Changing Lifestyles Toss Pets Out the Door
By Jane Han
Staff Reporter
Long considered a man's best friend, dogs ― along with other furry creatures ― are increasingly getting ditched by owners squeezed by tight budgets and changes in lifestyles.
A recent study by Mintel International Group shows that dog ownership in the U.K. fell by 26 percent between 1985 and 2004, while the Australian Veterinary Association said earlier this year that the number of pet cats and dogs has dropped by one million over the past decade.
A similar situation was witnessed in South America last month when Sao Paulo's largest pet shelter saw young singles and retired couples waiting in line for hours to hand over their canines and felines, seeking independence from the extra responsibility and costs.
Online trend study agency trendwatching.com sums up this pet-free movement as ``pet passe.''
It said the old baby boomers and 30-something singles who've embraced pets as family are, in fact, the ones leading the trend.
``To be truly independent and free, it doesn't help to have an animal around, needing 24/7 care and attention,'' it said. ``Not to mention the cost of providing food, medical care and so on; money that is obviously better spent on travel, dinners or spa treatments.''
The American Pet Product Manufacturers Association's data shows that an average pet owner spends about $2,000 a year on pet care, while owners here spend less, at around $1,500 annually.
``It's neither easy nor cheap to care for a pet,'' said Song Chi-yong, spokesman of the Korean Kennel Club, adding that the local pet boom hit a peak in 2002, but has suffered a moderate decline since 2003.
He noted that pets are still considered a trend here, while they hold a more meaningful status in the U.S. and other pet-friendlier countries.
``Because the demand has dropped so much, many domestic pets are getting exported to China,'' Song said, noting that Beijing ― unlike other global cities ― is expected to see a dramatic hike in the pet business.
But the local pet care market, which amounted to more than one trillion won in the early 2000s, has hit a wall and is taking a downturn, said Song.
Similarly, trendwatching.com highlights cities like New York, London and Tokyo as exemplary areas where pets will further lose their charm due to high real estate prices and lack of space.
But will this pet passe mentality live on? At least until the near future, experts say.
A recent German EKAF Research shows that 87 percent of those who left their pets in the past 12 months have no intentions of owning another pet in 2008, while 64 percent said they would never own one again.