The World Pet Association (WPA) and BSM Partners released the first petLENS Pulse reports, which found that surveyed pet owners continue to protect pet spending while becoming more selective about their purchases. The inaugural September release includes Total Species, Dog and Cat reports, available free to anyone who creates an account at petlens.org.
petLENS Pulse is the monthly report component of petLENS, a market intelligence platform announced in August. The September reports reflect August consumer sentiment data and draw on seven months of tracking that began in February 2026. The Total Species report covers dog, cat, fish, bird, reptile/amphibian, small mammal and horse categories.
“As pet owners’ priorities shift, understanding those changes is critical for businesses across the pet industry,” said Mike Karsting, WPA senior vice president. “petLENS Pulse gives the industry current consumer insights that can help inform decisions about everything from product development to how companies connect with pet owners.”
Total Species report findings
According to the Total Species report:
- Nonessential spending fell below baseline in August, suggesting owners are more selective about discretionary pet purchases.
- Interest in U.S. products remained high, which the report said gives manufacturers opportunities to use domestic sourcing to build trust and reinforce quality and transparency.
- Trust in pet food was high but slipped below its year-to-date average.
- Brand and product discovery cooled, while brand fatigue climbed, which may indicate owners are more demanding about why a brand deserves their loyalty.
- More pet owners said they worry about paying large, unplanned veterinary bills.
“This month’s data doesn’t point to pet owners pulling back, at least not across the board,” said Michael Johnson, principal of marketing, insights and innovation at BSM Partners. “They continue to spend on their pets, but we are seeing more consideration around where those dollars go. That distinction matters for businesses trying to understand where consumers are willing to spend and where they may be becoming more selective.”
Survey methodology
petLENS Pulse surveys at least 4,000 pet owners each month across species using a consistent core questionnaire. Species-level findings show what is happening among owners within individual pet segments, while combined results provide an aggregated cross-species view of the petLENS sample.
The three September issues are free. Pricing will take effect in October 2026. More information is available at petlens.org.
