Many Australians are cutting back on takeaway coffees, nights out and impulse purchases. But when it comes to their pets, statistics show that they’re still willing to spend.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!From premium food and supplements to grooming products and preventative health solutions, pet owners are continuing to prioritise the wellbeing of their four-legged family members despite ongoing cost of living pressures.
It is a trend Melbourne founded pet care company PawLab has experienced firsthand.
What started as a pet odour solution bottled by hand in a garage has grown into a business generating approximately $9.5 million in annual revenue, with plans to expand into grooming, supplements and preventative pet care.
For co-founder Tyron Lazar Tromp, the growth reflects a significant shift in how Australians view pet ownership.
“Pets are increasingly being treated like family members,” he says.
“We are seeing pet care follow a similar trajectory to human wellness.
“Customers are looking for solutions that support their pets across multiple stages of life rather than simply solving a single problem.”
The business began in 2020 when co-founder Selwyn Lazar identified strong demand for effective pet odour solutions while working on the shop floor at Godfreys.
After sourcing an enzyme based formula through a biochemist contact, he began bottling the product in his garage and selling directly to customers at local markets.
The response was immediate. Customers kept coming back.
What started as a simple cleaning product quickly revealed something bigger. Australians were willing to invest in products that genuinely improved life for both pets and their owners.
When Tyron Lazar-Tromp later joined the business, he applied his performance marketing expertise to scale the company online.
Analysing search trends revealed thousands of Australians actively seeking pet care solutions each month, validating what the founders were already seeing firsthand.
Enter The PawLab Products
Launched on a $10,000 credit card, PawLab generated approximately $663,000 in its first year before growing into a multimillion dollar business generating approximately $9.5 million annually.
The company’s growth comes at a time when many Australian households are feeling the squeeze.
Mortgage repayments, groceries, utilities and insurance costs continue to rise, forcing consumers to make difficult decisions about where they spend their money.
Yet pet care continues to buck the trend. The reason is simple. Pets are no longer viewed as animals that live in the backyard. They are companions, emotional support systems and valued members of the family.
As a result, spending on their health, comfort and wellbeing is increasingly viewed as a necessity rather than a luxury.
This changing mindset is driving growth across premium pet food, grooming, supplements and preventative health categories, mirroring trends seen in the human wellness sector.
Consumers are becoming more proactive about supporting their pets’ long term health and quality of life.
For PawLab, that shift is creating opportunities well beyond its original cleaning products, with the company now expanding into new categories as demand continues to grow.
And as pet ownership evolves into pet parenting, that trend shows no signs of slowing down.
You can find more about The PawLab here: pawlab.com.au
🐾 FUN FACTS: Australia Is More Pet-Obsessed Than Ever
🏡 Nearly 3 in 4 Aussie homes have a pet
A record 73% of Australian households now own at least one pet, up from 69% in 2022 and just 61% in 2019.
🐶 There are more pets than people
Australia is home to an estimated 31.6 million pets living in 7.7 million households. That’s more pets than Australia’s human population.
📈 Pet ownership is booming
More than 800,000 additional households have welcomed pets over the past three years, adding around 2.9 million more animals to Australian homes.
✨ New to pet parenting? You’re not alone
One in five pet owners (20%) are first-time pet parents, showing the nation’s love affair with furry, feathered and finned companions is still growing.
❤️ Pets make us happier
According to the survey, 86% of pet owners say their pet has a positive impact on their life, boosting both mental and physical wellbeing.
💰 We spend big on our best friends
Australians now spend more than $21 billion a year on pet food, healthcare, grooming, toys and accessories.
📊 Source
Animal Medicines Australia, Pets in Australia: A National Survey of Pets and People 2025 (survey of 2,450 Australians conducted February–March 2025). For more information visit Animal Medicines Australia and the Pet Industry Association of Australia.
