STAMFORD, CONN. — The American Pet Products Association (APPA) recently released its 2024 Bird, Small Animal and Horse Report: Strategic Insights from the National Pet Owners Survey, offering insights on pet owner behaviors, purchasing trends and more. According to the APPA, the report details significant shifts in how bird, small animal and horse owners care for their companions, highlighting deeper emotional bonds and increased investment in pet health and wellness, similar to trends in dog and cat ownership.

“As the leading voice for the pet products industry, our findings demonstrate the evolving relationship between owners and their specialized pets,” said Peter Scott, president and chief executive officer, APPA. “Despite diverse pet types, we’re seeing consistent trends of increased emotional attachment and proactive pet care. This is valuable data for our members and other organizations within our industry to help them make informed business decisions.”

According to the report, small bird ownership has risen to 63% in 2024, compared to 45% in 2018. Among smaller pets, rabbits are growing in popularity. Additionally, 55% of horse owners have two or more horses in their household. 

These owners are developing deep bonds with their pets, as demonstrated by “significant” increases in gift-giving, according to the APPA. Eighty-nine percent of small animal owners and 76% of bird owners reported purchasing gifts for their pets, an increase from 75% and 69% in 2018, respectively. Additionally, 71% of horse owners claimed to also buy gifts for their pets, a whopping increase from 31% in 2018. Within small animal owners, 52% purchased gifts for Christmas and 46% purchased gifts for their pet’s birthday, an increase from 25% and 20% in 2018, respectively. The majority of bird owners purchase gifts for their pets for at least one occasion, with birthdays and Christmas taking the lead. The majority of horse owners also purchase gifts, with Christmas seeing the most growth. 

As the human-animal bond grows stronger, awareness of pet health and wellness has increased amongst these pet owners. According to the APPA, there has been an increase in proactive health management across all these pet types. Bird owners increased their vitamin and supplement purchases by 32% and small animal owners increased their vitamin and supplement purchases by 44% since 2018.

Regarding their preferred sales channels and trusted pet sources, these specific owners rely more on specialized avenues. In-store shopping maintains its popularity, with more specialized pet retailers preferred by bird and horse owners. Veterinarians are the most trusted information source, especially for horse owners. Additionally, social media has become an important information source for bird owners (rising from 17% to 25%) and small animal owners (rising from 16% to 24%). 

“These insights underscore the significant role that birds, small animals and horses play in their owners’ lives,” Scott said. “The data reveals not just pet ownership, but a profound companionship that continues to grow and evolve.”

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