The world has been battling Covid-19 for over a year. Many industries have had to face the challenges of the pandemic. Many factors such as travel restrictions between countries, temporary closure of social environments such as public places, offices, and schools, and the fact that people stayed in their homes for long periods have dealt heavy blows to many sectors and organizations in these sectors. The animal feed industry was no exception, of course. Companies in the industry have had to deal with supply and logistics processes that have been disrupted by lockdown measures while struggling to ensure the health and safety of their employees at the same time.
However, some sectors have achieved very different results from this process. Like the pet industry … The pet industry was one of the few sectors to benefit from Covid-19 and the imposed restrictions. The closure processes and perhaps a sense of isolation have increased people’s desire to have pets and have made them more interested in their animals’ health and nutrition. As a result, the pet food industry recorded the largest growth in the last 3 years.
It is a mystery whether this change in people’s desire to adopt a pet will continue after the pandemic. Robert Kaczmarek, President of GAPFA, one of our guests in this issue, also examined the effects of Covid-19 on the pet industry and the expectations about the post-pandemic period.
There are two striking points among Kaczmarek’s remarks. The first is about the place and meaning of pets in our lives. Here’s how Kaczmarek thinks about it: “If COVID 19 has taught us anything, it’s that pets are not just animals to many people, they are now family, friends, companions, with a unique ability to ease the stress and isolation that owners can feel.”
The second important point is the risk of abandoning pets for many different reasons, especially financial problems. Kaczmarek conveys the concerns of many shelters and adds that GAPFA members support the shelters.
However, the most important thing is to ensure that our true friends do not leave their families. It is important to remember that good nutrition is not the only thing that pets need. Having feelings such as sadness, happiness, and pain like us, pets should not face the feeling of abandonment and their need for love must be met. I believe this can also be achieved by raising more awareness of responsible animal ownership. It seems that industry representatives will need to spend more energy for raising awareness among pet owners about responsible ownership.
Hope to meet in the next issue…
