PPB May 2021

media has become the place to share a pet’s most adorable antics, ushering in what one writer called “the era of the pet.” In 2012, Grumpy Cat, or Tardar Sauce, her real name, became an instant celebrity when her unimpressed glare was shared on Reddit. Many social media users thought, with her dwarfism and underbite, that Grumpy Cat was Photoshopped until her owner posted videos to YouTube of her eternally grumpy face in action. Although Grumpy Cat passed away in 2019, she continues to have 2.5 million followers on Instagram, a trademark, merchandise and countless memes. More animals have found a home on social media with millions of followers keeping up with their humanlike Instagram accounts. The animals that get the most attention stand out from the rest and typically, many of them have disabilities, like Grumpy Cat. With 1.7 million Instagram followers, Marnie the Dog was the internet’s most popular rescue dog. With a permanent head tilt and a big, floppy tongue, Marnie the Dog was rescued at 10 when she was nearly blind and lived a good life until she passed away last year. For rescue pets like Marnie the Dog, social media platforms are perfect for animal advocacy. Animal rights groups use social media to garner support, share information and collect donations. Social media has also made it easier to find and punish those who harm animals. In 2019, the Netflix true crime docuseries Don't F**k With Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer , followed the events of a crowd-sourced amateur investigation after a graphic video of animal brutality was posted online in 2010. Two weeks after its release, the docuseries became one of Netflix’s top five most-watched documentaries of 2019. With social media, there’s a new culture of respect for animals. Fromhighly-trained service dogs to lazy, cuddly companions, pets simply help people get through the day. Three out of four pet owners say that spending time with a dog, cat or another animal helped reduce their stress and increases their sense of well-being during COVID-19. In its latest “COVID-19 Pulse Study,” APPA found that more than 11 million U.S. households adopted a new pet during the pandemic. According to the Centers For Disease Control & Prevention, there aremany health benefits of owning a pet. Pets can increase opportunities to exercise, get outside and socialize. Regularly walking or playing with pets can decrease blood pressure and cholesterol levels. With companionship, pets can also helpmanage loneliness and feelings of depression. But, according to National Geographic , owning a pet is the consequence of a healthy lifestyle, not the cause of it. Those who keep pets can afford to do so financially, easily fitting them into their lives. According to APPA, it’s estimated that the U.S. pet industry reached $99 billion in 2020. From2019 to 2020, the pet industry grew by $1.5 billion with pet owners splurging on everything frompet food and treats to toys. In 2020, services outside of veterinary care like boarding, pet sitting and dog walking took the biggest hit as most people spent more time at home. The global pet market is expected to reach $350 billion by 2027. According to Global Newswire, the growth can be attributed to smart technologies that make pet owners' lives easier such as GPS pet collars, pet cameras and smart feeders. For 2021, it estimated that $109.6 billion will be spent on pets in the U.S. and the rise in pet adoptions is driving this growth. Last year, despite escalating cases of COVID-19, unemployment and financial hardship, pet adoptions rose. According to Shelter Animals Count, which runs a database that tracks the activity of 500 organizations, there were 26,000 more pet adoptions in 2020 than in 2019—a rise of about 15 percent. In April 2020, near the beginning of the pandemic, the national pet adoption rate jumped 34 percent over the same time a year earlier, according to the group’s COVID-19 Impact Report. The pet food market remains strong and continues to grow, according to Packaged Facts, thanks to coronavirus- driven stockpiling and increases in new pet adoptions. Despite financial hardships in some families, U.S. pet owners are spending the same amount on food and treats as they did before the pandemic, sacrificing spending on high-quality pet food only as a last resort. As a result, the pet food and treats segment of the pet industry remains the largest, bringing in $42 billion in 2020. According to a survey conducted by Packaged Facts in April and May 2020, just 16 percent of dog and cat owners agreed they are spending less on pet food while only five percent strongly agreeing with the statement. Twenty-five percent disagreed with the statement, and 36 percent strongly disagreed. In APPA’s latest “COVID-19 Pulse Study,” 72 percent of pet owners said their pet’s diet is “very important to them” and that they “do not plan to make any changes to it regardless of their financial situation.” Because most consumers live with a pet at home, promotional pet products are a fun and thoughtful way to make a meaningful connection. Vets, animal hospitals, pet stores, shelters and organizations that support these furry friends can get their brand or logo seen every time someone stops to greet or play with a pet. Clients outside of the pet market can also use pet-related promotions to differentiate themselves from the competition, reach new customers and retain valued employees. GROW | MAY 2021 | 39