Household Production and Consumption in Finland 2001

Caring for pets
Earlier studies have not reported the care of pets separately because this has
been considered a marginal activity or one comparable to a leisure pursuit or
hobby. This is not, however, a warranted comparison because the decision to
have a pet in the household entails a commitment to the animal’s welfare.
According to the interview data collected for the Time Use Survey, one in five
households in Finland have at least one dog and almost one in six (16%) report
that they have one or more cats. No data were available on the amount of time
that people spend in shopping and services related to their pets, and therefore
this has not been distinguished from other shopping time. In practice, taking
an animal to the vet is included in the share of labour. Therefore all trips
related to care were allocated to the provision of care to children and adults
rather than to pets. The one exception here was single-person households,
where trips that were reported as being related to care were allocated to caring
for pets. However since animals are transported to the veterinary clinic, to
shows etc. by car or other vehicles, this share of transport vehicle consumption
and intermediate consumption goods and services is allocated to this principal
function in proportion to the amount of time spent caring for pets.
Pet food and supplies and veterinary expenses are included in intermediate
consumption goods and services. Pets themselves and equipment for pets were
regarded as household capital.
Figure 9.
Care of pets, value and structure
Caring for pets,
2.6 billion euros
Intermediate consumption
11%
Shopping, services
and travel
3%
Consumption of
fixed capital
1%
Net value added
85%
National Consumer Research Centre Statistics Finland 43