While #petownership in the European country holds steady, adoption and rescue channels increase.
According to new data from the Belgian Association of Pet Food Manufacturers (BEPEFA), around 58% of the country’s households own one or more pets.
Based on figures from Belgium’s statistics office Statbel, this represents roughly 3 million households out of 5.2 million.
This figure remains the same as in 2024, but is lower than in previous years. In 2023, the number of households in the country that owned a pet hit 59%. In 2022, it was 57%.
Pet sourcing
BEPEFA reports that 17% of Belgians welcomed a new pet into their homes over the past year. For 31% of these households, it was their first pet.
More than 3 out of 10 pets (32%) were rescued from a shelter, found or taken in via a rescue organization. This marks a significant increase from 9% in 2024.
Last year, BEPEFA data reported that breeders (29%), friends and family (25%) and private non-professionals (22%) were the most preferred channels for acquiring pets.
Owner’s demands
Belgians show a stronger preference for cats than dogs, with 33% of Belgian households owning one or more cats, and 28% with one or more dogs.
According to BEPEFA, these figures have remained more or less stable over the past 5 years.
When it comes to pet leisure, Belgian dog owners’ demands are evolving, with 29% wishing dogs would be allowed in the hospitality sector (including restaurants, cafés and terraces) and 25% wanting to be able to bring their dog into shops or public places.
Meanwhile, around 1 in 6 dog and cat owners are permitted to bring their pets to work, and 12% do so, a slight increase from last year.
Furthermore, 70% of #petowners consider their pet very important in their lives, while 1 in 4 say their pet is the most important part of their life.
Source: GlobalPETS