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 ~$15.0B 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.
Industry Snapshot
- ▸Pet Care Employment Growth Significantly Outpacing Broader Economic Expansion
- ▸Fragmented Market Structure Masking Sustained Payroll Expansion Across Operators
- ▸Revenue Acceleration Demonstrating Momentum Diverging from Historical Baseline
- ▸Payroll Growth Outpacing Headcount Gains—Indicating Wage Pressure in Labor Market
Table of Contents
1.Executive Summaryp. 5
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.
2.Industry Performancep. 6
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.
3.Industry Forecastp. 9
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.
4.Industry Outlookp. 12
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.
5.Competitive Landscapep. 15
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.
6.Operating Conditionsp. 18
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.
7.SWOT Analysisp. 20
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.
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The Pet care (except veterinary) services industry (NAICS 81291) encompasses 25.6K establishments in the United States employing 175.1K workers, generating an estimated ~$15.0B 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.
Products & Services
Key service categories in the Pet care (except veterinary) services industry.
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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 has the pet care services industry grown?
Revenue has followed a strong growth trajectory across the last Economic Census decade, and employment rose over 2019-2023 (Census CBP). Full analysis available in report.
What is the outlook for the pet care services industry?
The industry is projected to continue its growth trajectory, because both the decade of revenue growth and the 2019-2023 rise in employment point in the same direction. Full analysis available in report.
What does NAICS 81291 cover?
NAICS 81291 is defined by the U.S. Census Bureau (NAICS 2017) as: "This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in providing pet care services (except veterinary), such as boarding,... Full analysis available in report.
How many pet care services businesses are there in the U.S.?
There were 25.6K pet care services establishments in the United States (Census CBP, 2023), employing 175.1K people (Census CBP, 2023). Full analysis available in report.
How competitive is the pet care services industry?
The industry's size label is Fragmented, which reflects a small average establishment size. Full analysis available in report.
Do pet care workers' wages keep up with inflation?
Yes. Average weekly wages in the industry kept ahead of inflation in recent years, meaning real purchasing power for the typical worker improved rather than eroded. Full analysis available in report.
Who are the major players in the pet care services industry?
The industry has no dominant operators visible in the structure of the data. Full analysis available in report.
Get complete answers with detailed growth rates, forecasts, and competitive analysis.
Methodology
Every figure in this report is official US government data, computed in code and checked against the source by an automated validation pass. The text is drafted with AI, then read, reviewed and corrected where needed by a person. How we use AI
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.
- U.S. Census Bureau — County Business Patterns & Economic Census
- Bureau of Labor Statistics — QCEW
- Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED)
Report Details
Industry Classification (NAICS)
Where this industry sits in the North American Industry Classification System.
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