14 DAY TRIAL // People living in Singapore can from now on mourn the loss of the beloved pets by means of an obituary, courtesy of The Straits Times' taking the decision to include a “pets' corner” in their classifieds section.
Apparently, publishing a heartwarming message (for just $41 / €31.61) in loving memory of one's forever-lost cat or dog helps ease the suffering caused by its passing away more or less unexpectedly.
Granted, Singapore is presently listed as one of the world's richest countries as far as per capita income is concerned, but there is no way that the said newspaper's decision had anything to do with money.
Still, as sources report, one research firm called Euromonitor has just recently drawn attention to the fact that, “Many pet owners are increasingly treating their pets as household members and are therefore pampering their pets with luxurious food, products and services, just as they would dote on their family.”
Furthermore, “This trend led to a shift in consumer spending towards premium categories, such as premium pet food, hence driving growth in the pet care market.”