Pets are part of the family in the majority of households worldwide. In APAC, attitude to pet ownership varies greatly across the region along with ownership rates. More than half of people (59%) have a pet in their home, but there are quite big differences.
Some of the highest rates of pet ownership were in Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines and Thailand. Among these nations, the Philippines and Thailand have ownership rates for both dogs and cats above 40%. In Vietnam and the Philippines, dogs are the most frequently owned pets.
There are estimated to be more than 91.49 million dogs and cats kept as pets in China.
Pet Owner Demographics by Ethnicity
Furthermore, White households have the highest pet ownership rate with 64.7%. Secondly, Hispanic Households with 61.4%. And lastly, Black-African American Households have the lowest pet ownership rate with 36.9%.
In Islamic culture, dogs are perceived as 'ritually impure'. Apparently, the Prophet Muhammad once said that dogs may only be kept for acceptable reasons, such as farming, hunting or herding. In these instances though, the dog should be kept outside the home. Likewise, a dog may be kept as a guard, but not as a pet.
Middle Eastern countries and Indonesia have some of the world's lowest per-capita dog rates, in part due to Islamic traditions that cast dogs as unclean. Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Indonesia all have fewer than two dogs for every 1,000 people--the lowest per capita ownership rates of 53 countries surveyed by Euromonitor.
Dogs As Pets
Pet dogs used to be quite uncommon in Chinese cities where they served no practical purpose because there was no farm work to be done—and they were banned in many urban areas in the early 1990s.
Germany. Germany is one of the dog-friendliest countries in the world. Virtually every business welcomes dogs and provides them with water and treats. Home to the largest animal sanctuary in Europe, you may want to bring one back home with you when visiting.
Austria. Austria is one of the strictest countries when it comes to animal welfare laws. In fact, the Austrian Animal Welfare Act 2004 suggests that animal protection should be held to a value that is equal to humankind. That means all visitors must respect and acknowledge animals as fellow creatures.
China is the biggest consumer of dog meat globally, consuming an estimated 10 million dogs (and four million cats) per year. Dog meat has been a tradition in China for thousands of years and is still eaten in many regions of the country.
Every family is crazy about cats, and everyone wants to raise them. The reign of dogs is no more.” For more than 2,000 years, Chinese people have expressed their love for cats in classic texts, poems and paintings.
Pet owners prefer cats because they are easy to take care of, quiet and relatively affordable for young people living in crowded and fast-paced megacities, the report says. Shanghai-based jewelry designer Akira Li has been a dog owner for 15 years.
As of last year, there were some 58 million pet cats in China's urban households, compared with some 54 million pet dogs. China has seen an increase in pet ownership over the years, with people increasingly choosing cats.
Dogs were the most popular pets in Japan as revealed in a survey conducted in October 2022. The survey on pet ownership showed that dogs and cats were the most common animal companions kept in Japan, which is reflected in the dominance of dogs and cat goods within the domestic pet supplies market.
To many Japanese, pets are as well loved as children, and may even serve as a substitute for those who choose to forgo child-rearing.
More than half of people (59%) have a pet in their home, but there are quite big differences. On one side, there is Hong Kong, where 16% own a dog compared to 47% in Thailand and on the other side, Philippines with the highest rate – 67% owning a dog.
India has far and away the most wildlife deaths every year. This is partly due to its massive population, yet this doesn't tell the entire story. The U.S., with roughly one-quarter of the population of India, averages eight wildlife-related deaths a year.
According to the amended Animal Welfare Act, a convicted animal killer shall be imprisoned for one year and six months to two years, fined an amount not exceeding P100,000 or both.
Australia is a wonderful country for pets; it has many pet-friendly public spaces as well as a plethora of pet-friendly activities to enjoy with your furry friend. However, the country has strict biosecurity regulations that protect the local flora and fauna from exotic and introduced diseases.
Japan is a pet-friendly country and welcomes dogs and cats of all breeds. Bringing your pet to Japan is a complex process since Japan is a rabies-free country.
While there are comparatively few people who own pets in India, those that do are ten times as likely to live with a dog than a cat. Among the most dog-loving nations are South Korea (9 pet dogs per cat), and the Philippines (7.2 pet dogs per cat).
The one-dog policy (Chinese: 一犬一户; pinyin: Yī quǎn yī hù) is a policy implemented in 2006, restricting residents of Beijing, China to one dog per family. It also prohibits Beijing residents from raising large (over 35 cm (14 in) tall) and ferocious dogs.
In 2021, around 200 million pets were held in Chinese households, ranging from mammals to reptiles. Forecasts showed that the pet population in China would exceed 220 million in 2022. Cats and dogs remained the most popular pets among Chinese pet lovers.
Pets in Ancient China
Ancient China had a love-hate relationship with their pets, particularly dogs. Dogs were the earliest domesticated animals in China (c. 12,000 BCE), and were used in hunting and kept as companions. The fiercest ones were known as lion dogs and were the most popular.