TOKYO — The variety of cats and dogs to develop into pets in 2023 in Japan fell from the earlier 12 months, ending a three-year upward pattern spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic, in accordance with the Japan Pet Food Association.
The affiliation launched the estimated figures for 2023 on Dec. 22. The variety of dogs that joined households in 2023 totaled 397,000, whereas the determine was 369,000 for cats — down 29,000 for canines and in addition down 63,000 for felines from 2022. Japan had seen rising variety of new pet dogs and cats since 2020 as individuals stayed home because of the pandemic, however the latest figures counsel that the increase has calmed together with coronavirus infections.
The pet meals affiliation performed an internet survey in September-October 2023 and acquired legitimate solutions from some 50,000 individuals aged 20 to 79. The general variety of pet dogs was 6,844,000 (down 209,000 from 2022) and pet cats was 9,069,000 (up 232,000 from the earlier 12 months), for a mixed whole of 15,913,000 (a rise of 23,000 from 2022).
Meanwhile, canine house owners spent a month-to-month common of 14,240 yen (roughly $100) on their four-legged members of the family, up 336 yen in comparison with the 12 months 2022, resulting from worth will increase for pet meals and medical bills, whereas cat house owners spent a median of 8,005 yen ($55) per 30 days, a year-to-year improve of 719 yen. The common cost of proudly owning a canine for its lifetime was about 2.45 million yen ($17,000), and 1.5 million yen for a cat.
Japan Pet Food Association chairperson Hiromitsu Kodama commented, “I feel there are complicated components (behind the smaller variety of new pets), equivalent to rising numbers of double-income households and a lower in registered puppies.” He added, “People now not have (COVID-19-related) restrictions and so they spend money on various things, which can have affected the latest figures.”
(Japanese authentic by Hiroya Miyagi, Digital News Group)
