- Rural Canadians are less likely to have friendships premised around their pets
- Graph 34: “I have built friendships/community around my pet” (% agree), by area lived, 2024
- Pet ownership provides additional opportunity for community for LGBTQ+ pet owners
- Caring for pets’ needs
- Owners desire to do better for their pets
- Assuage youngest Canadians’ fears around leaving their pets alone
- Graph 35: “I worry about my pet being alone when I leave the house” (% agree), by age, 2024
- South Asian consumers aren’t content leaving their animals alone
- Chinese pet parents don’t feel satisfied with their pet’s level of dental care
- Younger Canadians yearn for more stores to welcome their dogs inside
- Graph 36: “I wish more stores would allow me to bring my dog inside” (% agree), by age, 2024
- Nearly all dog-owning newcomers want more options to bring their furry friends indoors
- Supporting animal-centred charities is non-negotiable for pet brands and retailers
- Attitudes toward pet insurance and monthly food delivery
- Consumers aren’t convinced about pet insurance
- South Asian consumers are more likely to recognize the value of pet insurance
- Graph 37: “I don’t think pet insurance is worth the money” (% agree), overall vs South Asian, 2024
- The convenience of automatic monthly delivery appeals to many
- Younger men are especially keen to set it and forget it
- Graph 38: “I would be interested in using an automatic monthly delivery service for my pet (eg food, supplements)” (% agree), by age and gender, 2024
- Multicultural Canadians look to simplify pet ownership with automatic deliveries
- Graph 39: “I would be interested in using an automatic monthly delivery service for my pet (eg food, supplements)” (% agree), overall vs Black and South Asian consumers, 2024
- Demand for automatic delivery in Quebec differs from the rest of the nation
- Graph 40: “I would be interested in using an automatic monthly delivery service for my pet (eg food, supplements)” (% agree), by region, 2024
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Competitive strategies
- Launch activity and innovation
- Royal Canin helps owners optimize their pets’ health through genetic testing
- Fresh, customizable and delivered to your door
- Wearable tech allows for safe exploration and piece of mind
- Human-inspired pet food and treats
- Furbo’s 360 Cat Camera combats feline separation anxiety
- Dental chews do the job pet owners often can’t
- Don’t sleep on different protein sources
- Marketing and advertising
- Dog-friendly drinks and dining
- Making a pet shopping an outing for pet and owner
- Chewy makes delivery a breeze
- Trupanion takes the guesswork out of pet insurance
- Connecting at Woofstock around the love of dogs
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The Market
- A light at the end of the economic tunnel?
- Rising prices are plaguing pet owners
- Diversity is defining
- Graph 41: distribution of foreign-born population, by region of birth, 1871 to 2036
- The impact of Indian immigration is unmistakable
- Graph 42: source countries of permanent residents admitted to Canada, 2022
- New to Canada but not to social media
- Graph 43: daily social media use, overall vs consumers living in Canada for less than five years, 2024
- Aging Canadians seek companion animals
- Crossing the border with a dog has become more complicated.
- A post-pandemic return to the regular workplace
- Graph 44: workplace location, 2022 vs 2024
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Appendix
- Consumer research methodology
- Consumer research questions
- Generations
- Household financial situation
- Abbreviations and terms
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