The Most Popular Pets in the UK (Top 10, With Data)

Quick Answer

Dogs are the UK’s most popular pet, with around 11.1 million kept in UK households, closely followed by cats at roughly 10.5 million. Together, more than half (54%) of UK households own at least one pet, with indoor birds, fish, guinea pigs and rabbits rounding out the country’s most commonly kept animals.

Key Takeaways

• Dogs (11.1 million) and cats (10.5 million) are by far the UK’s most popular pets, together found in the majority of pet-owning homes.
• 54% of UK households own a pet of some kind.
• Rabbit ownership has been gradually declining as awareness grows of their complex welfare needs.
• Costs vary hugely by pet type, from under £20 a month for small rodents to several thousand pounds a year for horses.
• Population figures come from large-scale surveys, such as PDSA’s PAW Report, rather than a national registry, so numbers are estimates.
• “Petflation” is a growing pressure, with 22% of UK owners saying pet costs have turned out higher than expected.

Why Trust This Guide?

This guide is researched and written by the Pets Store Home editorial team, drawing primarily on PDSA’s Animal Wellbeing (PAW) Report, Kennel Club registration data, and published UK pet-cost surveys. We cross-check figures across sources where possible and review this content regularly as new survey data becomes available. Because most pet population figures in the UK are survey-based estimates rather than a full census, we note where numbers carry a wider margin of error.

More than half of UK households (54%) own a pet, according to PDSA’s Animal Wellbeing (PAW) Report, one of the largest annual surveys of pet ownership in the country. Here’s how the most commonly kept pets in the UK stack up, based on PDSA’s population estimates.

1. Dogs — around 11.1 million

Dogs are the UK’s most popular pet by population, with numbers at a record high of around 11.1 million. Dog ownership has grown steadily in recent years, partly driven by more people working from home.

Most dogs live somewhere between 10 and 13 years depending on breed and size, with smaller breeds typically living longer than large ones. Annual costs vary hugely too: a small dog can cost owners around £1,500–£2,000 a year in food, insurance and routine vet care, while a large or giant breed can push £2,500–£3,500 or more once you factor in bigger food bills and a higher chance of joint or breed-specific health issues. The French Bulldog, Labrador Retriever and Cocker Spaniel remain among the UK’s most registered breeds with the Kennel Club, though brachycephalic breeds like the Frenchie carry well-documented health risks that vets and welfare charities increasingly urge prospective owners to research before buying.

2. Cats — around 10.5 million

Cats come a close second, with a fairly steady population of around 10.5 million. Cats remain popular with owners who want companionship without the same level of daily walking commitment as a dog.

Cats are considerably cheaper to keep than dogs, with a modest but realistic budget working out at around £480–£700 a year, and they can live well into their mid-to-late teens with good care. Whether to keep a cat strictly indoors or allow outdoor access is a genuinely debated question among UK owners: outdoor cats face risks from traffic and disease, while indoor-only cats need more deliberate enrichment to stay mentally stimulated. Neutering remains a major welfare focus for UK cat charities, since an unneutered cat population contributes heavily to the number of strays and rescue admissions each year.

3. Indoor birds — around 1.4 million

Around 2.7% of UK households keep an indoor bird as a pet, putting the estimated population at roughly 1.4 million — making birds the most popular pet after cats and dogs.

The indoor bird category spans everything from budgerigars and canaries, which are relatively low-maintenance and cost little to keep, through to larger parrots that can live 20 to 80 years and have complex social and enrichment needs that many owners underestimate. Noise, mess and the sheer time commitment of a long-lived, intelligent parrot are common reasons rescue centres cite for birds being rehomed. Finding a vet with genuine avian expertise can also be harder outside major UK cities, which is worth checking before taking one on.

4. Ornamental fish — kept by around a fifth of households

Fish are harder to count individually, but ownership is widespread: around 21% of UK households have an indoor fish tank and 13% have an outdoor pond, making fish-keeping one of the most common pet hobbies even though exact population figures vary by source.

Fish are often seen as the cheapest pet to start with, and the fish themselves usually are inexpensive, but the ongoing running costs of a tank — filtration, heating for tropical species, lighting and electricity — add up over time and are frequently underestimated by first-time owners. A coldwater goldfish setup is generally more forgiving and affordable than a tropical tank, but both need the tank properly cycled before fish are introduced, and overstocking a new tank remains one of the most common beginner mistakes in the hobby.

5. Guinea pigs — around 700,000

Guinea pigs are kept in around 1.2% of UK households, putting their estimated population at roughly 700,000. They’re popular as a first small pet, especially for families with children.

Guinea pigs are social animals that do best kept in same-sex pairs or small groups rather than alone, and UK welfare guidance is increasingly clear on this point. They need a constant supply of hay, a diet supplemented with vitamin C since they can’t produce it themselves, and enough space to move around properly rather than a small hutch. Keeping a pair typically costs somewhere between £20 and £40 a month for food, bedding and routine care, and they tend to live four to eight years, making them a popular first “own pet” for children under adult supervision.

6. Tortoises and turtles — around 700,000

An estimated 1.6% of households keep a tortoise or turtle, giving a population of around 700,000. Tortoises in particular are known for very long lifespans, sometimes outliving their owners.

Tortoises are one of the biggest long-term commitments on this list: many species can live 50 years or more with good care, meaning a tortoise bought for a child could realistically outlive its original owner’s time at home. In the UK’s climate, keeping one well means investing in proper indoor housing with UV lighting and heating for most of the year, alongside outdoor access when weather allows. Interest in reptile-keeping has grown steadily over the past decade, and species-specific care advice matters a great deal here, since needs vary widely between a small Mediterranean tortoise and a large aquatic turtle.

7. Horses and ponies — around 600,000

Horses and ponies remain a significant part of UK pet ownership, with an estimated 600,000 kept across the country, from smallholdings to riding livery yards.

Horses and ponies sit in a different cost bracket entirely to every other pet on this list. Between livery fees, feed, farriery, vaccinations, insurance and equipment, owning a horse in the UK commonly runs into several thousand pounds a year, before accounting for land or stabling if you’re not using a livery yard. The UK’s equestrian culture remains strong, supported by riding schools, Pony Club branches and a well-established competition and leisure riding scene, but prospective owners are generally advised to gain riding and handling experience through lessons or loan arrangements before committing to ownership.

8. Snakes — around 600,000

Pet snakes are kept in around 1.3% of households, putting the population at roughly 600,000 — reptile keeping has grown steadily as a hobby over the past decade.

Snake-keeping has grown steadily in the UK as part of a broader rise in reptile ownership, with corn snakes and royal (ball) pythons among the most popular starter species thanks to their manageable size and generally calm temperament. Most commonly kept pet snakes aren’t subject to special licensing in the UK, though a small number of larger or venomous species fall under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act and require a specific licence. As with tortoises, correct heating, humidity and enclosure size are essential to welfare, and finding a vet experienced with reptiles is worth doing before, not after, a health problem comes up.

9. Hamsters — around 600,000

Hamsters are kept in around 1.5% of households, an estimated population of 600,000. They remain a popular starter pet thanks to their small size and low space requirements.

Hamsters are inexpensive to keep and popular as a child’s first pet, but they’re short-lived, typically only two to three years, and nocturnal, which can make them a frustrating choice for children who want to interact during the day. Syrian hamsters must be housed alone as adults, since they’re solitary and will fight if kept together, while some dwarf species can sometimes be kept in compatible pairs. UK welfare guidance has shifted in recent years toward recommending much larger cage sizes than were traditionally sold as “hamster cages,” reflecting a better understanding of how much space they need to exhibit natural behaviours.

10. Rabbits — around 500,000–700,000 (declining)

Rabbits are kept in roughly 1.1% of UK households. PDSA’s data has shown a gradual decline in rabbit ownership over recent years, even though rabbits remain a well-known pet choice for families.

Rabbit ownership has been gradually declining in the UK, and welfare charities including the RSPCA and PDSA point to growing awareness that rabbits have far more complex needs than the traditional image of a child’s hutch pet in the garden. Rabbits are highly social and, ideally, should be kept in neutered pairs rather than alone, need much more space than a standard hutch provides, and require vaccination against myxomatosis and rabbit viral haemorrhagic disease (RVHD), both of which are serious and common in the UK. Properly kept, a rabbit typically costs in the region of £420 a year and can live 8 to 12 years, considerably longer than many owners expect going in.

Population estimates are drawn from the PDSA Animal Wellbeing (PAW) Report, an annual survey of UK pet owners. Figures are estimates based on survey sampling, not a full census, so exact numbers vary slightly between sources and years.

The Rising Cost of Pet Ownership Is Reshaping the UK Market

“Petflation” has become a real pressure point for UK households: PDSA’s first Pet Health Inequality Report, published in 2026, found that over one in five UK pet owners (22%) say keeping a pet has turned out more expensive than they expected, driven by rising vet fees, food costs and insurance premiums. At the same time, spending on pet technology — smart feeders, GPS trackers and pet cameras — has grown around 34% year-on-year, with the UK pet tech market now estimated at roughly £420 million. Together, these trends point to a market that’s simultaneously getting more expensive at the essentials end and more sophisticated at the discretionary end, which can leave lower-income pet-owning households squeezed from both directions.

Choosing the Right Pet for Your Lifestyle and Budget

The most popular pets in the UK aren’t necessarily the right fit for every household, and matching a pet to your actual living situation matters more than picking whatever’s trending. Dogs need daily exercise, companionship and a realistic ten-plus year commitment; cats suit people who want affectionate company without the same exercise demands; small mammals like guinea pigs and hamsters can work well as a lower-cost introduction to pet care, provided their specific social and space needs are respected rather than assumed; and long-lived animals like tortoises and parrots deserve serious thought about who will care for them decades from now. Before bringing any animal home, it’s worth checking the RSPCA, PDSA or Blue Cross websites for species-specific welfare guidance, and being honest about the time, space and ongoing budget you can commit for the animal’s full lifespan, not just the first year.

How These Population Figures Are Actually Counted

Unlike some countries, the UK doesn’t require national registration for most pets, so there’s no single official headcount the way there is for, say, registered vehicles. Instead, figures like the ones used in this article are built from large-scale household surveys — most notably PDSA’s annual Animal Wellbeing (PAW) Report, which surveys thousands of UK pet owners and vet professionals each year and is widely treated as the most reliable ongoing source for pet population estimates. Because these are survey-based estimates rather than a full census, figures for smaller pet categories in particular (birds, reptiles, small mammals) carry a wider margin of error than the headline dog and cat numbers, and different organisations occasionally publish slightly different totals depending on their methodology and survey year.

Popular Dog and Cat Breeds in the UK Right Now

Within the UK’s 11.1 million dogs, Kennel Club registration data consistently places the French Bulldog, Labrador Retriever, Cocker Spaniel and Cockapoo among the most popular breeds and crossbreeds, alongside a continued rise in “designer” crossbreeds bred for low-shedding coats and family-friendly temperaments. On the cat side, moggies (non-pedigree cats) make up the large majority of the UK’s pet cat population, with pedigree breeds such as the British Shorthair, Ragdoll and Maine Coon accounting for a much smaller but growing share, often commanding higher purchase prices and, in some cases, breed-specific health insurance premiums. Prospective owners researching a specific breed are generally encouraged to look past appearance and check known breed health issues, ideally with a vet or breed club, before committing.

Regional Differences in Pet Ownership Across the UK

Pet ownership isn’t evenly spread across the country. Rural and semi-rural areas tend to have higher rates of dog ownership, partly reflecting more outdoor space and, in some regions, a stronger working-dog tradition, while ownership of space-efficient pets like cats, small mammals and fish tends to be more evenly distributed across urban and suburban areas. London and other major cities generally show lower overall pet ownership rates than the national average, likely linked to smaller homes, rental restrictions on pets, and higher living costs, though cat ownership in flats and houses without gardens remains common throughout urban Britain.

Insurance and Vet Costs Vary a Lot by Pet Type

How much you’ll spend on veterinary care and insurance depends heavily on which animal you choose. Dogs and cats are the only pets for which a large, competitive pet insurance market exists in the UK, with dozens of insurers offering everything from basic accident-only cover to comprehensive lifetime policies. Insurance for smaller pets like rabbits, guinea pigs and birds is available from a smaller number of specialist providers and tends to be far less common, partly because individual vet bills for these animals are usually lower, and partly because fewer owners actively shop for it. Exotic pets such as reptiles often have the most limited insurance options of all, and owners of tortoises, snakes and lizards are more likely to self-fund vet costs, which is worth budgeting for given that specialist exotic vet consultations can be more expensive than a standard cat or dog appointment.

FAQ: Popular Pets in the UK

What is the most popular pet in the UK?
Dogs are the most popular pet by population, at an estimated 11.1 million, just ahead of cats at around 10.5 million.

What percentage of UK households own a pet?
Around 54% of UK households own at least one pet, according to PDSA’s PAW Report.

Is rabbit ownership declining in the UK?
Yes. PDSA’s survey data has shown a gradual decline in rabbit ownership over recent years, even though rabbits remain a well-known family pet.

Where do these population figures come from?
Mainly from PDSA’s Animal Wellbeing (PAW) Report, which surveys thousands of UK pet owners each year and is one of the most widely cited sources for UK pet ownership data.

Which pet is cheapest to keep in the UK?
Small rodents such as hamsters and guinea pigs are generally the cheapest pets to keep month to month, though guinea pigs need to be kept in pairs, which roughly doubles their running costs compared with a single animal. Coldwater fish are also low-cost once a tank is set up, though initial equipment costs can be higher than people expect.

Why is rabbit ownership declining in the UK?
Growing awareness of rabbits’ complex welfare needs — particularly their need for companionship, space and vaccination — appears to be a major factor, as does a better understanding among prospective owners that rabbits are a bigger commitment than the traditional hutch-in-the-garden image suggests.

Are exotic pets like snakes and tortoises legal to keep in the UK without a licence?
Most commonly kept pet reptiles, including corn snakes, royal pythons and Mediterranean tortoises, don’t require any special licence in England, Scotland or Wales. A small number of species considered dangerous or venomous fall under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976 and do require a local authority licence, so it’s worth checking a species’ legal status before buying, particularly for anything unusual.