The top pet food marketing claims for pet owners in 2021 were:Ĭlimate Change and Sustainability Issues Split Pet Owners
38% of dog owners (8% veterinary professionals) and 44% of cat owners (13% veterinary professionals) answered “I don’t know” if raw meat diets were healthier for their pet.ĪPOP found pet owners were influenced by different pet food marketing messages. When asked if raw meat diets are healthier than commercial pet foods, 27% of dog owners 28% of cat owners agreed compared to 8% of veterinary professionals with dogs and 6% with cats. Raw diets (both commercial and home-prepared) and homemade pet foods were “never” fed to over 76% of cats and over 61% of dogs. 70% of all cat owners and 77% of dog owners stated they fed dry pet food “exclusively” or “most of the time”.Ĭanned or moist foods were fed “exclusively” by 9% of cat owners and 11% of dog owners with an additional 42% of cat owners and 17% of dog owners responding “most of the time”.ġ3% of dog owners said they fed a “fresh commercial” food “exclusively” or “most of the time”. The majority of pet owners and veterinary professionals preferred feeding dry kibble pet food. Both groups responded similarly with 21.5% of dog owners and 20.4% of veterinary professionals reported changing brands as a result of concerns, while about 79% stated they had not changed brands due to the issue. “I don’t know” was reported by 35% of dog owners (5% veterinary professionals) and 34% of cat owners (5% veterinary professionals), demonstrating that the issue has become more confusing for many.ĭog owners were asked if they changed dog food brands due to the “grain-free” and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) controversy. In the 2017 APOP survey, 45% of pet owners and 22% of veterinary professionals believed grain-free options were healthier diet choices, indicating that questions and concerns are growing. Confusion about the potential link between grain-free pet foods and DCM appears to be growing, according to the 2021 survey.ģ8% of dog owners and 18% of cat owners answered that grain-free diets were not healthy for their pets.Ĩ8% of veterinary professionals with dogs and 73% with cats stated grain-free diets were not healthy for their pets.Ģ7% of dog owners and 48% of cat owners agree that “grain-free diets are healthy for your pet,” compared to only 7% of veterinary professionals who are dog owners and 22% who own cats. Questions about grain-free diet and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) continue to be a hot topic among pet owners and veterinary professionals. Grain-free Diets and DCM Controversy Continues The survey found 15% of pets became more clingy, developed separation anxiety or displayed behavior changes, and 7% prepared more home cooked meals for their pets. Pandemic Period Pet Purchase and Behavior Changesĭuring the pandemic, 27% of pet owners reported going on more walks with their dog, and 23% said they gave more treats.ġ7% claimed they changed pet food brands during the pandemic period. 36.5% reported they favored Online and Internet, while only 7.6% reported Pet store as the best place for pet food recommendations. Pet owners ranked Veterinary clinics their top choice for “the best pet dietary recommendations,” with 41.4% preferring a veterinarian’s recommendation. When asked if their veterinarian offered recommendations for maintenance or “routine” diets, 43% of pet owners answered “No”.ģ4% replied their veterinarian gave maintenance diet recommendations “Every year without me asking”, and 23% answered, “Yes, but I had to ask.” 22% of pet owners said their pet’s weight status was addressed “only if they ask the veterinarian”, and 12% responded “no”. The majority of pet owners and veterinary professionals believe “pet obesity is a disease” with 72% of pet owners and 87% of veterinary professionals responding “yes”.Ĥ6% of pet owners report their “veterinarian discusses their pet’s ideal or healthy weight every year”, 20% responded ‘“they discuss their pet’s ideal or healthy weight occasionally”. This contrasts with numerous reports indicating over 50% of dogs and cats are overweight or have obesity. Only 39% of dog owners and 45% of cat owners consider their pet overweight or having obesity.
Weight Assessment, Obesity is a Disease, and Vet Recommendations
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