Innovations shaping the next generation of animal wellness
The days when a lead, a blanket and a bag of dog biscuits did the trick are long gone—pet care’s going futuristic. Let’s take a Deep Dive.
🐶 Pet ownership has been growing steadily around the world, largely as a consequence of certain countries getting rich.
🧑💻 With that growth comes a turbocharged pet care industry, which is enthusiastically embracing technology.
🥫It’s also resulting in more personalisation, from medical care to nutrition.
QUOTABLE
“Animals are sentient, intelligent, perceptive, funny and entertaining. We owe them a duty of care as we do to children.”
— Michael Morpurgo, author
BY THE NUMBERS
$227 billion The pet care market was worth $227 billion globally in 2023, a number that is predicted to grow to $340.71 billion by 2029.
500 million The US, EU and China alone account for more than half a billion pets among them.
$112 billion China’s pet economy is expected to be worth at least $112 billion, or RMB800 billion, in 2025.
QUIZ
How much did pet ownership increase by in China between 2014 and 2019?
A. 33 percent
B. 73 percent
C. 113 percent
Scroll to the bottom for the answer.
DID YOU KNOW?
Humans have been keeping pets for tens of thousands of years since we lived in caves. Back then, we almost certainly didn’t buy them designer gear or take them to spas, though.
THE EDIT
♻️ Better, faster, greener. Pet care is set to become more customised, more technologically driven—and more sustainable.
🎦 The vet will Zoom you now. AI and telemedicine could be set to revolutionise veterinary care.
🤖 Robopets. One of the biggest growth areas is smart pet tech.
🩺 Dr Dog. While people are prepared to spend a lot on looking after their pets, it turns out their pets also look after them.
💸 Mainly an excuse. The people who buy an excessive amount of stuff for their pets tend to be the same people who buy an excessive amount of stuff for themselves.
MAP
Here’s which countries own the most dogs.
THE FULL PICTURE
The biggest difference between the world’s two biggest pet markets are that Chinese owners spend a greater proportion on food and supplies, while American ones pay more for—what a shock—medical expenses.
KEY PLAYERS
Nina Leigh Krueger
Two companies vie for the position of world’s biggest pet care player, and they’re both divisions of food giants. Nestlé Purina PetCare, with a turnover of about $21.5 billion in 2023, over a fifth of parent company Nestlé’s total, is run by CEO Nina Leigh Krueger.
Poul Weihrauch
Then, there’s Mars Petcare, worth about $20 billion in 2023, out of Mars’ total of about $47 billion. It’s headed by Poul Weihrauch, the CEO of the parent company, who previously ran the petcare division.
HONOUREE TO KNOW
Georgianna Carlos
Struggling to find anything that would solve her dog’s recurring rashes, which were caused by chemical-heavy products, Georgianna Carlos founded Fetch! Naturals. The premium pet care brand uses all-natural ingredients.
ONE FINAL THING
While everyone wants to give their beloved pet the best, some people perhaps take it a little too far.
