Almost three-quarters of Australian households now own a pet, according to the triennial Animal Medicines Australia 2025 survey, with dogs remaining the most popular companion animal. The survey found that 73% of households have at least one pet, up from 69% three years ago, placing Australia among the highest pet-owning nations globally.
Dog ownership has climbed to nearly half of all households, a significant increase from 39% in 2013. Cats are the second most common pet, present in 34% of homes, followed by fish (11%), birds (9%), small mammals (3%) and reptiles (3%). The survey also revealed that many pets are given human names, with Harry, George, Bob, Jack, Charlie, Lucy, Daisy and Ruby popular for both cats and dogs. An emerging trend sees food-related names like Taco, Whisky, Cookie, Honey, Peanut, Brownie and Oreo gaining traction.
Pure breeds such as labradors, golden retrievers, German shepherds, border collies, kelpies and jack russells remain the most common dogs. However, designer breeds—crosses between two purebreds—have surged in popularity over the past decade. Poodle crosses are the most popular, with groodles (a golden retriever-poodle cross) mentioned for the first time in the report. Jennifer Moody from the National Groodle Association noted that “oodle” breeds suit urban Australian life due to their low shedding and family-friendly nature.
Australians are increasingly treating pets as family members, with owners spending an estimated $21.3 billion on their animals in the 12 months to March. Food accounts for nearly half of that expenditure. Many owners now give pets presents, cook for them, leave the TV or radio on, take time off work to care for them, and bring them on holidays. Some pets even wear special outfits and co-sleep with their owners.
Despite the high spending, about one-third of dog owners admit they do not walk their pets daily, and 15% exercise them once a week or less. Rising living costs are also pressuring some owners to skip routine vet visits or stop preventive treatments, which Animal Medicines executive director Ben Stapley called a “false economy” as vaccines are cheaper than treating serious diseases.
