Pet-centric homes a rising trend in Malaysia
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Property developers are responding to the trend by designing pet-friendly parks as part of the neighbourhood or buildings.
PHOTO: AFP
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PETALING JAYA, Selangor – With Malaysians’ love for their pets continuing to grow, property agents say demand for pet-centric housing projects has become a driving force in the property industry.
Malaysian Institute of Estate Agents (MIEA) former president Chan Ai Cheng said there had been a significant increase in demand for pet-friendly neighbourhoods and properties among potential home buyers.
She noted a 50 per cent increase in queries among her clients about pet-friendly homes and neighbourhoods, adding that most of them have small dogs or cats.
“This is evident based on the rise in the inclusion of pet-related requirements in tenants’ summaries requested by rental agents... (showing) the increasing importance of houses that meet pet-related requirements.
“Pets have become an integral part of our lives, providing therapeutic benefits and helping us de-stress,” said Ms Chan, who owns dogs, cats and sugar gliders.
She said many property developers are responding to this trend by designing pet-friendly parks as part of the neighbourhood or buildings, while some buildings have co-working spaces that allow pets.
“Most pet-owning home seekers are also prioritising homes with good ventilation along with open spaces for pets to play and exercise such as a nearby community park,” she added.
In recent months, several property launches, especially high-end condominiums and apartments, have offered pet-friendly premises as part of their attractions.
Many cafes and some malls have also become more pet-friendly.
Former president of the Association of Valuers, Property Managers, Estate Agents and Property Consultants in the Private Sector Malaysia, Mr Michael Kong, noted a similar trend, with an increasing demand for pet-friendly developments owing to the rising number of pet owners.
Increasing affluence in society, he said, meant that many families had begun keeping pets at home, adding that expensive pedigree pets had also become increasingly popular.
“As a result, not just pet-friendly developments but also pet-grooming salons, pet-friendly cafes, veterinary (clinics) and pet hotels have begun mushrooming across the Klang Valley.
“Many developments are now pitching their projects as pet-friendly, marketed mostly to higher-end customers,” he said.
On July 29, the Statistics Department’s Economic Census 2023 report said the local pet-care sector grew by 25 per cent by 2022.
Three categories under this sector are pet-care services, sales of pets and veterinary services.
Selangor and Kuala Lumpur were the highest contributors to the pet-care services.
The output value of the pet-care services sector was RM38.5 million (S$11.6 million), while that for the sale of pets was RM699.4 million, and for veterinary services, RM219.7 million.
Around 51.1 per cent of Malaysian households were found to own pets, in a separate consumer research report by global consumer intelligence company Standard Insights that was published in May 2023. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
