History 2260 Research Essay: The Growth of Pet Owning in Modern Era

This essay delves into the historical evolution of pet ownership, exploring its transformation from a utilitarian practice to a widespread phenomenon driven by companionship and cultural shifts. The essay begins by establishing the current landscape of pet ownership, highlighting statistics and economic trends in Canada. It then traces the historical roots of human-animal relationships, from prehistoric times to the modern era, examining how animals were viewed and used across different periods. The essay analyzes the changing perceptions of pets, from luxury goods for the elite to integral members of the family. It discusses key factors behind the rise of pet ownership, including companionship, technological advancements, and evolving cultural attitudes, particularly among millennials. Furthermore, the essay explores the role of technology and the impact of online platforms in the pet industry. It concludes by summarizing the significant forces that have shaped the growth of pet ownership in modern society, emphasizing the profound influence of companionship, social connections, cultural changes, and technological progress. The essay references scholarly sources to support its arguments, offering a comprehensive overview of the topic.

Running head: THE GROWTH OF PET OWNING IN MODERN ERA
The Growth of Pet Owning in Modern Era
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1THE GROWTH OF PET OWNING IN MODERN ERA
Introduction
The growing global interest in pet humanisation and the rising awareness about the
large amount of joy and companionship that pets bring to human beings are aiding to the rate
of modern pet ownership. In modern era, pet industry has been experiencing a significant
growth and is at present, worth 7 billion dollars a year in Canada1. In the eighteenth century
Canadian society, animals were highly sought after luxury goods for the rich section. At the
same time, many animals were tamed to serve the purpose of human beings. In the period
between 1750 and 1850, many kinds of animals cease to be merely “beasts” there for serving
human beings. However, “pets” were deemed to have some special feelings for their owners
and with them, humans could and did develop very strong and special relationships. Today
about 57% of all the Canadian households own a pet and this is equal to about 7.5 million
households, with cats being the most popular one than dogs. Apart from this, there are also
many strange animals that are legally owned as pets including Sugar Glider, Capybara etc.
This essay shall elaborate on the rise of modern pet owning.
Body
Background and Statistics
Economic trends and changed perceptions about pets as companions are causing some
significant shifts in the pet ownership demography in recent years. About 47.1 million
households own cats, compared to 60.2 million that own dogs. In Canada alone, there is 57%
of a pet owning households and this is equal to about 7.5 million households in total (in
Canada), with cats being the most popular one than dogs. Also, it is to mention that for all the
1 Deveau, D. (2018). Pet-industry entrepreneurs find millennials’ disposable income a gold mine. Financial Post. Retrieved 1 April 2020,
from https://business.financialpost.com/entrepreneur/0703-biz-dd-pets-fpe.

2THE GROWTH OF PET OWNING IN MODERN ERA
pet-owning households, pets have successfully made themselves full-fledged members of the
family2.
Earlier perception and the evolution of Pet Owning
Throughout the historic times, animals have played a significant part in the lives of
human beings. Humans have come depending on animals for their food, transportation and
clothing. Also, in majority cases and in several cultures throughout the history, animals were
considered to be the central part of religious worship. During the prehistoric times,
relationship between animals and primitive man was a kind of prey and hunter3. People those
times used to consider animals as their source of food and the skins of clothing. It is to
mention that the very first animal that made the transition to the domesticated state was wolf.
Also, dogs were kept for practical uses like guarding, herding and hunting. Again, gradual
change in the life style of human beings from nomadic hunter to the settled farmer started
about 8000 years ago in the “Fertile Crescent, Middle East”. During those times, dogs were
highly valued in the setting but cats were loosely attached with humans. Cats were only
tolerated as for their usefulness in greeting rid of the troublesome pests like mice and other
small mammals. During the period between 13th to 15th centuries A.D., pet keeping became
very popular among the aristocracy class and some of the senior clergy4. They used to pet lap
dogs as they seem to be quite fashionable among the nobble ladies. On the other hand, the
male mobility was more inclined towards some more useful animals like hunting falcons and
2 Antonacopoulos, Nikolina M. Duvall, and Timothy A. Pychyl. "An examination of the potential role of pet ownership, human social
support and pet attachment in the psychological health of individuals living alone." Anthrozoös 23, no. 1 (2010): 37-54. Available at:
http://fondation-apsommer.org/doc/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2018/05/an-examination-of-the-potential-role-of-pet-ownership-human-
social-support-and-pet-attachment-in-the-psychological-health-of-individuals-living-alone.pdf
3 Balasse, Marie, Thomas Cucchi, Allowen Evin, Adrian Bălăşescu, Delphine Frémondeau, and Marie-Pierre Horard-Herbin. "Wild game or
farm animal? Tracking human-pig relationships in ancient times through stable isotope analysis." Hybrid Communities Biosocial
Approaches to Domestication and Other Trans-species Relationships 1 (2018): 81-96. Available at:
https://www.academia.edu/38007259/Wild_game_or_farm_animal_Tracking_human-
pig_relationships_in_ancient_times_through_stable_isotope_analysis
4 Howell, Philip. "Animal Companions: Pets and Social Change in Eighteenth-Century Britain." The Historian 79, no. 2 (2017): 410.
Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/318142077_Animal_Companions_Pets_and_Social_Change_in_Eighteenth-
century_Britain_By_Ingrid_H_Tague_University_Park_PA_Penn_State_University_Press_2015_Pp_320_6995_Book_Review

3THE GROWTH OF PET OWNING IN MODERN ERA
hunting hounds as during that period hunting and venery was of a great significance and it
used to be regarded as the symbol of the status and power.
Similarly, the Christian churches during the 17the century used to frown on the
concept of pet keeping. Leaders of churches used to suggest that the food that is used for
those animals must be given to the poor and needy. They used to believe that being close with
animals is related to “pagan worshiping”. It is to mention that the prejudice against the pets
reached its height at the time of inquisition where evidences against heretics comprised of
references to “closer associations with animals”. Furthermore, it is also to mention that during
the barbaric witch trials during the 16th and 17th centuries, many innocent people were
accused of witch crafting and were condemned to death. Furthermore, possessing “animal
familiar” was viewed as a symbol of “Satan” and was used as evidence on their guilt. The
ones who were accused were often socially and elderly isolated women who used to keep the
animals for their pass time and companionship. However, with the decline in witchcraft, the
companion animals returned for favouring and eventually the idea of pet keeping became to
be considered as a symbol of good fortune. Gradually, in the period between 1750 and 1850,
many kinds of animals were assumed to be merely “beasts” there for serving human beings.
However, “pets” were deemed to have some special qualities of feelings for their owners and
with them, humans could and did develop very strong and special relationships.
The concept of pet keeping in its present form is widely accepted to be strongly linked
with companionship and pleasure. In the contemporary societies, dogs have many functional
roles, right from ornamental to the status symbol, companions and helpers. They also often
act as a network for personal expression as human beings express their personality through
the breed that they possess. A significant point to note in this context is that along with the
rise of pet ownership, there is also a significant rise in pet insurance. According to American
Health Insurance Association, in between the year 2017 and 2018, the total numbers of pet

4THE GROWTH OF PET OWNING IN MODERN ERA
related premiums have increased by about 23%5. This is equal to about 1.2 billion dollars in
combined gross premiums for about 1.2 billion dollars. In many European and American
markets, the pet insurance is significantly established in better ways. For instance, in U.K., it
has been estimated that at present, all one in three pets in the country are covered by
insurance6.
Reason behind the rise in pet owning
It is to note that the most common reason for the rise of pet owning in the Western
societies is “companionship”7. There has been an increasing awareness about the positive
impacts that this relationship can have on the psychological well-being of human beings.
Many researchers have claimed that pets can provide their owners with a great deal of
companionship and they can help them in creating friendships and finding out social support,
and both of these are contributing factors behind the long-term sustainable good health of
human beings. According to the research study, the dog owners, particularly the ones who
walk with their dogs in the morning or evening are far more likely to befriend someone they
meet through a pet-related connection. In this way, they get social support from them8. As
opined by many authors, “Pet ownership appears to be a significant factor for facilitating
social interaction and friendship formation within neighbourhoods”9. They indirectly can
help in improving the health of human beings by means of fostering social connections
among them and these are good for the long-term health. It is to note that the analysis and
5 McConnell, Carol, and Dennis P. Drent. "Enabling best care: How pet insurance can help." Veterinary Economics 51, no. 4 (2010): A1-
A4. Available at : http://files.pharmtech.com/alfresco_images/DVM360/2013/11/11/a8cb4e97-c6fb-40d4-9b43-f2bb9fa44931/article-
712399.pdf
6 Pontoriero, Caterina. 2014. "Top 10 States for Dog and Cat Insurance." Property & Casualty 360. Available at:
https://www.propertycasualty360.com/2014/03/18/top-10-states-for-dog-and-cat-insurance/?slreturn=20200301131309
7 Walker, Jessica K., Natalie K. Waran, and Clive J. C. Phillips. 2016. "Owners' Perceptions of their Animal's Behavioural Response to the
Loss of an Animal Companion." Animals : An Open Access Journal from MDPI 6 (11): 68. Available at:
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/e69e/05dae977b4c42c8d9dfa7388fcc4914efd51.pdf?_ga=2.100398366.1677882804.1585761283-
609114857.1580460815
8 Westgarth, Carri, Robert M. Christley, Christopher Jewell, Alexander J. German, Lynne M. Boddy, and Hayley E. Christian. 2019. "Dog
Owners are More Likely to Meet Physical Activity Guidelines than People without a Dog: An Investigation of the Association between Dog
Ownership and Physical Activity Levels in a UK Community." Scientific Reports 9 (1): 5704-10 Available at:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-41254-6
9 Wood, Lisa, Karen Martin, Hayley Christian, Andrea Nathan, Claire Lauritsen, Steve Houghton, Ichiro Kawachi, and Sandra McCune.
"The pet factor-companion animals as a conduit for getting to know people, friendship formation and social support." PloS one 10, no. 4
(2015). Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4414420/

5THE GROWTH OF PET OWNING IN MODERN ERA
result of about 148 studies in total on this subject have found that the people who have good
social networks in their societies are 50% more likely to live longer as compared to the ones
who are with limited social networks. In the contemporary world, a good number of people
find difficulties in making connections. Pet ownership can, in one way, help in meeting and
interacting with others.
Apart from this, other reason behind the rise in pet ownership is advancement in
technology and the modern advent of online-purchasing. According to many researchers, the
technology-savvy millennial pet owners are providing a ready market for the technological
innovation within the industry of pet products10. Technology has made interacting with and
caring for pets easier and better than ever before. New innovations and trends that have first
succeeded in making their mark in the other industries are continuously being adapted by
many and upgraded “for meeting the requirements of the multi-billion-dollar global pet
industry.” The online private brands like Chewy.com and Amazon are increasingly promoting
their brands for disrupting the market and eliminating the margins of the middlemen.
Similarly, the other niche players are creating brands with their own identity. Also, people
today can see a number of pet services and conveniences that are developing in the towns and
cities along with the lines of services for people. All these are contributing to the rise of pet
ownership to a great extent.
Moreover, change in culture is also a leading factor behind the growth in pet
ownership rate in western societies. With Generation Z and millennial consumers being
coming into their adulthood, they are significantly embracing pet-owning and pet-loving
lifestyles. There has been growing number of people who today choose to delay having
10 "How Pet Food e-Commerce Growth is Changing the Industry: As the Internet Age Settles in, Online Pet Food Purchasing Options are
Spurring further Growth as a Legitimate Retail Channel." 2017.Petfood Industry Available at:
http://www.petfoodindustry-digital.com/201707/index.php?
startid=28&utm_source=KnowledgeMarketing&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Petfood+Industry+Digital
%2A&utm_campaign=PET_1707

6THE GROWTH OF PET OWNING IN MODERN ERA
babies and have nuclear families11. In the households of these people, pets are talking the
more key role in their family life. One can often hear about a pet being referred to as “child”
and pet owners, “parents”. This is not unique for the millennial pet owners, but is a viewpoint
that is more common among the generation12. According to many articles, about 82% of
people consider parenting as the preparation for having a baby and more than 80% of the
millennial claim that they often are worried about their pets while they are apart even while
running short errands13. On one hand, where baby boomers are accounting for just 32% of pet
ownership, the households that are headed by the younger cohorts comprise for 62% of pet-
ownership. The modern pet owners pay more attention to pet grooming, their care,
transportation and pet hotels. Also, there are also a number of hotels who have made
themselves “pet-friendly”.
With the increase in changes in the current pet market, a significant driver is the
changing views of the people about the role of pets in their life. They no longer consider their
pets to be only the source of hunting, guarding and herding. Also, not many are of the view
that pets just help in maintaining the family or class status. Pets today are viewed as an
important or an integral part of every family that own them. They are covered with medical
insurance and are treated through really expensive medical treatments whenever required14.
Conclusion
Hence, from the above analysis it is to conclude that the main reasons behind the rise
of pet ownership in the contemporary modern societies are that of the facts that pet provides
11 Waldmeir, Patti. 2019. "Pets Replace Progeny for Hesitant Millennials." FT.Com. Available at: https://www.ft.com/content/0e81d70a-
20cd-11ea-92da-f0c92e957a96
12 "Pet Industrys most Comprehensive Consumer Research Study Released, Finding Millennials as Primary Pet-Owning Demographic."
2017.Global Data Point Available at: https://www.prweb.com/releases/2017/04/prweb14203035.htm
13 "BabelBark: The Pet Industry Goes Digital as Millennials Choose Pets Over Babies: Millennial Consumers are Getting Married Later and
Adopting More Pets, Driving Growth in the Pet Industry and Setting the Stage for a New Wave of Pet Technology Products." 2019.PR
Newswire. Available at: https://www.bolsamania.com/nota-de-prensa_print/mercados/babelbark-the-pet-industry-goes-digital-as-
millennials-choose-pets-over-babies--6907316.html
14 Nesper, Mike. 2015. "Awareness Spurs Growth in Pet Insurance Industry." Employee Benefit News (Online) Available at:
http://www.franchisebenefitsusa.com/news/awareness-spurs-growth-in-pet-insurance-industry/

7THE GROWTH OF PET OWNING IN MODERN ERA
their owners a great deal of companionship, they help in interacting with new people, they
help in making social connections and aid to their psychological well-being. With the same,
technology and the change in modern culture are aiding to the increase in statistics as with the
advancement in technology, more and more number of people, especially the millennial are
becoming more conscious about their pets. With Generation Z and millennial consumers
being coming into their adulthood, they are significantly embracing pet-owning and pet-
loving lifestyles. The accessibility and availability of all the pet care products and accessories
online are helping the millennial and Generation Z to take care of their pets more effectively.
The modern pet owners pay more attention to pet grooming, their care, transportation and pet
hotels. Also, a growing number of pets are covered with medical insurance and treated
through expensive medical treatments.

8THE GROWTH OF PET OWNING IN MODERN ERA
Bibliography:
Antonacopoulos, Nikolina M. Duvall, and Timothy A. Pychyl. "An examination of the
potential role of pet ownership, human social support and pet attachment in the psychological
health of individuals living alone." Anthrozoös 23, no. 1 (2010): 37-54. Available at:
http://fondation-apsommer.org/doc/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2018/05/an-examination-of-
the-potential-role-of-pet-ownership-human-social-support-and-pet-attachment-in-the-
psychological-health-of-individuals-living-alone.pdf
"BabelBark: The Pet Industry Goes Digital as Millennials Choose Pets Over Babies:
Millennial Consumers are Getting Married Later and Adopting More Pets, Driving Growth in
the Pet Industry and Setting the Stage for a New Wave of Pet Technology Products."
2019.PR Newswire. Available at:
https://www.bolsamania.com/nota-de-prensa_print/mercados/babelbark-the-pet-industry-
goes-digital-as-millennials-choose-pets-over-babies--6907316.html
Balasse, Marie, Thomas Cucchi, Allowen Evin, Adrian Bălăşescu, Delphine Frémondeau,
and Marie-Pierre Horard-Herbin. "Wild game or farm animal? Tracking human-pig
relationships in ancient times through stable isotope analysis." Hybrid Communities
Biosocial Approaches to Domestication and Other Trans-species Relationships 1 (2018): 81-
96. Available at:
https://www.academia.edu/38007259/Wild_game_or_farm_animal_Tracking_human-
pig_relationships_in_ancient_times_through_stable_isotope_analysis
Deveau, D. (2018). Pet-industry entrepreneurs find millennials’ disposable income a gold
mine. Financial Post. Retrieved 1 April 2020, from
https://business.financialpost.com/entrepreneur/0703-biz-dd-pets-fpe.

9THE GROWTH OF PET OWNING IN MODERN ERA
"How Pet Food e-Commerce Growth is Changing the Industry: As the Internet Age Settles in,
Online Pet Food Purchasing Options are Spurring further Growth as a Legitimate Retail
Channel." 2017.Petfood Industry Available at:
http://www.petfoodindustry-digital.com/201707/index.php?
startid=28&utm_source=KnowledgeMarketing&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Petfood
+Industry+Digital%2A&utm_campaign=PET_1707
Howell, Philip. "Animal Companions: Pets and Social Change in Eighteenth-Century
Britain." The Historian 79, no. 2 (2017): 410. Available at:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/318142077_Animal_Companions_Pets_and_Social
_Change_in_Eighteenth-
century_Britain_By_Ingrid_H_Tague_University_Park_PA_Penn_State_University_Press_2
015_Pp_320_6995_Book_Review
McConnell, Carol, and Dennis P. Drent. "Enabling best care: How pet insurance can
help." Veterinary Economics 51, no. 4 (2010): A1-A4. Available at :
http://files.pharmtech.com/alfresco_images/DVM360/2013/11/11/a8cb4e97-c6fb-40d4-9b43-
f2bb9fa44931/article-712399.pdf
Nesper, Mike. 2015. "Awareness Spurs Growth in Pet Insurance Industry." Employee Benefit
News (Online) Available at: http://www.franchisebenefitsusa.com/news/awareness-spurs-
growth-in-pet-insurance-industry/
"Pet Industrys most Comprehensive Consumer Research Study Released, Finding Millennials
as Primary Pet-Owning Demographic." 2017.Global Data Point Available at:
https://www.prweb.com/releases/2017/04/prweb14203035.htm

10THE GROWTH OF PET OWNING IN MODERN ERA
Pontoriero, Caterina. 2014. "Top 10 States for Dog and Cat Insurance." Property & Casualty
360. Available at: https://www.propertycasualty360.com/2014/03/18/top-10-states-for-dog-
and-cat-insurance/?slreturn=20200301131309
Waldmeir, Patti. 2019. "Pets Replace Progeny for Hesitant Millennials." FT.Com. Available
at: https://www.ft.com/content/0e81d70a-20cd-11ea-92da-f0c92e957a96
Walker, Jessica K., Natalie K. Waran, and Clive J. C. Phillips. 2016. "Owners' Perceptions of
their Animal's Behavioural Response to the Loss of an Animal Companion." Animals : An
Open Access Journal from MDPI 6 (11): 68. Available at:
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/e69e/05dae977b4c42c8d9dfa7388fcc4914efd51.pdf?
_ga=2.100398366.1677882804.1585761283-609114857.1580460815
Westgarth, Carri, Robert M. Christley, Christopher Jewell, Alexander J. German, Lynne M.
Boddy, and Hayley E. Christian. 2019. "Dog Owners are More Likely to Meet Physical
Activity Guidelines than People without a Dog: An Investigation of the Association between
Dog Ownership and Physical Activity Levels in a UK Community." Scientific Reports 9 (1):
5704-10 Available at: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-41254-6
Wood, Lisa, Karen Martin, Hayley Christian, Andrea Nathan, Claire Lauritsen, Steve
Houghton, Ichiro Kawachi, and Sandra McCune. "The pet factor-companion animals as a
conduit for getting to know people, friendship formation and social support." PloS one 10,
no. 4 (2015). Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4414420/