PAW Report 2026
Pet Populations
Getting a pet
Dogs
Cats
Rabbits
Preventive
Responsible dog ownership
Conclusion
Pet Populations
How many pet dogs, cats and rabbits are there?
Over the last 16 years, the consistent methodology of the PAW Report has allowed us to monitor the UK’s pet dog, cat, and rabbit populations. Using nationally representative data collected annually, the Report provides a reliable estimate of how the UK’s pet population is changing, as well as analysis of ownership incidence, which is the proportion of UK adults owning dogs, cats and rabbits.
The estimated UK dog population has now fallen to 10.2 million dogs, after reaching a peak last year of 11.1M. This makes them the second most popular UK pets, with cats returning to the most popular UK pet, with a relatively unchanged population this year of 11.3M. The estimated population of UK rabbits has also remained stable at around 700K.
The percentage ownership incidence has also changed for dogs. There has been a decrease in the number of UK adults who own a dog, from 30% in 2025 to 27% in 2026. The proportion of UK adults who own cats was 24%, which is a figure that has remained relatively stable since 2014. The ownership incidence for rabbits was 2% of UK adults, which has been the same since 2017.
