Positive Contribution of Pet Nutrition to the Economy and Humanity during the Pandemic Period

Abstract

In this study, it is aimed to analyze the positive effects of pets on the market economy and people. The COVID-19 pandemic started with the virus outbreak that emerged in Wuhan City, the capital of Hubei Province of China, on December 1, 2019 [1], and the first case in our country was announced by the Ministry of Health on March 11, 2020. With the rapid spread of the epidemic in the world, closures in countries, travel restrictions, working from home and the introduction of the online education system, the rate of spending more time with pets, known as people's loyal friends, and the rate of adopting new animals have begun to increase. In this process, it has been seen that people are more interested in their animals and they are more sensitive in meeting their needs. It has been observed that they do not hesitate to allocate a significant part of their budgets in many subjects such as animal nutrition and veterinary care services, consumption expenditures such as pad shop products and purchasing new animals have increased, and this market has been dynamic. It is known that having a pet is good for blood pressure, greatly reduces the feeling of loneliness and depression in people, and always keeps their hopes warm. It can be said that taking care of furry friends after a long day helps people feel more optimistic and spending time with their pets helps them cope with stress, helps animals increase social relationships, and develops empathy, social skills, mutual love and sense of responsibility in children. It can be said that spending time with their pets is good for people's mood, and they even prefer their animals over other people in quarantine, and they gain social status. The trend of online shopping for pets also seems to become permanent. Pets are now more important than ever in our lives. The pandemic may ease in the near future, but the closeness of our pets will be permanent. It is seen that the tendency towards the adoption of pets and meeting their needs such as care and nutrition is increasing day by day. While various needs come to the fore in this trend, it is important to determine the economic role of consumption of these needs and their relationship with the reasons.