Animals / Companion animals
dogs, cats and the people who love them
Companion animals
Pets and the people who care for them, from adoption to everyday responsibility.
Quick answer
Companion animals are the dogs, cats, and other animals who share our homes. Many people care deeply about them: in a 2019 Faunalytics survey, 54% of U.S. adults said farmed animals deserve the same consideration as pets. At HCF, we cover adoption, shelters, and responsible care, because Canadian homes share space with about 7.9 million dogs and 8.5 million cats.
Last reviewed . Sources are listed below.
the basics
What this area covers
Companion animals are the dogs, cats, and other animals who share our homes. For many of us they are family, and they are the animals people tend to feel closest to.
At the Humane Choices Foundation (HCF), we look at adoption and breeding, shelters and rescues, what responsible care involves, and what happens when animals are abandoned or surrendered. Pets are part of daily life for a huge number of us: Canadian homes share space with about 7.9 million dogs and 8.5 million cats, and 60% of households have at least one.
Our love for companion animals is also a good starting point for bigger questions. If a dog can feel pain and fear, so can a pig. In one survey, 54% of U.S. adults said farmed animals deserve the same consideration as pets.
dig in
Questions worth asking
Our guides on each question are being written. Every figure will come with a source.
- Should you adopt or buy, and what is the difference?
- What does responsible pet care involve?
- What happens to animals who are abandoned or surrendered?
- How do local laws protect companion animals?
follow the thread
How it connects
The way we treat the animals in our homes connects to public health, to fairness, and to the people who care for animals for a living. Diseases can pass between animals and people, vet care and pet-friendly housing are not equally available to every family, and shelters rely on staff and volunteers to keep going.
Public health
Three in four newly emerging infectious diseases in people come from animals, which is one reason vet care and vaccinations matter.
Social justice
Not every family can afford vet care or find pet-friendly housing, which shapes who gets to keep a companion animal.
Workers' rights
Shelter staff, vet teams, and rescue volunteers do demanding work caring for animals in need.
by the numbers
What the evidence says
Every figure links to its source. See all of them on our facts and sources page.
54%
Faunalytics, Animal Tracker 2019 2019 survey
16.4 million
Canadian Animal Health Institute, 2022 pet population figures 2022 data
60%
Canadian Animal Health Institute, 2022 pet population figures 2022 data
quick answers
Frequently asked questions
What are companion animals?
Animals who live with people as pets and companions, most commonly dogs and cats.
What does responsible pet care involve?
Meeting an animal's needs for food, shelter, veterinary care, exercise, and companionship for its whole life, and keeping it safe.
Do people think farmed animals deserve the same care as pets?
In the 2019 Faunalytics Animal Tracker, 54% of U.S. adults said farmed animals deserve the same consideration as pets.
How many pets are there in Canada?
The Canadian Animal Health Institute counted about 7.9 million dogs and 8.5 million cats in Canada in 2022, and reported that 60% of households own at least one dog or cat.
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