All about pets

Americans sure do love their animals. According to 2017-18 data from the American Pet Products Association, 68 percent of U.S. households include a pet. (Pet ownership in the U.K., by contrast, is estimated at 45 percent.) The APPA also ranked the popularity of pets based on species and broke down demographics of pet owners based on what type of pets they own. Here are some of the findings:

• 48 percent of pet owners have dogs, while 38 percent have cats. Freshwater fish come in at 10 percent, followed by birds (6 percent), reptiles (4 percent) and horses (2 percent).

• Horse owners have the highest average household incomes, while those who own reptiles earn the least.

• Owners of dogs, birds and fish are most likely to be married. By contrast, people who own cats and reptiles are less likely to be married than other pet owners or even the general population.

• 48 percent of dog owners buy their furry friend a Christmas gift (compared with 38 percent of cat owners and 25 percent of horse owners). Also, 11 percent of dog owners throw birthday parties for their pets.