New habits and shopping patterns

The American Pet Products Association (APPA) announced the release of its 2025 Bird, Small Animal & Horse Report in December, its fourth pet owner insights report that year. The report features the latest research and insights from APPA’s National Pet Owners Survey on bird, small animal and horse owners, providing over 200 pages of comprehensive analysis and visuals on owner shopping trends, sentiment, demographics and behaviors.

The data shows a dynamic shift across the categories, driven largely by changing generational behaviors and deepening human-animal bonds. Gen Z emerges as a major force in bird and small animal ownership, while Millennials strengthen their position among horse owners. In-person shopping preferences remain strong across all three groups, alongside a notable rise in online shopping.

‘Across birds, small animals and horses, we’re seeing growing enthusiasm and deeper engagement from today’s pet owners,’ said APPA president & CEO, Pete Scott. ‘Generational growth and new purchasing patterns demonstrate these categories expanding in meaningful ways and creating fresh opportunities for the pet care industry.’

The Report highlights emerging trends shaping these ownership categories, where six million US households own birds, six million own small animals, and two million own horses. Pet industry expenditures totaled $152 billion in 2024, with $157 billion projected in 2025. The number of households that own pets has grown over time, with pet ownership regaining momentum in 2024. 94 million US households compared to 82 million in 2023 (a owned at least one pet in 2024, 12% increase).

One of the report’s key insights is that Gen Z is ruffling feathers, with bird ownership becoming increasingly popular among the youngest generation of pet owners. Among bird owners, parakeets are the most popular type of bird, and cockatiel ownership rebounds.

22% of bird owners are Gen Z, a 22% increase from 2023. 28% of bird owners have a parakeet, 19% have a cockatiel, a 58% increase from 2023, primarily driven by Gen Z and Boomer bird owners.

Bird owners maintain a strong connection to bird stores, relying on them not only as a primary source for their pets but also for trusted expertise and essential supplies. Bird stores and bird store personnel are a growing source of information on bird care for owners. Bird stores also are the top location to acquire birds. 21% of owners obtain their pet there, a 62% increase over the last…