This is what Thai owners think about their pets
Nearly half of pet parents consider their animals to be proxy children, according to a survey.
Research conducted by Thailand’s College of Management Mahidol University (CMMU) on 1,046 pet parents concluded that 34% believe having a pet is a social prestige. Almost 2 out of 10 respondents say that pets are stress relievers.
Dogs are the most popular and preferred pets (40.4%), followed by cats (37.1%) and exotic animals (22.6%).
Close to 40% of those surveyed were comfortable spending between $300 (€275) to $600 (€550) a year on their animals. Grooming services and haircutting accounted for 61% of all services used by pet parents to pamper their animals.
According to Kantar, average spending on pets is on the rise in the country. Pet parents spent an average of THB177.3 ($4.25) per shopping trip in 2022, an increase against the previous year. Thai dog owners spent the most with THB184.6 ($5.33), followed by feline owners with THB125.4 ($3.62).
Division in the US
Recent research from Wag! discovered a generational gap among pet parents in the US: 49% of baby boomers see their pets as children, while over a third of Gen Z see their pets as best friends.
When it comes to spending, nearly 75% of Gen Z pet owners splurge on premium grooming supplies and services. Up to 55% of those surveyed across all ages dress up their pets in clothing and accessories.
According to the data, American pet parents spend an average of $50 (€46.6) to $100 (€93.2) on pet food each month.
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