Pets are very popular among Australians, almost every second home in Australia has a pet. Australia is definitely a country of pet lovers, and database analysis proves that.
Australia has one of the highest rates of pet ownership in the world, with more than 29 million pets large and small are being housed across the nation. Approximately 61% of households in Australia own pets. There are more pets or animals than people in Australia (25 million).
64 percent of pet owners are female, and 65% of pet owners are from households with incomes of $50,000 or more. 70 percent of those are aged around 18-24 years old are pet owners, and 66% of those aged 40-54 years.
These stats prove that Aussies love pets more than anything and studies by the Pet Industry Association Australia confirmed that. More Aussies live with an animal than a child.
The shocking fact is that Australian households are estimated to have spent over $13 billion on pet services and products in 2019.
They love to keep pets, pets provide happiness, joy, pleasure, and fun. On top of that, they provide Companionship. Australia is also known for its rich wildlife and people love and protect every kind of animal.
Pets are great to help visually impaired people to maintain independent, fulfilling lives and assist the ill and elderly manage anxiety and pain.
So whether you’re looking for a pet yourself, have a keen interest in animals, or want to see just how popular is your pet then this list might help you.
Here are the 10 most popular pets in Australia.
10. Bearded dragons
The 10th most popular pet in Australia is the Bearded dragon. Small reptiles require less responsibility as compared to dogs and cats, they make good pets. The popularity of lizards, snakes, frogs, and salamanders is increasing significantly in Australia.
The Bearded Dragon is especially popular among the Aussies. The Bearded Dragon is a friendly lizard that can be welcomed into any home and are fantastic for beginners due to their docility and ability to adapt to captivity. Around 2% of Australian households keep pet reptiles.
9. Turtles and Tortoises
Only 2 percent of Australians keep reptiles as pets, in that Turtles and tortoises are now the most popular pets in Australia as kept as pets. They make up around 44% of the total reptiles as pets. Followed in popularity by lizards (32%), snakes (25%), and frogs and salamanders (14%).
8. Ferrets
Around 3 percent of Australian households keep small mammals as pets. In which the ferret makes up around 11% of the small mammals.
They are highly intelligent and social pets. Even though they seem just like a small, easy to care pet, they are a big responsibility and often require just as much care as a cat or dog.
Also, they bite sometimes so watch your fingers. Ferrets are not for everyone, they can make great pets for the right owner. Ferrets are cute, playful, mischievous, and entertaining little animals as pets.
7. Mice and Rats
Mice and rats account for about 19% of Australian households in the small mammal pets category. They are small and their maintenance is also very low. Rats and mice are intelligent and curious, and they make loyal companions for owners.
If you keep them in same-sex pairs, they are very social and it can be quite entertaining watching them play with one another. They are great for obstacle courses you can design and have fun with them.
6. Rabbits
Out of all the households with small mammals as pets, around 27% of people in Australia keep rabbits as pets. Despite the fact that rabbits are high-maintenance pets, many people keep them as pets. Cute, cuddly, and furry what else do you need in a pet, rabbits are great for kids.
5. Guinea Pigs
Guinea pigs are the most popular pets in Australia among the small mammal pets category, owned by 46% of all households. Currently, there are an estimated 614,000 pet small mammals in Australia.
The guinea pig has enjoyed widespread popularity as a pet because of its docile nature, friendly responsiveness to handling and feeding.
4. Birds
Around 9% of Australian households keep birds as pets. On average, a bird-owning household has around 5 to 7 birds as pets. An estimated 5.6 million birds are kept as pets in Australia.
The most popular bird species kept as pets are parrots, budgerigars, cockatiels, lorikeets, finches, chickens, and canaries. If you can keep your birds cage-free then it’s very good for them as well as for you. Try to train them to live cage-free with you then you can have a lot of fun with them.
3. Fish
Around 11% of households in Australia have pet fish. The average number of fish kept per fish-owning household is 9 to10. There are an estimated 11.3 million pet fish in Australia.
Popular fishes kept as pets include Goldfish, catfish, guppie, danios, and molly. They are exotic and come in so many beautiful colors and sizes. Fishes are kept as pets for relaxation purposes, of course, you can’t cuddle or play with them.
2. Cats
Cats are the second most popular pets in Australia. Around 27% of households have cats with an estimated
total population of 3.8 million cats. It’s an age-old debate, whether you are a cat person or a dog person.
Many people will choose a cat over a dog. Cats make great pets and are ideal companions for many people. They are less expensive to keep and require less maintenance than dogs.
Research shows cats can help lower your blood pressure and have the ability to calm your nervous system. Cats are very playful and constantly learning and have excellent memory. Plenty of apartments only allows cats because they’re quiet and don’t injure anyone.
1. Dogs
The most popular pet in Australia is man’s best friend-Dog. 40% of Australian households have at least one dog with just over 5 million dogs across the nation.
There are countless benefits of keeping a dog. They influence social, emotional, and cognitive development in children, promote an active lifestyle and provide companionship.
Dogs provide support for the disabled, many people in the world consider dogs as their family members whom they love and care for unconditionally. They provide mental and physical support to us and they love us like no one else.