Facts & Figures

These statistics help drive our mission to provide lower cost, high quality pharmaceuticals for the care of animals:

  • 37% of U.S. households have dogs, and 31% have cats; there are approximately 70 million dogs and 75 million cats living at pets in the US
  • 77% of dogs and 53% of cats have been medicated in the past year
  • 86% of FDA-approved animal drugs do not have a generic version
  • Comparison to the human market: Of the top 20 human drugs that lost patent protection between 2005 and 2007, 100% went generic; of the top 20 veterinary companion animal drugs during the same time frame, only 20% went generic
  • Pet owners pay out-of-pocket for medications; less than 2% of pet owners have pet insurance
  • Pets are living longer and experiencing health issues associated with old age that require chronic medications (arthritis, kidney disease, metabolic disorders)
  • The AGDUFA legislation marks the beginning of a new era for animal health. Much as generics have changed the face of human healthcare — making drugs more affordable for Americans — the timely availability of animal generics will allow pet owners access to lower cost medications so they can treat their pets that are considered members of the family
  • In the United States, food animals comprise 47% of the animal health business, companion animal 43% and equine 10%
  • There are nearly 100 million cattle, 65 million pigs, and billions of chickens and turkeys in the United States
  • Beef is the number one protein in America according to USDA consumption data; yearly per capita beef consumption in 2009 was 58.4 pounds