(JP) Pet obsession

[Guest guest]

South China Morning Post

http://focus.scmp.com/focusnews/ZZZNTMUOY6E.html

Saturday, April 2, 2005

 

TOKYO

Pet obsession

by MUTSUKO MURAKAMI

 

Suddenly, everyone around me has a dog. My sister, a cousin,

friends, people at work, neighbours, my daughter's friends and even the shop

owners near my house - all, it seems, have their lives dominated by their

pets.

When I ask them out for lunch or on an overnight trip, their major

concern is to ensure they can still walk their dog - or someone else will. I

see dozens of dog walkers - teenagers, housewives and retirees - in a nearby

park. They show off their dog's latest raincoat or luminous collar, exchange

details on a new diet dog food or the best vets and trainers in the area. No

doubt, it is an important social interaction for the owners, who perhaps

have little else in common.

 

Today, Japan is in the midst of an unprecedented pet boom: there are

nearly 11 million dogs and 8 million cats in the country, out of a total of

20 million pets. In 2003, the number of pets exceeded that of children under

the age of 15 for the first time. And while the number of under 15s

continues to fall, pet figures are still rising.

 

For the owners, pets are important life companions and family members.

An increasing number are retirees whose children have fled the nest, or

single people who live alone in big cities. They typically call their pets,

uchi no ko (my child) and treat them as if they were indeed human. That is

why Ichigaya Kameoka Hachimangu, a shrine in Tokyo, is so popular. It is one

of few religious institutions to give blessings to pets, and owners can buy

amulets against sickness (in a pawprint design, naturally).

 

My friend would do anything for her golden retriever, Momo. She

happily paid 3,000 yen ($216) for a charm to ward off sickness, 2,500 yen

for a " lucky " bandana and 500 yen for a wooden plate. Of course, she also

bought four extra sets for Momo's friends. She openly admits that Momo is

her number-one priority, followed by her three-year-old granddaughter, then

tennis lessons. (Her husband is a long way down the list).

 

The downside of this pet boom is that many large dogs are kept in tiny

flats; they are overfed and some have diabetes. Certain breeds become

extremely popular, then get abandoned - sometimes even in rubbish bins - as

irresponsible owners move on to the latest " fashion accessory " or find the

constant care required a nuisance.

 

There is still much to fix, although the government revised the Animal

Protection Act in 2002 to force owners and sellers to care properly for

their animals, and avoid abuse. Offenders face up to a year in jail and a 1

million yen ($73,000) fine. However, there is no doubting that pets bring

pleasure to many people, and as they play an increasingly important role, it

can only make Japan a happier society