Dog Ownership in Europe

What percentage of European households own a dog?

Like this map and want to support Landgeist? The best way to support Landgeist, is by sharing this map. When you share this map, make sure that you credit Landgeist and link to the source article. If you share it on Instagram, just tag @Land_geist. On Twitter tag @Landgeist.

Dog ownership is a beloved practice in Europe, with millions of households across the continent cherishing the companionship of these faithful friends. Based on data from the European Pet Food Industry Federation (FEDIAF), approximately 92.9 million dogs were kept as pets in European households in 2021.

Just like cats, dogs are also not too popular in Turkey. Only 5% of households in Turkey own a dog. That’s by far the lowest in Europe. Switzerland has the second lowest dog ownership in Europe, where only 12% of households own a dog.

The highest share of households with a dog, can be found in Romania. Almost half of the country’s households in Romania own at least one cat. Romanians don’t just love dogs, they also love cats. 48% of Romanian households own at least one cat, which is also the highest in Europe. Polish (43%) and Czech (42%) households are also very fond of dogs. These are the only other European countries where more than 40% of households owns a dog.

Dog ownership provides emotional support, companionship and a sense of responsibility for their owners. The popularity of dog ownership in Europe reflects the deep connection between humans and these loyal companions. With countless breeds and personalities to choose from, anyone can find a dog to be a loving and faithful companion.

Curious about the cat ownership in Europe? Check out this map.