The UK’s estimated pet dog population has fallen to 10.2 million from a peak of 11.1 million in 2025, according to the 2026 PDSA Animal Wellbeing (PAW) Report, which the veterinary charity PDSA compiled with the research company YouGov and presented in a press release on 12 October 2026. The share of UK adults who own a dog fell from 30% to 27%. Cats, at an estimated 11.3 million and owned by 24% of adults, are again the most common pet, according to the population findings, and the rabbit population is estimated at about 700,000.

The owner survey covered 3,440 cat, dog and rabbit owners aged 18 and over in the UK, interviewed online between 25 June and 16 July 2026, with demographic quotas and weighting. Population estimates use a separate YouGov survey of 10,000 UK adults to measure ownership rates and are rounded to two significant figures, and PDSA treats differences as significant at a p-value of 0.05. The PAW Report is PDSA’s own survey publication rather than a journal paper. It does not explain why the dog population fell, and PDSA says it presents only a small part of the data collected, with further findings to follow over the coming year.

Where dogs come from

Breeders remain the largest single source of dogs, at 33%, and 56% of dog owners said they got their dog from a breeder or private seller. The share acquired from UK rescue or rehoming centres rose from 11% in 2025 to 13%, the highest since 2021, when it was 17%. Eight per cent of dog owners said their dog came from abroad.

Most acquisitions now start online. Among all pet owners, 61% found their pet on the internet, including 18% through advertising sites such as Gumtree and Pets4Homes, 16% through rescue centre websites and 9% through social media. Preparation has slipped, according to the acquisition findings: 21% of pet owners did no research before getting their pet, up from 13% in 2024, although the figure for dog owners alone was 17%. Only 16% looked into the cost of ownership, down from 24% in 2024. Fewer owners sought advice from breeders, 8% against 12% in 2024, or from veterinary professionals, 6% against 9%.

Among dog owners, 47% saw their dog with its mother, 39% visited more than once and 29% were asked about their household or situation before taking the dog home. Two per cent of dog and cat owners described their pet as an impulse purchase, which PDSA says could equate to about 220,000 dogs. PDSA says it would like to see more sellers and rehomers asking prospective owners questions, as part of wider reforms to legislation and guidance on pet acquisition.

What owners pay for

Insurance uptake has risen. PDSA reports that 67% of dogs were insured in 2026, up from 61% in 2025 and 55% in 2017, although the 2024 figure was 64%. For cats the figure is 48% and for rabbits 25%. Some 92% of dogs are registered with a veterinary practice, a proportion PDSA describes as relatively stable.

The report also shows where owners buy routine parasite treatments. Dog owners most commonly buy flea and worming treatments from a veterinary practice (67%), followed by online pharmacies (22%) and supermarkets (18%). Cat owners are less tied to the practice: 60% buy from a vet, 27% from online pharmacies and 22% from supermarkets. On preventive care more broadly, 69% of dog owners reported that their dogs were neutered, up from 64% in 2025, and 82% reported regular booster vaccinations, up from 79%.

Equanine’s reading

  • A fall of about 900,000 dogs in a year is a volume signal for pet food, accessory, grooming and boarding businesses that planned on the 2025 peak. The estimates are rounded survey figures, so the direction matters more than the exact number, and next year’s survey will show whether it is a trend.
  • Insurers face a smaller pool with deeper penetration: by Equanine’s arithmetic, 67% of 10.2 million dogs and 61% of 11.1 million both come to roughly 6.8 million insured dogs.
  • Breeders and private sellers still supply most dogs, and online advertising sites are a main route to buyers. Falling buyer research and PDSA’s support for acquisition reform point to closer scrutiny of how puppies are advertised and sold.
  • Two-thirds of dog owners buy flea and worming treatments from a veterinary practice, but online pharmacies, used by 22% of dog owners and 27% of cat owners, are a channel suppliers cannot ignore.