By COURTNEY JESPERSEN NerdWallet 9 On May 9, 2020, a woman walks her dog in a popular shopping area in Santa Monica, Calif. Close to 1 in 5 households have acquired a dog or cat since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a recent survey from the ASPCA. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel, File) Last summer, like millions of Americans, I brought home a 7-pound ball of fluff. Over the past year, my mini-goldendoodle has turned into 23 pounds of pure joy. Close to one in five households have acquired a dog or cat since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a recent survey from the ASPCA. That’s approximately 23 million American households.