Pet Care Services NAICS 812910

May 20, 2026 - Sustainability Drives Pet Service Preferences

• Growing consumer interest in sustainability is creating new opportunities for the US pet care services industry, particularly for pet boarding, daycare, and grooming businesses that adopt eco-friendly practices, according to a Pet Boarding and Daycare Magazine report. The report notes that about 70% of global pet owners are concerned about climate change, while Millennials and Gen Z now represent nearly half of US pet-owning households and increasingly favor brands aligned with environmental values. More than half of Gen Z pet owners are willing to pay more for sustainable products and services, suggesting green initiatives could support customer loyalty and premium pricing. The article also highlights potential operational savings from energy-efficient upgrades and waste-reduction programs, with some facilities reportedly reducing costs by 25% to 30% within two years. For pet care providers, sustainability is becoming both a competitive differentiator and a potential profitability driver.
• The “Other Services” category, which includes pet care, personal care, laundry, and repair services, was one of the strongest-performing segments in the April 2026 ISM Services PMI report, outperforming much of the broader US services industry. While the overall Services PMI registered 53.6%, indicating continued but slowing expansion across the services economy, “Other Services” ranked first among all industries reporting growth and also led growth in new orders. The category also reported increases in business activity, employment, inventories, and supplier delivery delays, signaling stronger operational momentum than many other service industries. However, the sector still faced elevated cost pressures alongside the broader services economy, as the ISM Prices Index remained high at 70.7%. Overall, the data suggests consumer demand for everyday personal and household services remained resilient despite inflation and broader economic uncertainty.

• The US pet care services industry enters 2026 on solid footing, supported by strong ownership trends and shifting demographics, according to data from the 2026 State of the Industry report from the American Pet Products Association. Total pet industry spending reached $158 billion in 2025, with 95 million US households owning pets. Growth is driven by rising dog ownership (53% of households, +4 million homes) and increasing cat ownership (39%, 53 million homes), particularly among Gen Z and Millennials, while Gen X ownership rose 12%. However, spending patterns are evolving: about half of pet owners report unchanged spending, with more prioritizing essentials over discretionary purchases. For service providers, this signals stable demand but increasing price sensitivity, making targeted offerings and clear value propositions critical to sustain growth.
• Pet care costs are increasing more rapidly than the general services category, according to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Consumer Price Index. Excluding volatile food and energy, price increases in goods grew 3.8% in April year over year, while services inflation increased 3.3% during the same period. In contrast, pet care costs rose 6.6% in April year over year and 0.2% month over month. The pet care services sector faces continued upward pricing pressure and operating costs, which may reduce consumer demand as discretionary spending tightens relative to broader inflation trends.