Almost every second household in Europe keeps a total of 340 million pets, according to the FEDIAF - European Pet Food Industry 2022 report.
10,5 million tons of food worth 29,1 billion euros were used for their nutrition, it says N1.
As many as 91 million European households, which is 46 percent of the total number, keep at least one pet, according to the FEDIAF report for last year.
The most are - cats, as many as 127 million. Followed by 104 million dogs, 53 million birds, a group of 29 million "small mammals" which include hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits... Then 22 million aquarium fish and 11 million turtles and other animals that live in terrariums (lizards, snakes).
The pet food industry reports an annual growth rate of 5,1 percent and is currently worth 29,1 billion euros.
To this should be added the value of additional equipment for pets and services related to them, which is another 24,5 billion euros (annual growth of 4,5 percent).
The European pet food industry directly employs 118.000 people, while another 950.000 work indirectly in the industry.
Where is home to whom
The data of the report shows that the most households have cats as pets in - Russia, a total of 23,2 million. Germany follows with 15,2 million cats.
The most dogs as pets are, again, in Russia – 17,6 million. Great Britain follows with 13 million dogs.
Ornamental birds for pets are most loved by Italians. They have about 12,9 million of them. Then Turkey with 11,3 million.
Aquarium fish are mostly kept by the British - they have about eight million of them. Russia follows with less than half of this number – 3,75 million.
There are the most rabbits and other small animals from this group as pets – again in Russia, 6,6 million. And then in Germany 4,9 million.
The British also have the most animals kept in terrariums - a total of 2,2 million. The second place is Russia with half as many – 1,08 million.
Who protects whom the most
In Poland, 49 percent of households have a dog, in the Czech Republic, 42 percent.
The fewest dogs are guarded by households in Turkey - only five percent. At the same time, 15 percent of households in this country have a cat.
However, the most cats are kept by the inhabitants of Romania - almost every other household, 48 percent to be exact.
Poland follows, where 40 percent of households have a cat.
Citizens of Greece have the fewest cats as pets - only 14 percent of households.
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