The American Veterinary Medical Association recently released its latest Pet Ownership and Demographics Sourcebook.  The number of pets in the U.S. is increasing, including non-traditional exotic pets like birds and reptiles.

Here’s a summary of some of the key findings:

• 57% of all U.S. households own at least one pet.
• The number of households with dogs is at a record high (38%) with cat owning households coming in second (25%).

• 13% of all U.S. households have some sort of exotic pet, an increase of 25% from the 2011 pet ownership survey.
• The trend of keeping poultry as pets has been growing at a rate of 23% over the last 5 years.

• The number of households with pets is highest in rural states, with Wyoming, West Virginia, and Nebraska at the top of the list.
• The states with the least number of pets are Rhode Island, South Dakota, New York, and New Jersey.
• Dog owners are more likely to take their pets to the veterinarian than owners of other animals.

The Sourcebook is available for purchase via the AVMA website, and AVMA members can download the Executive Summary at no cost.