Affluent India's pet obsession is fuelling a boom in care industry

Affluent, urban Indians indulging their dogs and cats have led to the growth of India's pet care sector.

British Broadcasting CorporationWatch LiveHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessFuture of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsArtsArts in MotionTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingAudioPodcastsRadioAudio FAQsVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveWeatherNewslettersAffluent India's love for 'fur babies' fuels pet care industry boom16 hours agoShareSaveNikita YadavBBC News, DelhiShareSaveNeha BapnaNeha Bapna sees her pet dog Muffin as her childFor Neha Bapna, nothing in the world is more important than her dog Muffin.

Every time she takes a train to travel across India, the four-year-old Shih Tzu is right by her side - in first class. He only eats hypoallergenic food, which is often double the price of normal dog food and treats.

"I have spent sleepless nights trying to figure out what food suits him. He is my child, I do not want him to have any trouble," says the 43-year-old Mumbai-based entrepreneur.

Pampering one's pet used to be a luxury exclusive to the ultra-rich. But now affluent and middle-class urban Indians like Ms Bapna are splurging more on their "fur babies", fuelling a boom in India's pet care industry that has almost doubled in value in recent years.

The pandemic has played a huge role, according to Ankur Bisen, senior partner at Technopak retail consultancy.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cqjdvzyppyno

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