Industry Outlook

Pet Boarding market accounted for USD 9.6 Billion in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 23.3 Billion by 2035, growing at a CAGR of around 8.4% between 2025 and 2035. The pet boarding market consists of a wide range of services that provide temporary custody or supervision of pets during the owner's temporary absence. Usually, these services are provided via kennels, catteries, or pet hotels, and typically include one of more types of accommodation, feeding, and sometimes additional options such as grooming and playtime. The pet boarding market is for pet owners who are searching for an appropriate, safe, and comfortable place for their pet to stay while they are traveling for vacation or for work purposes. The increase of pet ownership in recent years, and the desire for more premium services have contributed to the growth of this market.

Report Scope:

Market Dynamics

Rising Pet Ownership

The increase in ownership of pets significantly propelled the growth of the pet boarding market. The American Pet Products Association (APPA) reported that pet ownership in the United States is now at an all-time high with about 70% of households owning pets. This increase is a result of changing social dynamics in which pets are increasingly viewed as family members, rather than just animals. In turn, pet owners are willing to invest substantially in high-quality service or care for their pets.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics states that the pet services industry, which encompasses pet boarding, has experienced substantial growth with employment in the pet services industry increasing by greater than five percent annually. Moreover, as a function of increased ownership of pets, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), also indicates that there has been a dramatic increase in personal expenditure for pet care, also indicating a growing willingness to designate discretionary income to pet owners.

This reflects robust demand for the pet boarding market specifically for professional pet boarding facilities, thus demonstrating the need for pet lovers and pet owners to familiarize themselves with reliable and high-quality pet care solutions for their cherished pets.

Seasonal Demand Fluctuations

The seasonal variability in demand can present an important challenge to the pet boarding industry. Peak travel times, such as summer and during holidays, witnesses an increase in demand for boarding. In low season  such as winter months, or immediately following holiday times, the demand decreases substantially, creating challenges in terms of resource under-utilization, and lost revenue. Such variability creates complexities with staffing, dynamics pricing structures and operational efficiency. To address these issues, pet boarding facilities may need to implement variable pricing to adjust to lower demand periods, initial staffing changes during lower occupancy, and promote marketing campaigns to increase occupancy through periods of lower demand. Navigating the seasonal fluctuations and change is important to sustain profitability and quality of service throughout the year.

Integrating wellness services

Introducing wellness services creates a unique opportunity within the boarding pet sector to create unique and enhance the value proposition. Such services can include health checkups, grooming services, nutritional consultations, and fitness services. A focus on wellness will be attractive to pet owners that are seeking the best service for their pets. The additional focus around wellness will also elevate a pet's experience at boarding, increase customer loyalty, and can command a higher price point for services rendering. Further, if wellness services add additional ties to veterinary resources or pet product suppliers, boarding facilities may gain additional revenue opportunities and a reputation as a universal pet care provider. Utilizing these opportunities can lead to higher occupancy rates and stronger market position within the pet boarding sector.

Industry Experts Opinion

“The pet boarding market is booming as people increasingly view their pets as family members. This shift is creating a surge in demand for high-quality boarding facilities, which in turn is fostering innovation and raising the standards of care across the industry.”

• Mark Goldberg, Founder of PetSmart Charities

One of the benefits of creating a pet sitting business is the potential for low start-up costs. You can get up and running for a little over a thousand dollars these days.

• Daniel Reitman, founder and CEO of Dan’s Pet Care

Segment Analysis

Based on the Pet Type: Dogs Boarding is the largest segment due to their widespread ownership and the need for specialized boarding services that cater to their daily care, exercise, and social interaction needs. Cats also represent a significant portion of the market, with a substantial number of cat owners seeking boarding solutions that offer a stress-free environment tailored to their pets' more independent nature.

Based on Boarding Facility: Kennels and Pet Hotels are the most popular segments. Kennels are widely used for boarding dogs and, occasionally, cats. They offer basic to moderate accommodations, including exercise areas and socialization opportunities, making them a go-to choice for many pet owners due to their affordability and availability. On the other hand, pet hotels cater to those seeking luxury and premium care for their pets, providing high-end amenities like spacious suites, personalized care, and additional services such as grooming and playtime. The growing trend of treating pets as family members has driven the popularity of pet hotels, as owners are increasingly willing to invest in high-quality care.

Regional Analysis

The pet boarding sector in North America has seen remarkable growth supported by rising pet ownership and demand for pet care. The market consists of different type of services, such as traditional kenneling, pet resorts, and in-home boarding. Regional competitors like Camp Bow Wow have many franchise locations across the U.S. and Canada while PetSmart operates a pet hotel chain that involves boarding services. High-end options, such as luxury hotels, like The Doggie Spa and Resort in California, and The Green K9 in Texas, also offer specialized services for affluent clientele.

Furthermore, as technology has improved, customer engagement has evolved, such as online booking and live-streaming cats and dogs. Also, a growing number of competitors are entering the market, thus giving pet owners more choices.

Competitive Landscape

The competitive dynamics of the pet boarding industry feature variety of key factors including both large national brands and chains, regional facilities, and niche or specialized operators. Both PetSmart and Petco have major footprints or presences in the pet boarding market as both major retailers with a broad range of services that include boarding, grooming, and retail services. Specialized providers such as Camp Bow Wow and Rover offer pet boarding or pet care services that target a unique value proposition based on their business models (which also reflect the unique provision of pet care to cater to your pet's specific needs and comforts).

Furthermore, as many pet owners are becoming more aware of what technology can offer, competitively, businesses are responding to the growing demand for convenience, mobile app functionality, and online platforms for the logistics, onboarding, and management of pet care services. Overall, the competitive dynamics of the market will continue to be influenced by innovation, customer service models, and the evolving expectations of pet owners and their pets.

Pet Boarding Market, Company Shares Analysis, 2024

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Recent Developments:

• In March 2024, K9 Resorts Luxury Pet Hotel, a franchise specializing in dog boarding and daycare based in Fanwood, revealed a $10 million investment from its largest multi-unit franchisee.
• In Feb 2024, Blackstone acquires Rover in a $2.3 billion deal, marking a pivotal moment for the pet-sitting platform. This acquisition will drive Rover's growth and expansion, leveraging Blackstone's investment to enhance its services and extend its market presence.

Report Coverage:

Pet Type

• Dogs
• Cats
• Small mammals
• Birds
• Reptiles
• Fish
• Exotic Pets

By Boarding Facility

• Kennels
• Daycare Centers
• Pet Hotels
• In-Home Boarding
• Pet-Sitting Services

By Service Level

• Basic Boarding
• Premium Boarding
• Luxury Boarding
• Specialized Care

By Duration of Stay

• Short-Term Boarding
• Long-Term Boarding

By Region

North America

• U.S.
• Canada

Europe

• U.K.
• France
• Germany
• Italy
• Spain
• Rest of Europe

Asia Pacific

• China
• Japan
• India
• Australia
• South Korea
• Singapore
• Rest of Asia Pacific

Latin America

• Brazil
• Argentina
• Mexico
• Rest of Latin America

Middle East & Africa

• GCC Countries
• South Africa
• Rest of Middle East & Africa

List of Companies:

• Edible Beauty
• Skinade
• Vital Proteins
• The Beauty Chef
• HUM Nutrition
• Moon Juice
• Kora Organics
• Ollipop
• Youtheory
• Sucre
• Nouri
• PuraTHRIVE
• Bliss
• Glow Beauty
• Rae Wellness

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)