Romania, European leader in cats and dogs. What life with furry companions looks like in the capital

If you have the impression that Bucharest has become a city increasingly full of dogs on leashes, cats at windows, and aquariums in living rooms, you are not wrong. The capital has a fondness for company with fur, scales, or feathers — and the numbers confirm it.

Romania in the European top: how many pets do we actually have?

There is no official census of pets at the level of Bucharest or Romania. This is an important reality to state from the outset: all available figures come from industry estimates, representative surveys, or reports by European professional organisations — not from complete state registers.

The most credible pan-European source is FEDIAF (the European Pet Food Industry Federation), which publishes annual aggregated data based on reports from its national member associations. According to the FEDIAF report published in 2024 (covering data from 2022–2023):

• Romania has an estimated total pet population of around 9.2 million animals
• 48% of Romanian households own at least one cat — the highest share in Europe
• Around 43–45% of households own at least one dog — placing Romania second or third in the EU, after Poland

In absolute numbers, FEDIAF and Euromonitor estimates point to approximately 4.1–4.2 million dogs and 4.3–4.4 million cats with owners in Romania. The difference compared to a decade ago is significant: in 2010, the owned dog population was estimated at around 4.17 million, dipped slightly in subsequent years, and only gradually returned to similar levels after 2019.

Bucharest: a city of animal lovers, without precise statistics

At the level of the capital, the statistical picture is even less clear. There is no up-to-date public register of pets in Bucharest. The RomPetID system, managed by the College of Veterinary Physicians and coordinated by ANSVSA (the National Sanitary Veterinary and Food Safety Authority), registers microchipped dogs — but coverage is incomplete, since microchipping only became mandatory in Romania on 15 March 2014.

Existing estimates suggest that one in three families in Bucharest owns a pet, and that the number of pet owners in the capital exceeds 600,000 — a figure cited by industry sources without a verifiable institutional basis.

What is certain: dogs remain the most popular in the capital, followed by cats. The INSCOP Research survey of September 2025 (a representative sample of 1,103 people) shows a national preference of 47.6% for dogs versus 21.2% for cats — with the remainder choosing other animals or multiple species simultaneously.

Evolution over time: from communism to the boom of the 2020s

Romanians' relationship with pets has followed a winding path. The urban resettlement policies of the 1980s, which forced populations out of houses and into apartment blocks, triggered a wave of abandonments and gave rise to stray dogs as a mass urban phenomenon. The effects of that period marked Bucharest for decades.

After 1990, with the liberalisation of the market, trade in animals and pet products grew steadily. The years 2010–2015 marked a first wave of market maturation, with the emergence of pet-shop chains and specialised veterinary clinics. The pandemic of 2020–2021 dramatically accelerated pet adoption, a phenomenon recorded across Europe.

Data from the pet food market confirms this trend: according to NielsenIQ, the Romanian pet food market recorded value growth of 7.5% and volume growth of 7.7% in the period November 2024 – October 2025 compared to the previous year. RetailZoom confirms growth of around 6% in 2025, with a notable shift: cat food overtook dog food in total sales value for the first time — a sign that the "age of cats" is gaining ground.

With an estimated base of 9 million pets, Romania's pet food market is one of the most dynamic categories in food retail.

What other animals do Bucharest residents keep?

Beyond dogs and cats, the picture is diverse. At national level, industry estimates (Animax, Zooland) indicate:

• Ornamental fish: approximately 2 million — the third-largest category
• Apartment birds (budgerigars, canaries, parrots): around 265,000, placing Romania 20th globally in this category
• Rodents (hamsters, guinea pigs, house rabbits): growing, with no credible aggregated national figures available
• Reptiles and exotic animals: a small but rapidly expanding segment — the global exotic pet market is growing at 8.2% annually, a trend felt in Romania through a diversifying pet-shop offer and the emergence of clinics with specialist herpetologists

The legal framework: what obligations do Bucharest owners have?

The regulatory framework has evolved significantly in recent years. Law 205/2004 governs animal protection and the obligations of owners. Since 2014, microchipping dogs is mandatory; they must be registered in RECS (the Register of Dogs with Owners), vaccinated against rabies, and accompanied by a health record in public spaces, in accordance with ANSVSA regulations.

DSVSA Bucharest (the Directorate for Sanitary Veterinary and Food Safety of Bucharest Municipality) oversees the application of these rules at city level.

Conclusion: a city that loves, but does not count

Bucharest is, by all available indications, a city whose pet culture is in full development. Exact figures are missing — there is no official census — but the trends are clear: more animals adopted, more spending per animal, a diversification of species chosen, and legislation trying to keep pace. Cats are gaining ground. Exotic animals are appearing more and more. And above all, the idea that a pet is a member of the family — not an "object" — has taken deep root in the urban mindset of Bucharest.