Bar chart comparing pet ownership across countries, showing Latin Americans are the world's top dog owners | Sources: GFK, Latinometrics
Latin American Countries are the World's Top Dog Owners

Latin Americans are #teamdog. In fact, they love pets more than any other region, according to data from GFK. In Argentina and Mexico, more than 80% of people surveyed reported having at least one pet.

Mexico's relationship with furry friends extends to ancient times. The Xoloitzcuintle breed, Mexico's national dog, has been found in Mayan burial sites, dating its history as far back as 3,500 years. Mexico's love for dogs is not all positive, though. An estimated 15 to 18 million stray dogs are roaming the streets, which is roughly 70% of all dogs in Mexico — the largest population in any country.

Meanwhile, in Argentina, the country at the top of the list for dog ownership, only 14% of dog owners sterilize their dogs. Compare this to the US, where 80% of dogs are fixed, and there are thousands of shelters that protect them from life on the streets. Whereas that might seem like an attractive solution to fix the problem, it has its cost. It's estimated that out of the 3M abandoned dogs in the US each year, 920K are euthanized due to lack of space.

In Latin American culture, street dogs are embraced — or at least accepted as part of life. It’s not uncommon to see packs of them around the corner from the taco stands in Mexico City or the steakhouses in Buenos Aires, waiting for the cook to come and share the day’s leftovers.

If you're curious, here's a list of some of the traditional Latin American dog breeds.