Demand for pets has almost halved since last year as the peak seen at the height of the pandemic levels out, new figures suggest.
Demand – measured by buyers per pet – fell by 42% in January to April compared with the same period last year, according to a report by Pets4Homes, the UK’s biggest online family pet market.
The variety of prospective purchasers per puppy or dog promoted on Pets4Homes in April 2022 was 168, below more than 300 at the start of the pandemic.
The drop in need has actually seen the typical rate for puppies being up to £1,329 in March 2022 from £2,237 in March 2021, while the rate of cats has actually decreased by 20%.
The typical variety of litters per seller has actually gone back to typical levels seen pre-pandemic, with certified breeders typically having 2 litters annually, breeders having 1.4 litters annually, and pastime breeders having 1.2 litters annually, the research study discovered.
Dogs stay the most popular family pet, drawing in 63% of all purchasers. The Golden Retriever has actually ended up being the most popular dog, with 717 prospective purchasers for each promoted puppy.
The Devon Rex has actually surpassed the Siberian as the most popular cat, with 416 purchasers per promoted kitten.
Lee Gibson, UK managing director at Pets4Homes, said: “For years, the UK has suffered from a chronic undersupply of puppies and kittens that has failed to meet the demand for pets, in particular during the height of the pandemic.
“Inevitably, this discrepancy has enticed unscrupulous sellers and those involved in the low welfare and illegal puppy trade to profit from people’s desire for a furry buddy.
“We are thankful that we are lastly seeing these patterns reverse with an increase in breeding by UK pastime breeders while need is normalising.”
Mr Gibson said worries that the rise in pet ownership throughout Covid-19 would result in individuals handing out their “pandemic puppies” had actually not been understood, with information revealing that the rise of ads on Pets4Homes might be traced to brand-new litters instead of reselling.