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Pet Care Services — US Industry Report

Official NAICS classification: Pet care (except veterinary) services (81291)

Also known as: Dog Grooming, Pet Boarding, Dog Walking

The pet care (except veterinary) services industry in the United States generated an estimated ~$15.7B in annual revenue across 25.6K establishments employing 175.1K workers (Census Bureau). This 24-page report analyzes industry performance, competitive dynamics, and delivers 5-year growth forecasts.

Published by VantaInsights Research TeamLast updated: May 2026NAICS 81291
~$15.7B
Market Size A VantaInsights projection for 2026, not a published federal figure: the 2022 Census Economic Census revenue carried forward at the industry's revenue growth rate. The published 2022 figure is in the report.
5-Year Trend Industry growth direction over 2012-2025. Exact CAGR and year-by-year data available in report.
25.6K
Establishments Total business locations operating in this NAICS-classified industry.
175.1K
Employment Total paid employees across all industry establishments.
$XX.XB
Annual Payroll Total annual wages and salaries. Full payroll data available in report.
Growth
Life Cycle Growing faster than overall economy (GDP growth)

Industry Snapshot

  • ▸Pet care employment growth significantly outpacing broader economic expansion
  • ▸Pet care revenue momentum accelerating with sustained market tailwinds
  • ▸Payroll growth diverging from hiring growth—a structural profitability concern
  • ▸Fragmented market structure dominated by independent operators signals consolidation potential
Full data and exact figures in the report

Table of Contents

1.Executive Summary

Key takeaways, industry definition, and current state overview. Covers the industry's scope, principal activities, NAICS classification context, and a concise snapshot of where the industry stands today. Reading this alone gives decision-makers the high-level picture they need before diving into data-backed chapters.

p. 4
2.Industry Performance

Historical performance analysis covering establishments, employment, and payroll (2012-2025). Examines what has driven industry performance in recent years, how the industry has responded to macroeconomic cycles, and which operating conditions have shaped revenue and labor dynamics. Includes source-cited tables and year-by-year data points.

p. 7
3.Industry Forecast

5-year projections (2026-2030) with base case, bull case, and bear case scenarios. Each scenario combines historical trends, macroeconomic indicators from FRED, and industry-specific signals. Addresses questions on expected trajectory, forecast risk, downside drivers, and the assumptions behind each scenario.

p. 9
4.Industry Outlook

Growth drivers, risk factors, and external environment analysis. Unpacks the forces that will shape the industry over the forecast horizon — demographic shifts, regulatory changes, technology adoption, and cyclical exposure. Frames both the upside opportunities and the structural risks operators and investors should weigh.

p. 12
5.Competitive Landscape

Market structure overview, barriers to entry, and competitive dynamics. Describes how the industry is organized between large incumbents and smaller operators, how fragmented or concentrated it is, and the typical strategies firms use to compete. Named companies and market-share figures are covered at Standard tier and above.

p. 15
6.Operating Conditions

Cost structure, labor requirements, technology factors, and the regulatory environment. Examines where operators spend, how sensitive margins are to input costs, what workforce and technology investments are typical, and which compliance and regulatory constraints shape day-to-day operations and long-term planning.

p. 17
7.SWOT Analysis

Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats — each supported by concrete evidence from the underlying data. Moves beyond generic bullet points by tying each SWOT element to specific metrics, structural trends, or external forces identified elsewhere in the report. Useful for strategic planning and risk assessment.

p. 20
24 pages·9 charts & figures·PDF format

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Industry Analysis

The Pet care (except veterinary) services industry (NAICS 81291) encompasses 25.6K establishments in the United States employing 175.1K workers, generating an estimated ~$15.7B in annual revenue (Census Bureau). Classified within Other Services, the industry is positioned in a growth phase of its life cycle.

This report examines historical performance trends (2012-2025), competitive structure, geographic distribution, and provides a 5-year outlook (2026-2030) with growth drivers, risk factors, and industry-specific SWOT analysis.

Additional trends and insights available with purchase

Products & Services

Key service categories in the Pet care (except veterinary) services industry.

Full service list on the At-a-Glance page in report

Who Uses These Reports

Trusted by professionals who need verified federal data to make decisions

Investors & PE Firms

Size markets, validate deal theses, and benchmark targets with verified federal data before committing capital

Consultants & Advisors

Deliver data-backed recommendations to clients with sourced and cited industry metrics — Census, BLS, and FRED

Founders & Operators

Validate market entry, benchmark against industry averages, and present credible data to investors and boards

Corporate Strategy Teams

Support expansion planning, M&A due diligence, and executive reporting with NAICS-classified industry data

Top Questions Answered

What is the market size of the Pet care (except veterinary) services industry?

The Pet care (except veterinary) services industry generated ~$10.1B in revenue (US Census Economic Census, 2022). Full analysis available in report.

How fast is the Pet care services industry growing?

The Pet care (except veterinary) services industry has demonstrated strong growth over the past decade, consistently outpacing the broader U.S. economy. Full analysis available in report.

What does NAICS 81291 include — and what's excluded?

NAICS 81291 covers establishments primarily engaged in providing pet care services other than veterinary activities, including animal grooming, pet boarding and kenneling, pet sitting, dog walking,... Full analysis available in report.

How many businesses operate in the Pet care services industry?

As of 2023, the Pet care (except veterinary) services industry comprises approximately 25,600 establishments employing around 175,100 workers (Census CBP, 2023) across the United States. Full analysis available in report.

What is the competitive landscape like in the Pet care services industry?

The Pet care services industry is characterized by low-to-moderate barriers to entry, which has produced a fragmented market populated largely by independent local operators and small regional chains. Full analysis available in report.

What is the outlook for the Pet care services industry?

The Pet care services industry is projected to continue its growth trajectory, supported by favorable demographic trends including millennial and Gen Z pet ownership rates that exceed those of prior... Full analysis available in report.

How does compensation and wages compare within the Pet care services industry?

Compensation in the Pet care services industry varies considerably by role, with groomers and certified trainers typically earning more than boarding attendants or general kennel staff due to the... Full analysis available in report.

Who are the major players in the Pet care services industry?

The industry is served by a mix of national platform operators with branded retail and franchise footprints, regional multi-location chains, and a large base of independent local providers. Full analysis available in report.

Get complete answers with detailed growth rates, forecasts, and competitive analysis.

Methodology

This report is produced using AI-assisted analysis of official US government data sources. Our methodology combines automated data collection from federal statistical databases with AI-assisted synthesis and validation. Every numerical claim undergoes a validation pass against source data.

The Census Bureau's County Business Patterns and Economic Census provide establishment counts, employment, and payroll broken out by NAICS industry and geography. The Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW program supplies wage data by industry. The Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED) service contributes macroeconomic indicators used for industry forecasting — GDP, interest rates, housing starts, and sector-specific indices.

Data freshness varies by source: Census CBP has a ~2 year lag, BLS lags 6-9 months, and FRED provides near real-time macroeconomic data. Each report includes a data currency section showing exact year ranges.

Read our full methodology →

Data Sources

Every chart, table, and claim in this report traces back to a published federal statistical database. Each data point in the PDF shows its source so you can verify it against the original dataset.

Historical data range
2012-2025
Market size derivation
Est. via Revenue CAGR (Census Economic Census baseline)

Report Details

NAICS Code81291 - Pet care (except veterinary) services
NAICS Vintage2017
Industry SectorOther Services
Report TierBasic
Geographic CoverageUnited States
Historical Data2012-2025
Forecast Period2026-2030
Page Count24 pages
FormatPDF
Data SourcesCensus, BLS, FRED
Last UpdatedMay 2026
AnalysisAI-assisted
Pet Care ServicesDog GroomingPet BoardingDog Walkingpetcare(exceptveterinary)servicesNAICS 81291market sizeindustry forecast

Industry Classification (NAICS)

Where this industry sits in the North American Industry Classification System.

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