The state of the market today
The market of dog and cat sales in Ukraine is a huge sphere, which exists in parallel with all other industries, but remains virtually unregulated. And at the same time – extremely profitable. Every year thousands of Ukrainians buy animals: some are looking for a “pedigree friend for the soul”, others are looking for an “Instagram baby”, and still others are looking for “breeding”.
Despite the martial law, interest in pets is not decreasing – on the contrary, in 2022-2024 there was an increase in demand for small breed dogs, which are easy to transport and keep even in temporary housing. Cats remain always popular – especially among residents of apartments and cities where there are no conditions for walking.
Today, the main sales channels are:
OLX – the largest open platform, where the whole spectrum of sellers is represented: from breeders to re-buyers and just random “give because they gave birth”. There – hundreds and thousands of new ads every day.
Instagram and TikTok are the new era of pet trading. The picture is the most important thing. A good video of a puppy in the arms of a child or on the background of a blanket – and the buyer is already in the directories.
Specialized sites – like board.ua, zoomarket.ua or bredli.com.ua – are popular among those who are looking for a breeding animal.
Breedingkennels (especially registered in the CCU or FCI) – here sell only pedigree animals with pedigree and contract. But such buyers are a minority – because prices can reach from 1000 to 5000 dollars.
Prices range from a few hundred hryvnia (for a mongrel kitten with “beautiful eyes”) to tens of thousands of hryvnia for a purebred French Bulldog, Spitz or Bengal cat. And what is interesting – there is demand at all levels. Ukrainians are equally ready to buy a dog as a “budget fluffy” and an expensive representative of a fashionable breed.
It is important that the majority of buyers do not even think about the documents – “only if it was beautiful”. That is why the market is built not on official kennels, but on semi-shady sellers who work from home, without records, without guarantees – and often without understanding what exactly they are selling.
Problems and risks
The world of selling dogs and cats in Ukraine has one key word – chaos. Everything is mixed here: mongrel animals are sold as “mini yorkies”, sick kittens look like plush dreams on photos, and people who want a “friend for life” often get – pain, expense and disappointment. It is for this reason that we set out to write this article. The problems are many. And here are the most serious of them.
Lack of any oversight
No one in the state regulates the sale of animals. There is no unified registry, no breeding license is needed, the health of the parents is not checked. This means that anyone can become a seller. Today kittens are born – tomorrow they are already on Instagram with the hashtag #kotikizdelivery.
Buyer fraud is rampant
“Mini Chihuahua” grows into a dog of 6 kilos. “Spitz” turns out to be a litter with a mongrel. Photo from the announcement – from Pinterest. Especially often it concerns fashionable breeds: pugs, Frenchies, Spitzes, Bengals. People want “fashion” – re-buyers give a “similar copy”.
It happens that the animal is shown live – different, beautiful. And then handed “wrong” after prepayment or delivery. In the best case – just do not answer. At worst – blackmail or disappear.
The spread of genetic diseases and mental problems
Without breeding control, animals pass on hereditary diseases, unstable psyche, aggression. In kennels, this is monitored. Amateurs often breed animals “to be good” – but don’t check for parentage or chronic problems.
Consequence: the animal turns out to be “not as expected”, and really difficult to care for, aggressive or with painful diseases that are not treated.
Discarded or returned animals are a massive phenomenon
When a “pug given to a child” turns out to be unmanageable, when a “darling kitty” does not get along with a newborn, or when a “mini-Yorkie” turns out to be a common mongrel – the animal is simply taken away. In the best case – transferred to a foster home or in groups “to give away”. In the worst case – they leave it at the dacha, throw it out in the field, or drop it off at a veterinary clinic.
This creates a new wave of problems: homelessness, overload of volunteers, and, strangely enough, even greater distrust of “honest” zoobusiness.
Trends and prospects
Despite the problems, the market of selling dogs and cats in Ukraine is gradually evolving. Yes, it is far from ideal, but there is a growing number of buyers who want more than just a “pretty face” – they are looking for a healthy, socialized animal with a confirmed origin. And that’s already starting to change the market model itself.
Demand for small breeds and “designer” mixes
Spitzes, yorkies, chihuahuas, French bulldogs, Maltipoos, pomskies – these are at the top today. And not only because they are cute, they are chosen because of convenience: less space, easier to feed, easier to transport. Especially relevant in conditions of war, evacuations, life in temporary housing.
Popularity is gaining and “designer” mixes – mixes of popular breeds with a clear look, but without official recognition (for example, pomapu – spitz + poodle). They are not recognized by cynological unions, but on Instagram they collect thousands of likes. This is the new “fashion”, and the market is already adjusting.
There is a growing interest in proven kennels
More and more Ukrainians ask: “Are there documents? What line of parents? What guarantees?” And this is a good sign. More often they choose breeders with reputation, read reviews, ask for videos, demand a clear contract. This is especially true for medium and large sized dogs – because the consequences of a wrong choice can be serious.
The zoo community is moving toward self-regulation
As long as the state does not intervene, the market begins to put order itself. There are communities in social networks that expose fraudsters, share “black lists” of sellers, and advise trusted kennels. Some breeders publish contracts, prescribe the terms of return.
Conclusion
The dog and cat sales market in Ukraine is huge, chaotic, but alive. It breathes fashion, instincts and profit. There are a lot of dark zones here, but there is a movement – demand for quality, demand for responsibility, desire to do better.
And if before the main question was “is there a photo?”, now it is more and more often “And in what conditions does she live?”, “And where are the documents?”, “And how long did the parents live?”. These are small things – but it is with such small things that the real evolution of the market begins.
