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Japan has 22 million pets compared to just 17 million children under age 15. With fewer children to dote on, many Japanese couples and single adults are lavishing attention on their animals, pampering them with everything from spa treatments to Chanel attire, and sparking a boom for the pet industry.
They buy premium doggie garments from labels such as Chanel, Dior, Hermès, and Gucci — a poodle pullover can cost $250, according to Britain’s Guardian. They frequent restaurants which allow pets to sit at the table with their owners and lap up organic meals. They indulge in doggie yoga classes and hot-spring resorts where lapdogs can get one-on-one swimming lessons, bubble baths, and pressure-point massages.
For some pets, the pampering doesn’t end with death. Some temples lay deceased dogs to rest with full Buddhist rites, at $8,000 a pop for a deluxe funeral and cremation.
