September 16, 2025
Pet ownership has surged across America, with some states seeing over 70% of households owning pets. But there’s a downside to America’s pet boom: pet allergens are sending 700,000 people to emergency rooms each year, racking up $1.7 billion in healthcare costs that could be prevented. Nationally, pet allergens contribute to 700,000 emergency department visits annually, costing $1.7 billion in preventable healthcare expenses.
Ohio exemplifies this crisis, ranking 6th nationally with a $63 million annual burden from pet allergen-related emergency visits. Ohio’s high pet ownership rate of 62% means millions of homes have elevated indoor allergen levels. When combined with the state’s poor air quality (ranking 36th nationally), these factors create an environment where pet allergens and outdoor pollutants work together to trigger more severe allergic reactions. The result: Ohio accounts for a disproportionate share of the nation’s pet allergen emergency visits.
The following analysis reveals which states face the highest economic burden from pet allergen-related emergency healthcare visits, calculated using population data, national emergency visit rates, and average healthcare costs:
| States Paying the Most | |
|---|---|
|
1. California |
$201.1M |
|
2. Texas |
$154.0M |
|
3. Florida |
$111.4M |
|
4. New York |
$87.4M |
|
5. Pennsylvania |
$68.2M |
|
6. Ohio |
$63.4M |
|
7. Illinois |
$55.2M |
|
8. North Carolina |
$54.6M |
|
9. Michigan |
$54.7M |
|
10. Georgia |
$50.2M |
| States Paying the Least | |
|---|---|
|
50. Wyoming |
$3.5M |
|
49. Vermont |
$3.8M |
|
48. Alaska |
$4.2M |
|
47. North Dakota |
$4.2M |
|
46. South Dakota |
$3.8M |
|
45. Delaware |
$5.3M |
|
44. Rhode Island |
$4.7M |
|
43. Montana |
$6.0M |
|
42. Maine |
$7.6M |
|
41. New Hampshire |
$6.6M |
The states with the highest pet allergen healthcare costs share several concerning characteristics that could amplify their risk:
| Air Quality Index | |
|---|---|
|
1. Utah |
51.2 |
|
2. Georgia |
48.2 |
|
3. Ohio |
48.2 |
|
4. West Virginia |
47.6 |
|
5. Indiana |
47.5 |
|
… |
|
|
46. Maine |
36.5 |
|
47. Oregon |
36.1 |
|
48. Washington |
33.5 |
|
49. Alaska |
29.1 |
|
50. Hawaii |
21.2 |
| Asthma Rate | |
|---|---|
|
1. Rhode Island |
12.6% |
|
2. Maine |
12.5% |
|
3. New Hampshire |
12.1% |
|
4. West Virginia |
12.1% |
|
5. Vermont |
11.8% |
|
… |
|
|
46. North Dakota |
8.4% |
|
47. Texas |
8.4% |
|
48. South Dakota |
8.3% |
|
49. Nebraska |
8.2% |
|
50. Hawaii |
8.1% |
| Industrial Pollution | |
|---|---|
|
1. Delaware |
3,460 |
|
2. Indiana |
3,384 |
|
3. Nevada |
3,359 |
|
4. Louisiana |
3,134 |
|
5. Ohio |
2,234 |
|
… |
|
|
46. Wyoming |
197 |
|
47. New Mexico |
181 |
|
48. South Dakota |
114 |
|
49. New Hampshire |
45 |
|
50. Vermont |
42 |
Poor Air Quality: Ohio’s air quality problems amplify the pet allergen crisis. With an AQI of 48.2 ranking 36th nationally, Ohio joins other high-burden states like California (AQI 46.0), Pennsylvania (AQI 45.6), and Illinois (AQI 43.6) in having poor outdoor air that worsens indoor allergen problems. When outdoor pollution infiltrates Ohio homes already containing pet allergens, it creates a compound effect that can trigger more severe allergic reactions.
Pet Ownership Patterns: With pet ownership rates of 62% in Ohio, 60% in Pennsylvania, and 62% in Michigan – all well above the national average of 59.5% — these states have significantly more households exposed to pet allergens.
Ohio can be seen as a case study in how pet ownership amplifies existing air quality problems. Ohio has approximately 3 million pet-owning households, potentially exposing family members to elevated allergen levels.
The Asthma Burden: Ohio already struggles with respiratory health, recording 955,000 adults and 160,000 children with asthma — a 10% adult rate that ranks among the worst nationally. These 1.12 million Ohioans with compromised respiratory systems are particularly vulnerable to pet allergen exposure.
Air Quality Challenges: Ohio’s AQI of 48.2 ranks 36th nationally, with 88 days of unhealthy air quality annually. The state faces over 2,000 pounds of industrial toxins per square mile — nearly 53 times Vermont’s level. Columbus, Cincinnati, and Dayton residents already breathe compromised air before pet allergens enter the equation.
The Perfect Storm: When Ohio’s 62% pet ownership rate meets poor outdoor air quality and high asthma rates, the result is predictable: over 25,000 emergency visits annually costing $63 million. This represents $21 per pet-owning household in preventable healthcare costs.
The science behind pet allergen health impacts reveals why proper HVAC systems are necessary for public health. Pet ownership alters indoor air quality through multiple mechanisms that create measurable, dangerous conditions in American homes.
Pet Allergens Stick Around: Homes with cats have 100 times more cat allergens in the air than homes without cats, while dog-owning homes have 40 times more dog allergens. These invisible particles stay in carpets, furniture, and air for over 6 months, even after pets are removed. Pet allergens spread so easily on clothing and shoes that they’re found in nearly every American home, including those that have never had pets.
Pets affect indoor air in several ways: they shed allergens, track in outdoor pollution, boost bacteria levels, and make other air quality problems worse. The persistence of allergens — remaining on surfaces for months and becoming resuspended with minimal disturbance — creates chronic exposure scenarios even with cleaning interventions.
HEPA filters work well for most pet allergens, but nearly a quarter of cat allergens are so small they can slip through even high-quality filters. Professional air quality monitoring at pet breathing height reveals that standard cleaning activities temporarily worsen air quality by resuspending settled allergens, necessitating careful timing of cleaning activities and use of appropriate filtration.
Research shows correlations between pet ownership and changes in indoor air quality, with the strongest associations found in people who are already allergic or genetically susceptible. The measurable changes in air quality metrics and the substantial public health burden — including 700,000 emergency visits and $1.7 billion in healthcare costs annually — demonstrate that pets represent a significant source of indoor air pollution with serious health consequences for vulnerable populations.
Proper HVAC filtration can significantly reduce pet allergens in homes, offering families a way to keep their pets while protecting their health. The technology exists today — the challenge is getting families to understand the connection between their heating and cooling system and their emergency room visits.
The Current Crisis:
How HVAC Systems Help: Standard MERV 8 filters capture just 50% of pet allergens. Upgrading to MERV 11-13 filters captures 90% of pet allergens — a dramatic improvement that can reduce the particles floating through your home.
For families with severe allergies, whole-home HEPA systems remove 99% of particles 0.3 microns and larger. These systems integrate with existing heating and cooling equipment to clean air throughout the entire house, not just single rooms.
The Maintenance Factor: Pet-owning families need different maintenance schedules. While homes without pets can change filters every 90 days, pet owners should change filters every 30-60 days to maintain effectiveness. Professional HVAC maintenance ensures systems operate efficiently and filters work properly.
The Economics Make Sense:
Logan Services has helped thousands of Ohio families improve their indoor air quality through proper filtration and maintenance, allowing them to keep their pets while reducing health risks. Professional HVAC solutions let families enjoy their pets without risking their health.
The data supports what HVAC professionals have observed for decades: proper air filtration and system maintenance may help reduce healthcare costs while potentially improving quality of life for families with pets and asthma.
Advanced Filtration Makes the Difference: HVAC professionals recommend MERV 11-13 filtration systems that capture 90% of pet allergens, compared to standard MERV 8 filters that capture only 50%. For families with severe allergies, whole-home HEPA systems achieve 99% efficiency for particles 0.3 microns and larger.
Installation Quality Matters: Industry experts emphasize that proper installation is almost as important as equipment selection. Pet-owning households require customized approaches: enhanced filtration, modified maintenance schedules, and air circulation patterns that standard installations often miss.
Professional Installation and Service: HVAC systems require proper installation and regular maintenance to effectively reduce pet allergens. Professional companies ensure systems are correctly sized, filters are properly fitted, and maintenance schedules are appropriate for pet-owning households.
For Ohio’s 1 million residents with asthma and 3 million households with pets, professional HVAC solutions offer a proven intervention. When families invest in proper air quality systems, they’re investing in their family’s health and financial security, turning their heating and cooling system into a defense against emergency room visits.
Methodology: This analysis is based on peer-reviewed research published in Environmental Health Perspectives by Matsui et al. (2017), which identified 700,000 annual emergency department visits in the United States directly caused by pet allergen exposure. The study analyzed data from 2,691 participants across multiple cities, measuring indoor allergen levels and tracking emergency healthcare utilization over several years.
Key Study Findings:
Our Analysis Method: We calculated state-by-state healthcare costs using 2025 U.S. Census population data, with each state’s burden determined by their percentage of the national population applied to the 700,000 annual visits. Emergency visit costs were calculated at $2,448 per visit, based on 2014 healthcare cost data from Academic Emergency Medicine (Hasegawa et al., 2014) adjusted for medical inflation using Bureau of Labor Statistics data and medical inflation rates from Milliman actuarial analysis.
How We Calculated These Numbers: To further refine state-level rankings, we used a custom weighting system that incorporated pet ownership rates, asthma prevalence, and average air quality index—three key factors that significantly influence the risk of allergen-related health issues. This approach allowed us to better estimate the relative healthcare burden of pet allergens in each state.
To ground the analysis, we referenced the Matsui et al. study linking pet allergens to emergency room visits, and scaled those costs to the state level using publicly available healthcare data adjusted for current medical inflation.
About Logan Services: Family-owned HVAC and plumbing company serving Ohio since 1969. Certified Trane Comfort Specialist with locations in Columbus, Cincinnati, and Dayton. BBB accredited with 50+ years of indoor air quality expertise.
Media Contact: For additional data analysis or expert commentary on indoor air quality and HVAC solutions.
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