Australia: breakdown of owner spending on pets 2023

According to a survey conducted in 2023, nearly 69 percent of pet owners’ expenditure in Australia was on pet food, which was an increase of nearly ten percent from the previous survey in 2021. Pet food expense was just under four times the amount of money that owners spent on veterinary bills for their pets.

Additional barriers to pet ownership in Australia

While the ongoing costs of keeping pets is one of the primary barriers to pet ownership, other leading barriers are the initial acquisition costs, an unsuitable home or lifestyle, or not having the required responsibility to look after a pet. Limitations on pet ownership due to landlords or body corporate rules also affect those who rent, or live in apartments, in spite of new reforms to minimize tenancy discrimination based on pet ownership.

Do people in Australia still want pets?

There is still a strong desire to have a pet in Australia, with dogs and cats being the most coveted animals, followed by birds and fish. Current pet ownership remains high, where once again dogs are the most popular pet, with around half of the households in Australia having at least one dog.