Pet market trends are well past the pandemic’s boom and bust
Nestle. Less so for cash-strapped pet owners.
Amid a cost-of-living crisis, some owners are being forced to cut back on the care of their pet, or give them up altogether. London’s Battersea Cats and Dogs Home has been seeing a high level of owners bringing their animals to its centres because they can no longer afford to keep them or pay for vet bills.
In July, for example, 14% of animals were brought to Battersea for this reason, compared with less than 1% in December 2021. The number of inquiries from people looking to give up their dogs was up 14% in July from the year earlier, while inquiries from people seeking to rehome their cats was up 68% year on year.
Thankfully, Pets4Home has found that the numbers of dogs and cats over six months old—a proxy for unwanted animals—being put up for re-homing via the site has not significantly increased. But given Battersea’s experience, this trend is worth watching.
Unwanted Rovers shouldn’t be added to the glut of unsold Rolexes. ©bloomberg
. Read more on livemint.com
