Food, toys, salon visits and vet: Here is what it costs to keep a pet
₹1 lakh annually on Ronnie but that hardly constitutes 5% of their income. “We haven’t yet seen any pet care service in India which is too expensive, so we never have had to budget carefully while spending on him," Priyamvada said. For Vasudha and Devraj, the total cost of Dylan’s ownership is 1-3% of their income.
Apart from higher disposable incomes, an evolving idea of pet ownership is also changing how people spend on their pets. People are increasingly being recognized as pet parents, as opposed to owners, and extending their own lifestyle to the pets, said Samriddh Dasgupta, chief marketing officer, Heads Up For Tails. “Most parents don’t think twice about costs while buying things for their children.
It is the same with pet parents," he added. Bangalore-based Sushma and Dasharathi are a case in point (see graphic). Sushma categorically calls herself a mother to her 7-year-old Indie mutt, Zoya.
All decisions pertaining to Zoya’s well-being are driven by parental instincts. “I won’t say we splurge on her but that’s because she won’t enjoy most of the pet luxuries on offer. So, we have never spent on a spa as Zoya takes time to trust new people and she won’t enjoy being bathed by a stranger.
But, we have a ritual of taking weekend holidays with her in pet friendly resorts because she loves car rides," Sushma said. The willingness to stretch the financial budget for pets is also a function of one’s financial responsibilities. Pune-based Ameya Bhate says he and his wife Neeti are a double-income no kids, or DINK, couple and so more inclined to spend on pets.
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