South Korea nears 30% pet ownership as spending and adoption habits evolve

Nearly 3 in 10 (29.2%) South Korean households owned pets in 2025, up from 25% the previous year.

A survey of 3,000 respondents by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs found that among pet-owning households, 8 in 10 keep dogs, followed by cats (14.4%) and fish (4.1%).

Monthly expenses

The average monthly cost of pet ownership in 2025 stood at approximately ₩121,400 ($90/€83). Of this, ₩36,800 ($24/€21) was spent on veterinary care, including ₩14,000 ($9/€8) for treatment of accidents, injuries and diseases. 

Food and treats accounted for ₩39,900 ($26/€22), while hygiene costs totaled ₩21,000 ($14/€12). 

Costs are notably higher for dog-owning households, averaging ₩135,000 ($100/€92) per month, compared to ₩92,000 ($68/€63) for cat owners.

Adoption dynamics

Data from the National Survey on Public Awareness of Animal Welfare, which surveyed 5,000 respondents, revealed that, among Korean households, the most common route for pet adoption in 2025 was through acquaintances, at 46%. This was followed by purchasing from pet shops (28.7%) and adopting strays (9% for cats).

Although these figures are relatively steady compared to 2024, they differ from 2023 and 2022. For instance, while adoption from acquaintances has decreased, purchasing from pet shops has gained traction.

Furthermore, more than 2 in 10 respondents indicated that they plan to adopt a pet within the next year. Among them, 88% say they are considering adopting lost or abandoned animals.

For those who have no plans to adopt, the most common reasons cited are “lack of time” (25.3%), “financial burden” (18.2%) and “lack of confidence in pet care” (16.3%). 

According to the report, the findings suggest that raising a pet is increasingly viewed as a decision involving time, cost and responsibility, rather than solely an emotional choice.

Animal welfare awareness

In the same survey, 74.9% of South Korean households expressed awareness of major laws and systems related to animal welfare. However, there is a significant gap between pet owners (90.2%) and non-pet owners (68.9%).

Nearly half of interviewees (48.8%) gave positive responses regarding responsible ownership, including compliance with regulations such as using leashes and identification tags when outdoors and cleaning up after pets.

When it comes to animal abuse, 93.2% of respondents say they support strong punishment and measures to ban pet ownership for abusers. Interestingly, there was no significant difference in perception between pet owners (94.3%) and non-pet owners (92.7%).