APPA Releases Comprehensive 2025 Report on Bird, Small Animal & Horse Ownership

The American Pet Products Association (APPA) has announced the release of its 2025 Bird, Small Animal & Horse Report, its fourth pet owner insights report this year. The report features the latest research and insights from APPA’s National Pet Owners Survey on bird, small animal and horse owners, providing over 200 pages of comprehensive analysis and visuals on owner shopping trends, sentiment, demographics and behaviors.

The data shows a dynamic shift across the bird, small animal and horse categories, driven largely by changing generational behaviors and deepening human-animal bonds.

Gen Z emerges as a major force in bird and small animal ownership, while Millennials strengthen their position among horse owners. In-person shopping preferences remain strong across all three groups, alongside a notable rise in online shopping.

“Across birds, small animals and horses, we’re seeing growing enthusiasm and deeper engagement from today’s pet owners,” said APPA president and CEO, Pete Scott. “Generational growth and new purchasing patterns demonstrate these categories expanding in meaningful ways and creating fresh opportunities for the pet care industry.”

The 2025 Bird, Small Animal & Horse Report highlights emerging trends shaping these ownership categories, where six million U.S. households own birds, six million own small animals, and two million own horses.

Key insights revealed in the report include:

Bird Ownership Trends

Ownership

Gen Z is ruffling feathers, with bird ownership becoming increasingly popular among the youngest generation of pet owners. Among bird owners, parakeets are the most popular type of bird, and cockatiel ownership rebounds.

• Twenty-two percent of bird owners are Gen Z, a 22 percent increase from 2023.
• Twenty-eight percent of bird owners have a parakeet.
• Nineteen percent of bird owners have a cockatiel, a 58 percent increase from 2023, primarily driven by Gen Z and Boomer bird owners.

Shopping Habits

Bird owners maintain a strong connection to bird stores, relying on them not only as a primary source for their pets but also for trusted expertise and essential supplies.

• Bird stores and bird store personnel are a growing source of information on bird care for owners. Twenty-five percent rely on bird stores for information, while 28 percent rely on bird store personnel, a 47 percent and 22 percent increase from 2018, respectively.
• Bird stores are the top location to acquire birds. Twenty-one percent of owners obtain their pet at bird stores, a 62 percent increase over the last six years.

Gift Giving

Most bird owners (76 percent) give gifts to their birds, underscoring just how deeply the human-animal bond resonates with feathered family members.

• Thirty-eight percent of owners purchase gifts for any occasion, and 33 percent purchase gifts for Christmas.
• Bird owners spend an average of $40.52 per gift, a 42 percent increase from 2023, driven by Gen Z and Millennial owners.

Small Animal Ownership Trends

Ownership

Small animals are hopping into the spotlight as Gen Z’s newest companions. At the same time, rabbits are the most popular type of small animal owned, with their numbers increasing over time, particularly among Gen X and Boomer owners.

• While Millennials still hold the majority(35 percent), their ownership has declined, replaced by Gen Z, who now accounts for 34 percent of small animal owners, a 17 percent increase from 2023.
• Thirty-seven percent of small animal owners have a rabbit, a 37 percent increase from 2018. The second most popular small pet is guinea pigs (23 percent), followed by hamsters (18 percent). However, hamster ownership has declined by 25 percent since 2018.

Shopping Habits

Small animal owners have a strong connection to pet superstores, both when selecting their pets and purchasing essentials.

• Most hamster (26 percent), guinea pig (24 percent), and other small animal owners (16 percent) obtain their pets at pet superstores.

• Small animal owners prefer to shop in person for food (55 percent) and treats (52 percent). When purchasing food, owners primarily shop at pet superstores for food treats (40 percent), bagged pellets (40 percent), and bagged feed (38 percent). Thirty-seven percent of owners purchase cages at pet superstores, the top location for these purchases.

Gift Giving

Most owners (87 percent) give gifts to their small animals, reflecting the strong emotional connection they have with their pets.

• Gifting among small animal owners has increased 16 percent over the last six years.
• Forty-nine percent of owners purchase gifts for Christmas, and 44 percent purchase gifts for any occasion. Small animal owners spend an average of $34.52 per gift, a 31 percent increase from 2023, driven by Gen Z and female owners.

Horse Ownership Trends

Ownership

Millennials are taking the reins among horse owners, acquiring more horses, and holding the majority of horse ownership across all generations.

• Thirty-nine percent of horse owners are Millennials, a 15 percent increase from 2023.
• Multi-horse ownership is on the rise, with 55 percent of owners having two or more horses, a 22 percent increase from 2018.

Shopping Habits

Horse owners prefer to shop in person, particularly at feed stores; however, a growing number of owners are opting to shop online.

• Sixty percent of owners purchase saddles and accessories in person, while 28 percent  buy these products online, a 33 percent increase over the last six years.

• Sixty-three percent purchase bridles and accessories in person, while 25 percent shop online, representing a 39 percent increase over the last six years.
• Fifty-six percent purchase grooming tools in person, while 29 percent shop online, a 53 percent increase in the last six years.

While owners still primarily shop at feed stores, an increasing number of owners are purchasing products online or directly from manufacturers.

• Twenty-eight percent of owners purchase hoof care products online, while 21 percent purchase them directly from the manufacturer, representing a 56 percent and 62 percent increase from 2023, respectively.
• Twenty-four percent of owners purchase shampoo/conditioner directly from the manufacturer, an 85 percent increase from 2023.
• Twenty-nine percent of owners purchase halters online, while 28 percent purchase directly from the manufacturer, a 61% and 56 percent increase from 2023, respectively.
• Shopping for blankets and bridles/accessories directly from the manufacturer surpassed feed stores for the first time, at 41 percent and 36 percent , respectively (a 46 percent and 71 percent increase from 2023).

Gift Giving

Most horse owners (73%) give gifts to their animals, highlighting both the bond owners have with their horses and their investment in care beyond the basics.

• Thirty-eight percent of owners purchase gifts for any occasion, and 28% purchase gifts for Christmas.

• Horse owners spend an average of $96.92 per gift.

“This year’s data shows a generational handoff unfolding in real time among bird, small animal and horse owners,” said Ingrid Chu, APPA’s vice president of research insights. “Gen Z and Millennials are developing new habits and shopping patterns, all of which point to a new era of growth and opportunity in these pet categories.”

The American Pet Products Association is a membership organization that serves the pet industry through services and programs designed to help its members thrive and prosper. Since 1988, APPA has published the APPA National Pet Owners Survey, the premier resource of its kind, providing in-depth data on consumer behavior. APPA’s research and insights monitor consumer habits, identify short- and long-term trends and discover new opportunities in pet ownership, pet product and service consumption, published across four quarterly reports, including State of the Industry, Dog & Cat, Fish & Reptile and Bird, Small Animal & Horse.