ROCKVILLE, Md. — Multiculturality in the US is apparently driving pet ownership, according to market research firm Packaged Facts. In its latest pet industry study, “Pet Population and Ownership Trends in the US: Dogs, Cats and Other Pets, 3^rd Edition,” it reported multicultural households make up 28% of pet-owning households in the US, up from 22% in 2008.

"Between 2008 and 2018 the increase in the number of Hispanic, African American, Asian, and other multicultural pet owners was five times higher than the increase in the number of non-Hispanic white pet owners," says David Sprinkle, research director for Packaged Facts.

Overall, approximately 39% of US households own a dog, 24% own a cat, and an estimated 12.5% own another companion animal, such as a fish, bird, reptile or other small animals. Packaged Facts projects 67 million pets currently live in the US.

According to the market research company, Latinos saw the most dramatic pet ownership growth over the past 10 years, with dog ownership up 59% and cat ownership up 50%. Total pet ownership among Latino households increased 44% to 22 million.

Additionally, the number of Asian pet-owning households grew 45% over the same period (2008-2018), and the number of African American pet-owning households grew 24%.

Read more about pet ownership trends in the US.