Favorite Pets in the United States and How to Travel With Them
America's favorite pets, at a glance
Dogs are the favorite pet in the United States, followed closely by cats. According to the American Pet Products Association's (APPA) 2026 State of the Industry report, 95 million US households now own at least one pet: 71 million have a dog (53% of households) and 53 million have a cat (39%).
Freshwater fish, small animals, birds and reptiles make up the rest of the top six. Each of those sits at roughly 6 to 10 million households.
Pets are also travelling more than ever. Most owners now see their animals as family members, and family comes on holiday. This guide ranks America's favorite pets, then shows what each one needs to fly, check into a hotel or cross a border, with links to the Pet Holiday Club guides that cover each step in detail.
The 6 most popular pets in the United States
Dogs lead by 18 million households; no other species comes close to cats in second place.
Rank | Pet | US households | How easily it travels |
1 | Dogs | 71 million (53%) | Flies in cabin if small; larger dogs go as checked pet or cargo |
2 | Cats | 53 million (39%) | Flies in cabin on most US airlines |
3 | Freshwater fish | 10 million | Rarely flies; usually rehomed or moved by road |
4 | Small animals (rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters) | 6 million | Few airlines accept them; road travel is the norm |
5 | Birds | 6 million | Some US airlines allow household birds in cabin |
6 | Reptiles | 6 million | Generally refused by airlines; wildlife rules may apply |
Dog and cat figures: APPA 2026 State of the Industry. Other species: APPA 2025 National Pet Owners Survey, via Pet Food Industry. Saltwater fish and horses follow, each at a few million households.
1. Dogs: America's favorite pet
Dog ownership grew from 51% to 53% of US households in 2025, about 4 million new dog homes in a single year. The French Bulldog was the most popular breed for the fourth year running, according to the American Kennel Club's 2025 rankings.
AKC rank (2025) | Breed | Travel note |
1 | French Bulldog | Snub-nosed: refused in the hold by many airlines |
2 | Labrador Retriever | Too large for cabin; needs cargo |
3 | Golden Retriever | Too large for cabin; needs cargo |
4 | German Shepherd Dog | Too large for cabin; needs cargo |
5 | Dachshund | Often fits the cabin limit |
6 | Poodle | Toy and miniature sizes can fly in cabin |
7 | Beagle | Borderline for cabin weight limits |
8 | Rottweiler | Cargo; some carriers restrict strong breeds |
9 | German Shorthaired Pointer | Too large for cabin; needs cargo |
10 | Bulldog | Snub-nosed: refused in the hold by many airlines |
Why the top breed is the hardest to fly
Two of America's top 10 dogs are brachycephalic (snub-nosed). These breeds struggle to breathe in heat and stress, so airlines restrict them hard:
American Airlines does not accept brachycephalic breeds as checked pets. Cabin pets must weigh 20 lb (9.07 kg) or less with the carrier, for USD 150 each way.
Alaska Airlines bars 20 dog breeds from the hold, including the French Bulldog, Bulldog, Boston Terrier, Pug and Shih Tzu. They may still fly in the cabin if the carrier fits.
Delta Air Lines carries dogs in the cabin only (USD 150 domestic, USD 200 international); larger dogs ship through Delta Cargo.
Check your carrier before you book: these are hard restrictions, not preferences. Compare carriers side by side on Airline Ratings, or browse every airline guide.
Travelling with a dog
Nervous traveller? Read Dog Travel Anxiety: What Actually Helps and Dog Motion Sickness.
Staying over? Compare hotel chains that take dogs, or find stays on Pet-Friendly Vacations.
Crossing the Atlantic with a big dog? See Queen Mary 2 vs K9 Jets vs Bark Air.
Travelling with a working dog? See Service Animals and service dogs on cruise ships.
2. Cats: the fastest-growing favorite
Cat ownership rose to 39% of US households in 2025, or 53 million homes, driven largely by Gen Z and Millennial owners. Multi-cat homes are growing too: APPA's 2025 Dog & Cat Report found households with three or more cats up 36% since 2018.
Cats are the easiest favorite pet to fly. Almost every adult cat fits under the seat, and most US airlines accept them in the cabin for roughly USD 100 to 200 each way. Our full breakdown is in How Much Does It Cost to Fly With a Cat?
One catch: flat-faced cat breeds carry the same airline limits as snub-nosed dogs. Alaska Airlines, for example, bars Persian, Himalayan, Exotic Shorthair and Burmese cats from the hold.
Travelling with a cat
Hotels are less cat-friendly than dog-friendly. Check which hotel chains allow cats before you book.
City breaks: Pet Friendly Hotels in San Diego and Las Vegas both flag which hotels take cats.
Keep your cat's microchip, rabies record and health papers in one place with a digital Pet Passport.
3–6. Fish, small animals, birds and reptiles
These four groups together sit in roughly 28 million US households, but they are the hardest favorites to take abroad.
3. Freshwater fish (10 million households)
Fish are the third most popular pet in the US, though ownership slipped from 11.1 million households in 2023–24. They almost never fly. Owners who relocate usually move them by car in sealed, oxygenated bags, or rehome them.
4. Small animals (6 million households)
Rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters and ferrets fall here. Most US airlines limit cabin pets to dogs and cats; American Airlines, for instance, accepts dogs and cats only. Plan road travel, or check the airline guides for the few carriers that take them.
5. Birds (6 million households)
Bird ownership held steady at about 6 million homes. Delta accepts household birds in the cabin on domestic US flights. International trips are harder: many countries add avian-flu and wildlife-trade paperwork, so start with the destination's country guide.
6. Reptiles (6 million households)
Reptile ownership was flat at 6 million homes. Airlines generally refuse reptiles as passenger pets, and some species need wildlife permits to cross a border. Check before you buy a ticket, not after.
What's shaping America's pet choices in 2026
Three shifts explain why dogs and cats keep gaining while other species hold flat.
More pet homes overall. Pet-owning households rose from 82 million in 2023 to 95 million today, and US pet spending reached USD 158 billion in 2025, per APPA.
New generations of owners. Gen Z and Millennials drove most of the cat growth, while Gen X ownership rose 12% year on year across dogs, cats, birds and reptiles, according to Pet Food Processing.
Pets as family. Owners now plan holidays around their animals, not away from them. APPA notes that owners keep including dogs in their travel plans. The cost side is real too: see Rising Vet Costs before budgeting a trip.
Popularity has a cost of its own. Small, flat-faced breeds suit apartment life but face the strictest airline rules, so match the breed to the life you lead, including how you travel.
Travelling with America's favorite pet: what a dog needs to enter the US
A dog flying into the United States needs to be at least 6 months old, microchipped, and covered by a CDC Dog Import Form receipt. Here is the route from the UK as the Pet Holiday Club rules base assembles it, in the order you will meet each step.
Pet Travel Restrictions. Dogs younger than 6 months cannot enter or return to the US. This one stops the trip outright.
Medical Requirements.
ISO 11784/11785 15-digit microchip, implanted before the rabies shot.
Rabies vaccination at least 30 days before travel; the pet must be 12 weeks old or more.
DHPP combination vaccine at least 30 days before travel.
Flea, tick and worm treatment within 10 days of travel.
Pet Travel Documents. One CDC Dog Import Form receipt per dog. If the dog has been only in rabies-free or low-risk countries for 6 months, that receipt is the only CDC document needed.
Travel Day. Confirm the airline accepts your breed and size before paying; snub-nosed breeds face embargoes on many carriers. Arrive 4 hours early for cargo pets, 2–3 hours for cabin pets.
After Arrival. Declare the animal at customs. A microchip that won't read, or a number that doesn't match the papers, can mean denial of entry at your expense.
Rules differ by origin, airline and breed, so this list is a sample, not your checklist. Read the full United States pet travel guide, What are the requirements to bring a dog to the USA?, CDC rules and APHIS requirements and the 2026 US Pet Travel Blueprint for exports.
Taking your pet out of the US
Popular destinations for US pet owners, and where to start:
Destination | Start here |
Canada | |
Mexico | |
United Kingdom | |
European Union | EU Pet Passport Rules 2026 · Pet passport vs health certificate |
Australia, Japan, Hawaii |
See how 194 countries compare on the Pet Travel Index, or plan by map on the Travel Map.
Plan the trip around your favorite pet
Dogs and cats are America's favorite pets by a wide margin, and they are also the ones most likely to come along on holiday. The rules that decide whether they can fly depend on the route, the airline and the breed, not on popularity.
Build the exact list for your trip with the free Pet Holiday Club checklist. Enter your origin, destination, pet and airline, and you get every requirement with its lead time and source, in the order you need to act on it. Want someone to handle it? Try our Concierge Service.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most popular pet in the United States?
The dog. 71 million US households (53%) own at least one dog, ahead of 53 million cat-owning households (39%), per APPA's 2026 State of the Industry report.
How many US households own a pet?
About 95 million, or roughly seven in ten American homes.
What is the most popular dog breed in America?
The French Bulldog, No. 1 in the AKC rankings for the fourth year running in 2025. The Labrador Retriever, Golden Retriever, German Shepherd and Dachshund complete the top five.
Can French Bulldogs fly?
Usually only in the cabin. Many airlines, including American and Alaska, refuse snub-nosed breeds as checked pets because of breathing risks. Check your airline's guide before booking.
Which is the easiest pet to travel with?
A cat or a small dog that fits in an under-seat carrier. Cabin travel avoids the hold and most breed restrictions; fees run about USD 100–200 each way on US airlines.
Do I need a pet passport to travel from the US?
The US does not issue EU-style pet passports. You will need a USDA-endorsed health certificate for most destinations. Our pet passport guide explains the difference.
