Almost half of households in Germany have a pet
A survey has revealed that almost half of households in Germany have a pet. But which animals are the favourite to have as pets in the federal republic?
A recent survey conducted by Skopos for the German Pet Supplies Industry Association (IVH) and the Central Association of the Pet Industry (ZZF) reveals that almost half of all households in Germany have at least one pet. This figure is based on data collected in 2025, with 33.4 million animals residing in German households.
Families with children are particularly fond of pets, with 67% of households containing children housing an animal companion, compared to 28% of single individuals. ZZF president Norbert Holthenrich stated in a press release that these figures highlight the significant role that pets play as family members and social companions.
According to the survey results, cats are the most popular pet in Germany, with 15.7 million felines considered part of German households. Dogs come in second place with 10 million pet dogs. Small animals such as rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, and mice make up 4.4 million pets, while birds account for 3.3 million. Fish round out the top five most popular pets, with 2.1 million fish residing in German households.
In addition to these common pets, a few households also keep farm animals like chickens or quail.
Written by urgent.news from IamExpat Germany (News)'s reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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