{"topic_id":"intl_hk_006","category":"intl-2026","context":"---\ntopic_id: intl_hk_006\ncategory: INTL-HK\ntitle: HK Section 6\nlang: en\nsource: hk_local.pdf\ndate_parsed: 2026-07-18\ntokens_estimated: 798\n---\n\nSECTION III. PET OWNERSHIP\nIn 2025, pet ownership trends in Hong Kong continued to diverge between dogs and cats. The dog\npopulation declined to 273,000, a 16 percent decrease from 2021, while the cat population grew by 18\npercent over the same period to reach 340,000. These shifts reflect broader demographic changes in the\ncity, including emigration and negative natural population growth, which have reduced the number of\nlong-term resident households that have traditionally owned dogs. At the same time, immigration\ninflows under various talent and visa schemes have not yet resulted in significant increases in pet\nownership, as many new arrivals are less likely to keep pets immediately after relocating. Post-pandemic\nlifestyle changes have also influenced ownership patterns, with more residents spending time outside the\n2\n3\n\nRetained imports=Gross Imports- Re-exports\nTrade Data Monitor\n\nhome and favoring lower-maintenance pets such as cats that are better suited to Hong Kong’s dense\nurban living environment.\nHong Kong: Table 4 – Pet Population ('000 of animals)\nThousands of\nAnimals\nDog Population\nCat Population\n\nGrowth\n(2023 v 2024)\n-2.5%\n2.4%\n\n(Source: Euromonitor International)\n","sources":[],"tokens_estimated":798,"generated_at":null,"tip":"Use /api/v1/topics to discover more topics. /api/v1/nutrient for precise single-point queries. /api/v1/cross_compare for 2-3 standard comparisons."}