Written by

Nhi Ho

A marketing professional working with consumer insights and market trends to create content that brings clarity to complex behaviors and evolving market dynamics.

Key Insights from the TGM Global Pet Care Survey 2026

Pet Ownership Trends in APAC: Households, Lifestyles, and Choices

January 19, 2026

(Updated June 30, 2026)

As pet ownership grows more complex across APAC, households are making practical choices that reflect space, routines, and long-term commitment. These patterns offer important signals for pet brands and service providers.

Pet ownership across APAC has moved into the mainstream of household life. Urban living, emotional needs, daily routines, and tight household budgets all play a role in how families approach pet care today. From multi-pet households to space-conscious dog choices, ownership patterns reveal how pets are being integrated into daily routines rather than treated as occasional companions.

Based on TGM Global Pet Care Insights 2026: Pet Ownership and Lifestyle Trends, this article explores what pet ownership looks like across the region today, why people choose the pets they do, and where the biggest opportunities and pressures lie.

Key Takeaways

Multi-pet households are becoming more common in APAC, with nearly 3 in 5 pet owners having two or more pets.
Cats continue to lead pet ownership across the region, while fish and other smaller pets are gradually becoming more common (20%), suggesting that pet ownership is expanding beyond the classic dog-cat pairing.
Emotional wellbeing is one of the biggest reasons people own pets, nearly half point to emotional support and stress relief as the biggest benefit.
Many owners still struggle with the practical side of care, especially managing expenses, handling health-related concerns, and finding reliable care solutions when traveling.

Multi-Pet Households Are Becoming the New Normal

Pet ownership in APAC is now plural by default. A majority of pet owners now live with more than one animal, with 57% reporting 2 or more pets, compared to 42% who keep a single pet (TGM Global Pet Care Insights 2026, APAC - N=3,726). The pattern signals a clear move away from one pet households toward homes where pets share daily routines as part of the family setup.

Cats and dogs dominate across both single and multi-pet households, although ownership patterns differ slightly by household type. Among multi-pet owners, cats are the most common at 73%, followed closely by dogs at 62% (TGM Global Pet Care Insights 2026, APAC - N=3,726). Other pets also appear in the mix, with fish present among a notable share of multi-pet households (20%), suggesting that APAC pet ownership now extends beyond the classic dog and cat pairing into more varied household combinations.

A majority of pet owners now live with more than one animal, with 57% reporting two or more pets, compared to 42% who keep a single pet

The rise of multi-pet households is reshaping care expectations, increasing demand for solutions that address shared routines, cost efficiency, and cross-pet compatibility. These changes are central to the broader patterns outlined in key APAC pet care trends for 2026.

How APAC Pet Owners Choose Pets That Fit Real Life

Pet choices in APAC are driven by practicality far more than by aspiration. The pattern shows up most clearly in dog ownership, where small and medium sized dogs dominate the market. Medium sized dogs make up 43% of ownership, while small dogs account for 39% (TGM Global Pet Care Insights 2026, APAC - N=2,178). The split lines up with the realities of urban housing and shared living environments across the region.

When owners explain why they chose a particular dog size, the reasoning is clear. According to TGM data, the top 2 drivers are ease of management (43%) and suitability for the living space (41%) (N=2,178). Compatibility with children also matters, especially for family households with young kids at home.

Emotional Rewards and Practical Challenges of Pet Ownership

The strongest benefits cited by pet owners relate to wellbeing and companionship while Financial costs are the most commonly cited challenge

Practicality shapes the choice of pet, while emotional value drives the decision to own one at all. The strongest benefits cited by APAC pet owners relate to wellbeing and companionship. Nearly half of APAC pet owners point to emotional support and stress relief as the biggest benefit of having a pet (TGM Global Pet Care Insights 2026, APAC - N=3,726). Companionship and reduced loneliness follow closely behind, along with the everyday joy that pets bring at home.

At the same time, ownership comes with clear pressures. Financial costs are the most commonly cited challenge, followed by health-related concerns and the difficulty of arranging care when travelling (APAC - N=3,725). These challenges highlight the ongoing nature of pet ownership, where emotional rewards are balanced against recurring expenses and logistical responsibilities.

What This Means for Pet Businesses

Multi-pet households are now the norm in many APAC markets. Demand is moving toward solutions designed for shared use and household-level decisions across care, food, health, and grooming. Product lines built around bundles, cross pet compatibility, flexible pricing structures, and easy household level subscriptions sit closer to how owners actually manage care today.

At the same time, practicality is a defining filter. Modern pet owners are choosing solutions that fit their living space, routines, and time constraints. Space-efficient designs, easy maintenance, and clear functional benefits are likely to outperform positioning that relies on aspiration alone.

Emotional connection remains the foundation of pet ownership across the region. The connection is now reinforced by solutions that cut everyday friction for the household. Brands that help owners manage costs, maintain health across multiple pets, and solve care challenges during travel or busy periods are best positioned to stay relevant as pet ownership becomes more complex and integrated into everyday life.

In everyday categories like pet food, this friction-reduction directly shapes brand loyalty, as satisfaction and repeat purchase are driven by reliability, perceived value, and trust, which are key drivers and examined in pet food NPS (Net Promoter Score) drivers in APAC.

Methodology

The TGM Global Pet Care Insights 2026 study is based on a large-scale quantitative survey conducted across 6 countries in APAC, targeting a representative sample of adults aged 18 to 55+. The survey is designed to explore changing trends and consumer behaviors shaping pet care in 2026.

Survey Methodology: Online interviews using CAWI (Computer-Assisted Web Interviewing)
Sample Size: 6,207 participants, including 3,726 pet owners
Age Groups: 18–24, 25–34, 35–44, 45–54, 55+
Country Coverage: Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, South Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam
Data Weighting: Results have been weighted to reflect regional demographics for accurate market representation.

Pet ownership patterns are shifting fast, and they’re already shaping demand for products, services, and support ecosystems across APAC. Explore the full TGM Global Pet Care Insights 2026 series for deeper consumer insight across: Pet Nutrition, Pet Health & Vet Care, Pet Accessories & Services, Pet Ownership & LifeStyle, and Tech & Innovation.