Pets are benefitting from the economic upturn too and, like their owners, are developing a taste for faddy foods, broadcaster NOS reports.

Not all of the 2.6 cats and 1.5 million dogs in the Netherlands will be sipping (non-alcoholic) prosecco or meat-flavoured beer this Christmas but owners are spending more to keep their pets happy, and not just on animal day (October 4), the broadcaster writes.

Animals are being fed gluten and wheat free food, ‘with Chinese herbs’ or are made to go completely vegan. Products can cost up to 50 euros a kilo. According to figures from animal food producer Nestlé pet owners in the Netherlands spend an average of 670 million euros on cat and dog food.

According to chairman of pet shop owners association Divebo Joost de Jongh the end of the crisis also ended austerity for pets. ‘We are seeing a year on year growth of 3 to 4 percent. It is clearly a reaction to things getting better,’ he told NOS.

Carbon paw print

One remarkable trend, NOS writes, is that pets, unlike their owners, are eating more meat. An anonymous pet shop owner told the broadcaster this trend ‘is disastrous for the environment. Dog food used to consist of dry matter, now it’s half a cow per bag so to speak.

We should ask ourselves if we are not taking this too far (..) Pet food producers are drumming it into people that their pets should eat meat but this is not a sustainable in the long run. They should take their responsibility.’

A spokesman for market leader Mars, which sells brands like Royal Canin and Pedigree), said he had no idea where the trend for more meat came from. ‘Our priority is to produce healthy food for cats and dogs,’he told the broadcaster.

The generosity of pet owners also has adverse effects, NOS writes. According to Ronald Corbee who works at the animal clinic of Utrecht university, half of all cats and dogs are too fat. ‘Too much food and too little exercise, exactly like obese people. People tend to give their pets something when they are snacking themselves. But a small piece of cheese is like a complete meal for a cat.’