Proportion of U.S. households that own a pet today: 63%
Proportion of U.S. households that owned a pet in 1986: 56%
Estimated amount spent on pets in the U.S. in 2007: $40.8 billion
Amount spent on pets in the U.S. in 1994: $17 billion
Number of puppies and kittens born for each human baby: 7
Number of cats one female cat and her offspring can generate in 7 years: 420,000
Number of U.S. dogs who live with families: 52 million
Number of U.S. cats who live with families: 57 million
Number of U.S. households that own a dog: 43.5 million
Average cost of keeping a dog: $807/ year
Average lifespan of a mid-sized dog: 13-14 years
Number of U.S. households that own a cat: 37.7 million
Average cost of keeping a cat: $527/ year
Average lifespan of a house cat: 14-20 years
Number of U.S. households that own a horse: 4.2 million
Average cost of keeping a horse: $11,000/ year
Average lifespan of a horse: 25-30 years
Number of U.S. households that own a "small animal": 5.7 million
Average cost of keeping a hamster: $225/ year
Average lifespan of a hamster: 2-2.5 years
Proportion of the population who are allergic to pets: 10-15%
Most popular pet name: Max