Almost three-quarters of Australian households own a pet, new research shows, with dogs retaining their dominant position as the country’s most popular extended family member.
The triennial Animal Medicines Australia 2025 survey shows owners now regularly give pets presents on special occasions, cook for them, leave the television or radio on for them, take time off work to care for them and bring them on holidays.
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Some pets get special outfits. Many co-sleep with their “pet parents”.
The executive director of Animal Medicines, Ben Stapley, said expenditure on pets, such as specialist diets and services, had grown significantly in recent years.
“They are being seen as full-on members of the family,” said Stapley.
“What that means is that rather than have your dog sleep in a kennel outside, they’re indoors, on the couch or in the bedroom.”
In the 12 months to March, owners spent an estimated $21.3bn on their pets, with food representing almost half of that spend.
The growing tendency of owners to humanise their pets has caught the attention of retailers which are jostling to cash in on an owner’s propensity to spend up on their extended family member.
The survey shows pet ownership rates continue to climb in Australia, albeit at a slower pace than the frenzied buying and adoption rates of the early pandemic.
Almost half of Australian households now have at least one dog, which is up from the last survey conducted three years ago, and represents a significant jump from the 39% recorded when the equivalent study was conducted in 2013.
Cats are Australia’s second most popular pet, with 34% of households having at least one feline occupant.
About one in 10 Australian households have fish (11%), while a similar number own birds (9%). Small mammals (3%) such as rabbits and guinea pigs, and reptiles (3%) remain niche.
About 73% of all households now own a pet, up from 69% three years ago, representing one of the highest rates of pet ownership in the world.
Taco, Whiskey and George
Many pets are given human names, with Harry, George, Bob, Jack, Charlie, Lucy, Daisy and Ruby all proving popular for cats and dogs, according to the survey.
There is also an emerging trend towards food-related names, such as Taco, Whisky, Cookie, Honey, Peanut, Brownie and Oreo.
Even though owners are spending more on their pets, not all the animals are getting their required exercise with about one-third of dog-owners conceding they don’t go on daily walks. About 15% of dog owners say they only take their pet out for exercise once a week or less, if ever.
While the percentage of dog owners with a designer breed – those crossed between two purebreds – dropped slightly between the 2022 and 2025 surveys, their popularity has surged over the past decade.
Poodle crosses were the most popular designer breeds mentioned in the national survey, with groodles getting their first ever mention in the triennial report as interest increases.
In Australia, “groodles” is a term a cross between a poodle and golden retriever (elsewhere, including the US, they are known as a goldendoodle).
Jennifer Moody, from the National Groodle Association, said “oodle” breeds had proven popular for urban Australian life.
“People want that kind of low shedding, family-friendly dog that also looks cute,” said Moody.
“They want a dog that can be apartment size; oodles come in all different sizes.”
Pure breeds remain the most popular dogs in Australia, with labradors, golden retrievers, German shepherds, border collies, kelpies and jack russells among the most common.
Many pet owners refer to companionship as the key reason for acquiring an animal, regardless of its type.
But high living costs are pressuring some pet owners, as an increasing number of households struggle to pay for vet bills.
“What we’re seeing is pet owners looking to stretch out routine veterinary visits and taking pets off needed medications or avoiding routine preventive treatments,” said Stapley.
“Those are things which are a false economy, because a vaccine is cheap compared to treatment of a serious disease in dogs and cats.”
The report, conducted by SEC Newgate for Animal Medicines, sampled 2,450 respondents, with results weighted using census data.
