Some 500 million dogs are dotted across the world, with the United States (90 million), Brazil (55 million), and China (54 million) leading the pack, according to the latest figures from the Worldostats.
Across the whole of Europe, Worldostats recorded around 90 million pet dogs. Europeans are clearly cat people, as the continent's cat population is larger, at around 108 million.
However, dogs are significantly ahead of other top pets, such as ornamental birds (48 million), small mammals (25 million), fish (18 million), and reptiles (11 million).
It is estimated that around 139 million European households currently own a pet.
Which country houses the most pet dogs?
Within the European Union, Germany leads the rankings when it comes to with 10.6 million dogs, followed by Spain (9.3 million), Italy (8.8 million), Poland (8.1 million), France (7.6 million), and Romania (4.2 million).
When it comes to the most dogs per capita, however, the leading countries are Hungary, with 29 dogs for every 100 people.
This is followed by Portugal, with 27 dogs for every 100 people, and Poland, with 21 dogs per 100 people.
The number of pet dogs in the EU has steadily increased since the 2000s, driven by millennial households that form smaller families, have children later in life, work from home or in hybrid formats, and have a higher income, some analysts claimed.
People in older age groups are also more likely to have pets, mainly dogs, for the companionship and the health benefits that an animal companion can provide.
A key economic sector in Europe
The pet market is already a key economic sector across Europe.
The market, which includes food, services, and accessories, was worth around €30 billion in 2023.
Only for pet food have Europeans increased their expenses with an average annual growth rate of around 3% for the last few years.
The continent is home to more than 400 pet food companies.
Around 190,000 veterinarians work in the EU (1.25 per 1,000 dogs and cats), compared to some 120,000 in the US (0.79 per 1,000 dogs and cats), according to the latest "Global State of Pet Care" survey.
