Today we launch our brand-new Global State of Pet Care report. It’s an eye-opening look at changes in pet ownership and veterinary care around the world.
 
It’s also full of fascinating facts and findings about our furry companions, including the human health benefits of living with a pet, the extraordinary change in life expectancy for cats and dogs, and access to veterinary medicine across the globe.

To celebrate the arrival of our report, this newsletter explores just two of the current trends among pets, owners and vets: the boom in ownership and the burnout among vets.

Today, more than half the global population is estimated to have a pet at home… and the numbers continue to rise. It’s no surprise that lockdown played a huge role in the surge in ownership. In the UK alone, over two million people  adopted a pet in lockdown. Meanwhile in Australia, pet numbers leapt from 28.5 million in 2019 to 30.4 million in 2021.
 
But lockdown isn’t the only reason for the big pet boom. Thanks to owners’ improved understanding and awareness about pet health, pets are living longer. In Japan, for instance, dogs live 50% longer today than they did in the 1980s. And the life expectancy for cats grew 230% in the same period. That’s music to owners’ ears.

Ownership is also on the rise in key markets and groups – including millennials. They now account for a third of all pet owners in the US. And when the human health benefits of pets are so well documented , ranging from decreased blood pressure and a reduced risk of heart attacks, it’s no wonder that more and more people choose to adopt a pet every day. But how are the world’s vets coping with the boom in new pet patients?

It’s clear to see that small animal veterinarians are struggling to keep pace. There simply aren’t enough vets in the world. The UK describes the situation as a “veterinary workforce crisis”, while Australia calls it a “pandemic puppy boom”.

 
These shortages are putting a huge strain on the mental and physical wellbeing of our vets, and the majority of UK veterinary surgeons say they experience conflict “between their personal wellbeing and their professional roles”. Problems with access to medicines – experienced by 75% of veterinary associations across the globe – are adding to that pressure. As a result, mental health issues and burnout levels are rising sharply.

And this is just the tip of the iceberg. You can discover more of the challenges created by our worldwide pet boom by reading our full Pet Health Report here.

The effect of veterinary shortages: