Four legs, billions of dollars
According to the 2015-16 American Pet Products Assn. National Pet Owners Survey, 54.4% of all U.S. households own a dog, and 42.9% are home to a cat. There are 85.8 million cats in the U.S. versus 77.8 million dogs — but freshwater fish swim to the top of the list with a head count of 95.5 million.
Americans will spend an estimated
$60.59 billion on their pets in 2015, up from $58.04 billion in 2014.
According to the American Kennel Club, the Labrador retriever ranked as the most popular dog breed in the U.S. in 2014.
In 2014, the most popular AKC-registered breed in Los Angeles was the
bulldog.
The Cat Fanciers’ Assn. reports that the exotic breed (a.k.a. the exotic shorthair, a short-haired version of the Persian) topped the popularity list for registered purebreds in 2014, though the Persian ranks as the most popular breed in California. The city of Los Angeles is home to 120,000 to 125,000 licensed dogs.
From July 1, 2014, to March 31, 2015, city of Los Angeles Animal Services and the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control took custody of a combined 32,444 cats and 48,225 dogs. Of that number, 19,289 cats and 9,395 dogs were euthanized.
In 2014, we spent $15.04 billion on veterinary care nationwide and $22.26 billion for pet food. Estimates for 2015 are $15.73 billion and $23.04 billion, respectively. California is home to 9,323 licensed veterinarians. Los Angeles County is the most vet-heavy with 1,610; Sierra County has one. California is home to more holistic veterinarians than any other state — 101 according to the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Assn.’s database. The greater Los Angeles area (which includes Los Angeles and Orange counties) was the “dog bite capital of the nation” last year, according to U.S. Postal Service statistics, with 416 postal workers attacked on the job in 2014. Sources: American Pet Products Assn., American Kennel Club, Cat Fanciers’ Assn., city of Los Angeles, county of Los Angeles, California Veterinary Medical Board, American Holistic Veterinary Medical Assn.