Industry · Form 5500 business code 812910
Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services: retirement plans
Plans whose sponsor entered this principal business activity code on Form 5500.
Form 5500 information is as filed by the plan administrator with the Department of Labor and may be amended. Figures reflect the plan year shown, not current balances. The business code is chosen by the filer from the list in the Form 5500 instructions.
For plan year 2024, 21 retirement plans in pet care (except veterinary) services with 100 or more participants filed Form 5500: 20 defined contribution and 1 defined benefit. They reported 8,697 participant records and $247M in net assets, counting every plan on the form.
The median defined contribution plan held $23,406 per participant, well below the national median of $53,031, and its employer put in $1,217 per active participant (national: $2,174). Among plans reporting Schedule C compensation the median was $115 per participant against $123 nationally.
Employers contributed $8.1M and participants $16.7M during the year, and the plans paid out $21.2M in benefits.
In 2009 the same group numbered 13 plans with $38.7M; by 2024 it was 21 plans (up 62%) and $247M (up 539%). From plan year 2023 the 100-participant line counts participants with account balances, which moved many plans to the short form.
Medians compared with all US plans
| Median plan, plan year 2024 | Industry: DC | US: DC | Industry: DB | US: DB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net assets per participant | $23,406 | $53,031 | $47,123 | $86,234 |
| Employer contributions per active participant | $1,217 | $2,174 | $18,387 | $10,244 |
| Schedule C compensation per participant | $115 | $123 | $587 | $344 |
| Schedule C compensation, share of net assets | 0.39% | 0.26% | 1.3% | 0.42% |
| Administrative expenses per participant | $108 | $116 | $1,341 | $527 |
Medians across plans with 100 or more participants (19 DC and 1 DB plans with a Schedule H here). Fee medians cover plans reporting an amount. DC: defined contribution, such as 401(k) and 403(b). DB: defined benefit pension.
Distribution of DC plans
| Measure | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile | Plans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net assets per participant | $17,807 | $23,406 | $40,608 | 19 |
| Employer contributions per active participant | $591 | $1,217 | $1,996 | 17 |
| Schedule C compensation per participant | $78.92 | $115 | $191 | 16 |
| Administrative expenses per participant | $28.71 | $108 | $179 | 18 |
Trend by plan year
| Plan year | Plans 100+ | Participants | Net assets | Employer contributions | Participant contributions | Median DC assets / participant | Median DC Sch. C / participant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 21 | 8,697 | $247M | $8.1M | $16.7M | $23,406 | $115 |
| 2023 | 22 | 9,044 | $222M | $8.4M | $16.1M | $19,328 | $108 |
| 2022 | 24 | 8,472 | $190M | $6.5M | $14.6M | $15,870 | $109 |
| 2021 | 24 | 8,215 | $213M | $6.4M | $13.9M | $19,274 | $114 |
| 2020 | 24 | 8,111 | $195M | $5.6M | $12.8M | $14,860 | $67.50 |
| 2019 | 23 | 7,904 | $156M | $5.4M | $12.1M | $14,958 | $56.84 |
| 2018 | 21 | 7,153 | $132M | $5.8M | $11.3M | $13,144 | $89.32 |
| 2017 | 20 | 6,201 | $113M | $3.7M | $9.5M | $14,643 | $41.08 |
| 2016 | 15 | 5,439 | $90.6M | $2.9M | $7.6M | $12,128 | $65.66 |
| 2015 | 17 | 5,413 | $81.1M | $2.4M | $6.2M | $12,118 | $18.73 |
| 2014 | 16 | 4,908 | $77.6M | $3.0M | $5.6M | $12,631 | $27.02 |
| 2013 | 16 | 4,312 | $66.5M | $1.6M | $5.2M | $11,872 | $34.16 |
| 2012 | 13 | 4,284 | $50.6M | $2.2M | $4.7M | $10,171 | $47.36 |
| 2011 | 12 | 4,112 | $47.7M | $1.6M | $4.2M | $8,288 | $11.29 |
| 2010 | 12 | 4,124 | $46.1M | $1.5M | $3.9M | $9,859 | $8.36 |
| 2009 | 13 | 4,675 | $38.7M | $1.8M | $4.0M | $12,503 | $6.80 |
Plan year is the year in which the plan year began. The drop in large plans from 2023 follows a rule change: the 100-participant line now counts participants with account balances, so many plans moved to the short form.
Provider share
Service provider organisations named most often on the Schedule C of the 20 plans on this page's list, by number of plans. A plan usually names several providers.
Largest plans
The 20 largest by participants of 20 plans with a page on this site.
| Plan | Sponsor | State | Type | Participants | Net assets | Per participant | Employer / active | Sch. C / participant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best Friends Animal Society 401(k) Savings Plan | Best Friends Animal Society | UT | DC | 1,210 | $87.4M | $72,223 | $3,438 | $144 |
| Best Friends Pet Care, Inc. 401(k) Retirement Plan | Best Friends Pet Care, Inc. | CT | DC | 848 | $5.6M | $6,650 | $210 | $185 |
| The 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan of San Francisco Spca | San Francisco Spca | CA | DC | 578 | $26.4M | $45,601 | $1,678 | $162 |
| Oregon Humane Society 401(k) Plan | The Oregon Humane Society | OR | DC | 450 | $19.6M | $43,554 | $2,960 | $105 |
| North Shore Animal League America 401(k) Plan | North Shore Animal League America, Inc. | NY | DC | 390 | $9.8M | $25,022 | — | $71.05 |
| Animal Humane Society 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan | Animal Humane Society | MN | DC | 336 | $10.0M | $29,859 | $746 | $90.48 |
| The Pasadena Humane Society Erisa 403(b) | The Pasadena Humane Society | CA | DC | 335 | $6.8M | $20,320 | $3,635 | — |
| Wisconsin Humane Society Employees' Retirement Plan | Wisconsin Humane Society | WI | DC | 303 | $8.2M | $27,077 | $300 | — |
| Pet Palace Enterprises 401(k) Plan | Pet Palace Enterprises, LLC | OH | DC | 250 | $508K | $2,032 | $580 | $51.30 |
| Ifaw 401(k) Plan | International Fund for Animal Welfare, Inc. | MA | DC | 244 | $38.6M | $158,125 | $6,250 | $270 |
| Helen Woodward Animal Center 403(b) Retirement Plan | Helen Woodward Animal Center | CA | DC | 234 | $7.4M | $31,420 | $1,239 | $215 |
| Peninsula Humane Society & Spca Retirement Plan | Peninsula Humane Society & Spca | CA | DC | 228 | $13.6M | $59,761 | $1,217 | $3.40 |
| Skiptown 401(k) Plan | Skipper Pets, Inc. | NC | DC | 216 | $23K | $104 | — | — |
| The Animal Foundation 401(k) Plan | The Animal Foundation | NV | DC | 213 | $380K | $1,784 | $591 | $7.67 |
| Humane Society of Huron Valley 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan Trust | Humane Society of Huron Valley | MI | DC | 203 | $4.8M | $23,406 | $1,015 | $12.68 |
| 403(b) Thrift Plan for the the Pennsylvania Society for Prevention of Cruel | The Pennsylvania Society for Prevention of Cruel | PA | DC | 198 | $2.3M | $11,658 | $216 | $143 |
| Biscuits & Bath 401(k) Plan | Biscuits & Bath Companies, LLC | NY | DC | 190 | $3.0M | $15,982 | $444 | $81.54 |
| Lollypop Farm, Humane Society of Greater Rochester Retirement Plan | Humane Society of Rochester and Monroe County, for the P.C.A., Inc. | NY | DC | 176 | $6.6M | $37,661 | $1,996 | $257 |
| The Retirement Plan of North Shore Animal League America, Inc. | North Shore Animal League America, Inc. | NY | DB | 132 | $6.2M | $47,123 | $18,387 | $587 |
| Humane Society of Tampa Bay 401(k) Plan | Humane Society of Tampa Bay | FL | DC | 115 | $2.3M | $20,303 | $863 | $120 |
By plan size
By state
Questions and answers
How many retirement plans are there in pet care (except veterinary) services?
21 plans with 100 or more participants filed Form 5500 for plan year 2024, out of 444 pension plans on the full form. Smaller plans file Form 5500-SF and are counted separately where shown.
What is the typical 401(k) balance in pet care (except veterinary) services?
The median defined contribution plan reported $23,406 in net assets per participant (middle half of plans: $17,807 to $40,608); nationally it was $53,031. This is a plan-level average that includes former employees, not a typical person's balance.
What do employers contribute in pet care (except veterinary) services?
The median defined contribution plan received $1,217 in employer contributions per active participant, against $2,174 nationally. Plans with no employer contribution are included at zero.
What are average 401(k) fees in pet care (except veterinary) services?
Among defined contribution plans that report any Schedule C compensation, the median was $115 per participant and 0.39% of net assets (nationally $123 and 0.26%). Schedule C leaves out fund expense ratios and fees the employer pays, so it understates total cost.
Where does this come from?
Form 5500 annual reports in the EBSA research files, with filings received through 24 Aug 2026. Medians are computed by this site across plans with 100 or more participants.
Provenance
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, Form 5500 research files, public domain, with filings received through 24 Aug 2026. Totals count every pension plan on the full form; medians and the plan list cover plans with 100 or more participants. See the methodology.