Pet sector's impact on U.S. economy totals more than $260B, study finds

The pet sector contributed $260.5 billion directly and indirectly to the U.S. economy and accounted for a net contribution to the annual gross domestic product of $174.67 billion in 2021, according to new data. Shared during the Pet Industry Leadership Summit, data demonstrates the strength of pet ownership's economic impact as it grew from $221 billion in 2015, according the study's sponsors.