Mars Petcare India, in partnership with an advisory board has released the first ever State of Pet Homelessness Index at the Habitat Centre, New Delhi. This is the first methodological measure of pet homelessness, identifying contributing factors in India. The Index is derived from data from more than 200 global and local sources across nine countries, supplemented by new quantitative research based on attitudinal data.
There are three pillars that frame the Index and look at various factors influencing pet homelessness. These are all pets wanted, cared for and welcome, that encompass the various aspects of stray dog & cat management. The Index revealed that an estimated 80 million homeless cats and dogs in India are living in shelters or on the streets. Despite an increase in pet ownership during the COVID-19 pandemic, India figures show that during the lockdown two-thirds of pet parents had a newfound appreciation for their pets and six in 10 people felt encouraged to adopt one. Ganesh Ramani, Managing Director, Mars Petcare India, said: “The EPH Index is a call to action, we know this is just a beginning and we welcome partnerships with government, NGO and individual stakeholders who want to ensure all companion animals are wanted, cared for and welcome.”