U.S. Will Likely Have More Pets And Vets In The Next Decade: AVMA

The number of dogs and cats in the United States is expected to increase substantially over the next decade, according to the AVMA.

The association worked with economists at Mississippi State University and World Agricultural Economic and Environmental Services to develop the projections.

According to the data, the dog population is expected to grow from 85 million in 2020 to more than 100 million by 2030. Ninety-six percent of dogs will receive wellness exams by 2030, up from 78% in 2011 and 90% in 2016.

The cat population is expected to grow from 65 million to more than 82 million. Nearly 80% of cats are expected to receive wellness visits by 2030, up from 65% in 2016.

The number of active veterinarians in the country is also expected to rise over the next decade. Much of that growth will take place in the companion animal space, with small increases in the numbers of food, equine and mixed animal veterinarians.

More findings are available from the AVMA, avma.org.

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