New survey reveals pet population and spending habits of Dutch pet owners

Every year since 2002, the Dutch Pet Association (NVG) and the Dutch Pet Trade Association (Dibevo) have collaborated on a pet population research project. For this edition, 4,751 pet owners provided their input.

Remaining faithful, despite rising costs

The survey reveals that although the cost of keeping pets has risen, only 0.5% of pet owners have given up their pets, and around 2.4% have thought about it. That means 97% of pet owners have not considered giving up their pets.

However, rising prices have affected pet owners, with 10% saying they would rather cut back on personal expenses to afford the same food for their pets.

Animal welfare awareness

Dutch pet owners are becoming increasingly aware of animal welfare.

Half of the respondents think pet stores should have a ‘welfare quality mark.’ A third believe stores are responsible for providing information about the origin of animals being sold. Over a quarter would like to see a best practice example in the pet store for housing their new animal.

Owners are also more aware of their own responsibility when it comes to animal welfare. For example, 64% of households with rabbits ensure the animal has at least one companion, which is very important for their welfare. Compared to the 55% from last year’s survey, a remarkable improvement.

Spending habits

There has been a slight increase in online shopping for pet food and supplies in the Netherlands. However, physical pet stores remain popular due to the quality of their products and the knowledge of their employees. Larger items, such as crates or scratching posts, are often purchased online.

Most dog owners prefer to buy dog food at a pet store. In contrast, 29% of cat owners choose to buy at the supermarket, compared to 21% who buy at pet stores.

How many pets are in the Netherlands?

The number of pets has remained stable in 2022 compared to the previous year. Almost half of Dutch households (45%) own a pet.

Below is an overview of the number of pets in the country:

• 3 million cats – 23% of households own one or more cats,
• 1.8 million dogs – 18% of households
• 5.6 million aquarium fish – 4% of households
• 1.8 million birds – 3% of households
• 400,000 rabbits – 2.5% of households
• 300,000 rodents – 2% of households
• 300,000 reptiles – 1% of households
• 200,000 horses – 1% of households