Corona Daily 255: The Canine Year

Among the few businesses booming in the pandemic is the “Pet business”. Parents and children are home, working and learning remotely, socially distancing themselves. Particularly in Northern America, people are buying, adopting and fostering companion animals for mental and emotional support. Dogs followed by cats are the leading choice, but you also read about the purchase of guinea pigs, birds, fish, even reptiles. Even in the strictest lockdowns, one can take a dog for a walk legitimately.

CDC, the American health body, lists several medical benefits of owning a pet: decreased blood pressure, cholesterol, triglyceride levels. The American Heart Association associates pet ownership with lowered risk of heart disease. If true, it sounds like a good remedy in coronavirus times.

Fortunately, till date, there is no real evidence that coronavirus passes to or from dogs or cats. While you must keep distance from people, it is safe to cuddle the pet. Cuddling is an essential physical need; a puppy or kitten is more easily available and more practical than having a baby.

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Having said that, pet owners know children and pets are not really different. In America, pet merchandise is one of the top gift-giving categories in the holiday season, with people planning to spend $90 on average. Walmart said it will sell more than 3 million pet beds this season. Chewy offers gift cards and personalized mugs, blankets and bandanas for pets. PetSmart carries fancy attires including Santa costumes for dogs. Dogs are getting scans done, getting hip replacements, cancer care and eye exams.

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One research found that 37% of those surveyed had brought a new pet home during the pandemic. Dogs’ and cats’ fostering and adoptions boomed. Some shelters managed to empty their kennels of adoptable pets. In New York, pet food sales grew 260% in March. Despite the lockdowns, JustFoodForDogs began night shift production of pet food. E-commerce orders grew 400%. In Canada, sales of dog diapers went up 202%. Sales of crates, feeding bowls, leashes, toys and treats surged. Chewy started a subscription service, called the Autoship program that regularly delivers refills of pet food, cat litter and other pet necessities home. It has also launched a telehealth service, where pet parents can consult vets through video calls. As a result, Chewy saw its share price more than double during the pandemic.

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In North America, buying a dog ($3000) is usually more expensive than adopting ($1300) from a shelter. Annual costs can range from $1000 to $2300, including vaccinations ($400), neutering ($500), and food ($900). Only the rich can afford fresh food for dogs ($4800 a year). A dog-walker costs $20 a walk. Cats are cheaper, about $1000 initial costs, and annual expense of $1200. (If it was practical, India should export pets to the USA. Mumbai is flooded with stray dogs and cats, free to adopt).

Some Americans are also surrendering their pets, because they can no longer afford to keep them. However, since pets are family members, the surrender happens as a last resort.

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In the pandemic; buying, adopting and fostering pets has suited the owners as well as the pets. During the stay-at-home, pet owners, particularly singles and the elderly are enjoying the pet companionship. But bringing home a puppy or a kitten is a 15-year commitment. Hopefully, the pandemic will be over by 2022. What happens then? The adults in the house go back to work. The kids start going to school.

The pet dog has helped reduce the owner’s loneliness and depression in pandemic times. Post-pandemic, the danger is that the pandemic pets will go into depression by having to spend the whole day in loneliness at home.

Ravi