PET Boarding Services Market Size & Share Analysis - Growth Trends And Forecast (2025 - 2030)

Global Pet Boarding Services Market Trends and Insights

Rising Pet-Ownership & Humanization

Pet humanization now drives measurable premiumization. The American Pet Products Association found that 97% of owners consider pets family members, a perspective that supports higher willingness to pay for individualized boarding services. Luxury pet resorts are therefore expanding at a 13.87% CAGR as operators add aquatic daycare, spa grooming, and real-time webcam access that mimic human hospitality standards. Beyond North America, China’s pet sector is predicted to reach EUR 104.3 billion by 2025 as single-person urban households treat animals as family substitutes. Europe mirrors this pattern: half of households own pets and increasingly favor premium boarding for emotional assurance during travel. These attitudes underpin resilient demand across income brackets, shielding operators from macroeconomic volatility.

Growth in Dual-Income Travel Frequency

Pre-pandemic travel volumes have returned, but remote-work flexibility now extends average trip length, lifting demand for extended-stay bookings that are growing at an 11.85% CAGR. Corporate benefit trends amplify the effect: 39% of owners previously skipped trips due to care gaps, prompting employers to fund boarding stipends that cut price sensitivity. “Workations” blend leisure with business travel, often lasting multiple weeks and requiring facilities capable of administering medications and managing chronic conditions. Operators capturing this segment emphasize medical oversight, daily video updates, and structured enrichment programs.

Franchise Expansion of Pet-Care Chains

Private equity sees the pet boarding services market as defensive and scalable. Propelled Brands’ purchase of Camp Bow Wow added 200+ sites to a portfolio exceeding 1,300 locations. Standardized protocols, centralized purchasing, and shared booking technology cut costs and support rapid rollouts. Franchisees benefit from turnkey marketing and training, while consumers gain predictable service quality across geographies. Global expansion is accelerating as brands leverage proven U.S. models to enter APAC cities where pet ownership is climbing.

AI-Enabled Real-Time Pet Monitoring

IoT sensors maintain USDA-recommended kennel temperatures between 60 °F and 68 °F, flagging deviations instantly^{[1]Monnit, “Temperature Monitoring Systems for K9 Units & Pet Kennels,” monnit.com}. Video analytics track activity levels, while AI chatbots streamline client communication and scheduling. These systems document care, reduce risk, and command premium rates. Owners gain transparency through mobile apps that deliver live feeds and daily health reports, heightening trust and enabling longer bookings.

High Cost of Boarding Services

Average U.S. daily rates reached USD 44.99 in 2025, with upscale centers charging up to USD 180 per day^{[2]Goose, “Sneak Peek: 2025 Pet Boarding Prices,” goose.pet}. Metropolitan disparities compound affordability issues; Washington D.C. averages USD 62.47, twice Mississippi’s USD 31.24. Seasonal surcharges push holiday prices to USD 60 nightly. Financing solutions such as Synchrony’s CareCredit installment program now extend across 60 Pet Paradise locations, but primarily benefit higher-income owners. Price-sensitive consumers may still opt for informal sitters, constraining addressable demand in cost-intensive cities.

Peer-to-Peer Sitters Cannibalising Kennels

Marketplace apps match owners with home-based caregivers at lower prices, capturing volume from traditional facilities. Yet quality incidents—including injuries and fatalities—have raised safety concerns. Rover data show 39% of owners struggle to secure care during peak periods, signaling capacity gaps. Medical boarding, exotic pet services, and extended stays remain difficult to replicate in peer homes, giving professional operators defensible niches. Many facilities now highlight insurance coverage, certified staff, and 24-hour veterinary access to differentiate from platform sitters.

Segment Analysis

By Pet Type: Dogs Drive Volume, Small Mammals Accelerate Growth

Dogs accounted for 78.55% of the pet boarding services market in 2024, supported by their social nature and exercise needs that make professional care preferable to in-home alternatives. This segment’s stability ensures predictable baseline demand, enabling facilities to optimize occupancy year-round. Small mammals—rabbits, guinea pigs, and ferrets—are advancing at a 10.25% CAGR. Urban apartment dwellers increasingly favor these compact companions, and specialized boarding suites featuring climate-controlled habitats cater to their unique welfare requirements. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that boarding contributed USD 2.3 billion, or 44% of total pet-care services revenue, with canine clients forming the majority.

Cats represent a sizable yet slower-growing cohort. Feline-only facilities are gaining popularity, reducing stress by eliminating canine interaction. Birds, reptiles, and fish remain niche but command premium fees due to specialized care and limited provider availability. Operators pursuing exotic segments invest in staff certification and bio-secure enclosures, driving differentiation and higher margins. The pet boarding services market size for exotic pets is projected to expand steadily as regulatory clarity and consumer education improve.

Note: Segment shares of all individual segments available upon report purchase

By Care Duration: Daycare Dominates, Extended Stays Surge

Daycare held 52.53% share in 2024, reflecting return-to-office mandates that leave pets home alone for extended hours. Facilities monetize recurring weekday traffic through subscription passes, lowering per-visit costs while boosting utilization. Extended stays, however, are growing fastest at 11.85% CAGR. The pet boarding services market size tied to multi-week bookings is widening as remote professionals combine vacation with remote work. Longer durations require enrichment activities, rotating staff-to-pet ratios, and health monitoring protocols to ensure welfare across weeks rather than days.

Overnight boarding sustains consistent weekend demand but faces margin pressure from peer-to-peer alternatives. To remain competitive, operators bundle nighttime care with daytime group play and bath services, increasing perceived value. Balanced capacity management across half-day, full-day, and multi-week segments is emerging as a key profitability lever.

By Service Type: Group Play Leads, Medical Boarding Accelerates

Group play sessions captured 33.63% revenue in 2024, leveraging dogs’ social instincts while optimizing staff ratios. Rotational playgroups segmented by size and temperament lower injury risk and enhance customer perception of safety. Medical and special-needs boarding is expanding at 13.87% CAGR, driven by aging pet populations and rising chronic conditions such as diabetes and arthritis. The pet boarding services market share for medical boarding is expected to widen as owners seek facilities equipped with on-site veterinary technicians, medication-dispensing protocols, and emergency response capabilities.

Classic exercise add-ons—treadmill runs, swimming pools, agility courses—remain popular. Facilities also cross-sell grooming, training, and treat-manufacturing workshops to deepen customer engagement. A diversified service stack positions operators to capture greater wallet share and hedge against competitive incursions.

By Booking Channel: Online Marketplaces Lead, Direct Platforms Accelerate

Online marketplaces controlled 60.13% of bookings in 2024, offering price transparency and instant comparison. Commission fees, however, erode facility margins. Consequently, company-owned portals are scaling at 12.7% CAGR as operators deploy SEO tactics, loyalty programs, and mobile apps to redirect traffic. Integrated CRM modules track vaccination records, send renewal reminders, and automate upsell offers, deepening lifetime value. The pet boarding services market size attributable to direct digital sales is projected to double by 2030 as data ownership becomes a strategic asset.

Offline walk-ins serve urgent needs and clients less comfortable with digital channels. Nevertheless, omnichannel experiences—allowing users to tour via video, reserve online, and pay contactlessly on-site—are becoming baseline expectations. AI chatbots cut response times, enhancing conversion rates and freeing staff for pet care duties.

Note: Segment shares of all individual segments available upon report purchase

By Facility Type: Home-Based Boarding Leads, Luxury Resorts Surge

Home-based care claimed 37.13% revenue in 2024, favored by owners who perceive residential environments as less stressful. Operators often limit capacity to maintain personalized attention, commanding mid-tier pricing. Luxury pet resorts, growing at 13.87% CAGR, offer suites with climate control, memory-foam beds, and webcam access. Upscale add-ons—massage therapy, gourmet meals, and chef-crafted treats—cater to affluent owners seeking hotel-level amenities.

Traditional kennels are modernizing with noise-dampening materials, natural light corridors, and enrichment gardens to maintain relevance. Veterinary-clinic boarding combines medical expertise with housing, appealing to chronic-care and post-operative cases. Mobile and pop-up models—temporary kennels at events or in apartment complexes—address short-term spikes in demand but face scalability hurdles.

Geography Analysis

North America retained 41.63% of global revenue in 2024, underpinned by 66% U.S. household pet ownership and robust franchise penetration. Corporate pet benefits and private-equity-backed consolidation spur steady expansion. Updated USDA regulations mandating written veterinary-care programs raise compliance costs but reinforce consumer trust in professional operators^{[3]Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, “Licensing Rule: Veterinary Care for Dogs,” aphis.usda.gov}. In Canada, import-rule adjustments for pet supplements signal tightening oversight that may boost domestic boarding demand. Mexico’s rapid urbanization and rising disposable incomes create white-space for value-oriented home-based providers.

Europe exhibits heterogeneous regulation and cultural norms. Germany and France emphasize stringent welfare standards, while the United Kingdom’s post-Brexit travel paperwork encourages domestic boarding. EU animal-welfare directives raise operating costs but allow facilities to charge premiums for certified conditions. Cross-border franchise chains leverage standardized protocols to navigate diverse national frameworks, with consolidation expected to intensify.

Asia-Pacific is the growth frontier at a 9.87% CAGR. Millennial pet parents in China, South Korea, and Japan treat animals as family, driving adoption of premium features. India and Southeast Asia present mixed income profiles; bundled daycare and vaccination packages resonate with middle-class segments. The region’s fragmented provider base offers acquisition targets for global chains seeking first-mover advantage. Local partnerships are critical as zoning laws, cultural attitudes, and veterinary-service availability vary widely among metropolitan areas.