The obsession of the pets of rich is feeding a boom in the care industry

For Neha Bapna, nothing in the world is more important than her dog muffin.

Every time he takes a train to travel through India, Shih Tzu, four years old, is by his side, in first class. It only eats hypoallergenic foods, which is often twice the price of normal foods and sweets.

“I spent insomnia nights trying to discover what food is convenient. He is my son, I don’t want him to have any problem,” says the 43 -year -old businessman based in Mumbai.

Pampering the pet of one used to be an exclusive luxury of the ultra rich. But now the rich and middle -class urban Indians such as Mrs. Bapna are wasting more for their “leather babies”, feeding a boom in the pet care industry in India that has almost doubled its value in recent years.

Pandemia has played a very important role, according to Ankur Bisen, senior partner of Technopak Retail Consultancy.

“Covid created a need for company when people stayed at home. Therefore, you could see young mothers, people in their first jobs, people who, by choice, decided not to have children … All these people began to go to the ownership of pets,” he says.

The number of pets in Indian homes has grown abruptly from 26 million in 2019 to 32 million in 2024, according to A report by the Consulting firm Redseer.

And as late marriages, smaller family sizes and evolutionary social norms remodeled family structures in urban India, these pets increasingly receive care and attention typically reserved for children.

Nikhil Bhushan and Lakshna Gulati, who live in the capital, Delhi, say that raising their pets allows them to experience paternity without complexity.

The couple, who has no biological children, shares their home with two rescued pets: a dog called Mowgli and a cat named Marmalade.

“When we got married five years ago, we were not ready to have children, but shortly after rescuing pets, our house really became a home, something that is now is complete. They bring us joy and see them every day illuminates our lives,” says Mr. Bhushan.

“We like to spoil them,” adds Mrs. Gulati. “Every time we see (a toy) that you may like, we immediately buy it, even knowing that it will be destroyed in a short time.”

In 2024, the Indians spent $ 3.6 billion (£ 2.78 billion) on products and services for their pets, a substantial increase of $ 1.6 billion in 2019, according to the Redseer report.

This rapid growth has been fed by emerging trends such as pet shipping, insurance and specialized veterinary care.

“Twenty years ago, pet care was limited to basic services such as vaccination and veterinary care,” says Pankaj Poddar, executive director of Pet Care Company Zigly.

“Now, people want the best for their pets, be it clothes, accessories or even specialized services,” he says. “I have seen parents spend up to 10% of their income in their pets, whether taking them to special parties or even regular checks.”

Mrs. Bapna, for example, spends between 25,000 rupees ($ 290; £ 220) and 40,000 rupees in Muffin in a month, mainly on her trip and special diet.

He takes his dog on a trip every few weeks, be it a one -day excursion to a nearby farm or a longer stay in a resort, and remains in a more expensive accommodation than regular hotels.

When he takes the train to Jodhpur every few months to visit his parents, Mrs. Bapna buys first -class tickets, which are more than double the price of general tickets, since dogs and cats in India are only allowed in first -class coaches.

Mrs. Bapna doesn’t care about big invoices. When it comes to spending on Muffin, he says: “This is an area where I do not make concessions.”

This type of expense has promoted sales to pet care companies such as Zigly.

“In the last eight to nine months, we have grown between 7% and 10% month to month,” says Mr. Poddar, whose company has reached a monthly value of gross merchandise of around 46 million rupees per month and is expected to reach the rupees of 1 billion for next year.

More companies that offer cheaper services, such as the Pet Point pet care chain, have also emerged to serve the increasingly medium middle -class clientele.

For most pets of pet these days, “Value for Money has priority over premiumization,” says Pet Point Akshay Mahendru co -founder. “It is more likely that a client obtains preparation services for his pet every week for 600 rupees, instead of somewhere over 1,500 rupees.”

Mahendru says that sales of relatively cheaper pet products, such as toys or snacks, have also increased the collector with the appearance of fast trade platforms such as Zepto or Blinkit that deliver in 10-15 minutes.

Experts are optimistic that the Indian pet care market has space to grow, given global trends. According Bloomberg Intelligence 2023 Pet Economics Report 2023The global pet care sector, currently valued at $ 320 billion, could exceed $ 500 billion for the end of this decade.

The Redseer report estimates that the Indian pet care market will double in the next three years and potentially crosses $ 7 billion by 2028.

But the challenges still remain.

India continues to be persecuted by unequal economic growth, slowing down the consumption and salary stagnation that can cushion the growth of the industry.

Most cities here also lack public spaces, hotels and trachable transport options, presenting a multitude of inconveniences to pet parents.

Every time Mr. Bhushan and Mrs. Gulati travel with Mowgli, bring portable beds and disposable dishes and bowls “so that we are always prepared during our stays,” says Bhushan.

“However, problems arise when we are going to eat during our trips. Many places do not accept pets, which limits our options,” he adds.

Mrs. Bapna faces similar challenges when she travels with Muffin. But she is optimistic that things will change.

“When I first obtained it in 2021, there were very few places and friendly activities for pets. But now in Mumbai there are special events, resorts and coffee shops that welcome pets,” he said.

These days, Muffin can attend “socialization events”, where playing with other dogs, or goes to pet festivals where he can play and try special pet food.

“It gives me hope,” says Bapna with a smile.

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