Pet ownership is highly popular in Japan, where pets are considered full family members. Pets are pampered with luxury goods, fashionable clothing, spas, and more. However, some criticize Japan's "overheated pet culture" for treating pets more like people. There are also concerns about the large number of animals euthanized in shelters each year. Overall, pets are an important part of Japanese culture with influences from Shinto beliefs about animals' spiritual significance.

1. Pet Care in Japan

2. Treatments of Pets
- Pets are treated as fully-fledged family
members, child or a partner
- Bury their dead pets with tombstones
- Assumed to be the most spoiled and
pampered pets in the world
- The best-dressed pets in the world
- Pet luxury stores, pet fashion show, pet
salons, pet spas, pet haku (expo)
- Pet shops flock in Shibuya 109
- Couture clothing from Chanel to Gucci

3. Pet Products and Services
- Premium food for
senior/ageing pets, with
glucosamine and omega-
3 fatty acids
- Pet delis premium
biscuits, “desserts”, and
beer/wine
- Pet grooming like wasei
eigo (ranging from
¥3,000 to ¥5,000)

4. Pet Products and Services
- “Cool goods” or necchū taisaku
- Emergency survival items like pet evacuation jacket
- Odor-control products like shampoo, aromatic bath salts,
herbal and floral scents, etc.
“More and more, it seems like Japanese owners want their dogs to be less like
animals and more like people. They want their dogs to eat like people, dress like
people and even smell like people.
You have to admit, that’s pretty bizarre.”
- European pet industry representative

5. Pet Industry
- Declined since 2008 due to pet population decline
- Japan Pet Products Manufacturing Association: the
pioneer and leading pet business
- ¥138 billion ($1.6 billion) sales for 2012
- ¥89 billion for dog products
- ¥24 billion for cat goods
- ¥17 billion for equipment and supplies for ornamental fish
- ¥2.8 billion for small animals like rabbits and hamsters
- ¥1.8 billion for pet insects like stag beetles and bell crickets

6. The Other Truth
- Ministry of Environment and Animal Refuge Kansai (Tokyo-
based)
- 350,000 animals are put down at government-managed
control centers
- Animal Protection Act 2006
> Fine of ¥300,000 to ¥500,000 for failing to provide animals
with food and water
> ¥1 million or one year in prison - penalty for killing an animal
“Now that the number of pets has surpassed the number of children,
perhaps we should question the overheated state of pet culture,”
- Japanese photojournalist Shigemichi Oishi

7. Pet Culture
Pet Boom in 2003
 combined number of dogs and cats in Japan have outnumbered the amount of
children
In ancient Japan, it was believed that there was one hair on each cat
that could restore life to a dead person.
Shinto Religion
 Inariko the Kami of loyal companions and animals
- The new pet is taken to the shrine as a way celebrate
- The owner purchase a small omamori (amulet) or a bell at the shrine to hang
on their pets collar
- The omamori is believed to help keep the pet healthy and happy by warding
away negative spirits and granting longevity
 Inugami the dog god

8. Pet Culture
• Dogs
- From Empire of Dogs to Hachiko
- From targets of eradication
into paragons of national identity
• Cats
- Hello Kitty
- Maneki Neko
- Neko Jinja: small cat shrine in
Tashirojima Island
- Bakeneko cat legends