Pets are increasingly taking the place of children for many urban Dinkwad couples and easing loneliness among young single adults, fuelling spending on specialised diets, grooming, boarding and veterinary care.Chirag Modi, a 25-year-old software engineer, was still working from home when he moved to Bengaluru three years ago. Living alone, he adopted two kittens from foster care — Maya, the orange tabby and Meer, a white feline with an orange tail. Two-and-half-years later, Chirag’s life revolves around his pet cats and vice versa. “I live in an 1BHK alone, and I found that having company would be a good thing. I fortunately have enough money and space to take care of them,” he says.When work shifted to a hybrid mode, Chirag says he was worried but the cats adjusted without a growl. “They simply stay back when I am away at work. If someone chooses to have a child, they should first learn to keep a pet,” he recommends.Dinkwad couples (Dual Income, No Kids, With A Dog) and young singles like Chirag in Bengaluru are increasingly choosing to live with their pets, and are organising their homes, routines and social lives around them.The pet parenting journey is as daunting as raising a human child. From caring for them during the neutering phase and sickness, to getting the house netted for safety, pet parents in the city say they value every step of their parenthood.Chirag is very particular about what he feeds Maya and Meer. “Only high-quality cat food and chicken,” he says. The monthly expenses include food, medicine, vaccination and toys, and the bill can range between Rs 6,000 and Rs 10,000 but Chirag’s ready to go any distance for the pets. When he’s travelling, the cats are left at a boarding centre in Indiranagar, where he is charged Rs 600 per day without feed.Why Dinks go all out for petsRashmi PB, who works as a senior HR professional, grew up in a family that always had pets, so, having animals around has always felt natural to her. “When work schedules can be demanding and social interactions are often limited, pets provide a sense of companionship, stability, and emotional connection,” she says. Rashmi and her husband Sinu Mathew are part of a Dink lifestyle by choice. For them, the decision is based on personal values and the kind of life they want to lead rather than social expectations.“Our pet Lucy, a cocker spaniel, has had a profound impact on my life and on my entire family. She brings joy, comfort, and positivity into our daily routine,” says Rashmi. “She has been a constant source of emotional support during stressful periods and has a unique ability to sense when someone needs affection or companionship. Caring for her has also taught me patience, consistency, and the importance of living in the moment.”“Lucy is an important part of my family, but my decision regarding children is ultimately based on personal life goals and beliefs,” Rashmi adds.The couple spends Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 per month on Lucy, but on some months, expenses can go up due to unexpected medical needs.Renuka Balachandran, a corporate communications professional and Nirmal Unnikrishnan, a marketing manager, adopted a pup eight years ago. They call him Thor and confess that Thor helped make their lives more responsible and disciplined. “We need to follow certain timings for the pets. Also, his alarm is set without a clock, as he will wait for me to come from office at the doorstep at the exact hour,” says Nirmal. “As he’s an indie, Thor’s low maintenance,” he adds.‘Not enough vets to care for rabbits’It’s not just dogs and cats that are filling the voids of humans — there are rabbits too. Kareena Yadav, a PR professional, stays in a 2BHK home with her family. She gifted her brother Vivek a rabbit, Boogie, four years ago. Kareena says her brother planned to adopt a pet for a long time, but couldn’t. “We initially planned for a dog, but did not go ahead with it because of high maintenance cost and space constraints,” says Kareena. “Boogie is quiet, and he knows how to make his presence felt. Sometimes, he gives us a tough time by hiding in closed spaces. At times, when I’m asleep, he tries to wake me up gently with his paws,” she says. Boogie is never left alone. Someone always stays back to take care of him, she says. If something unavoidable comes up, Kareena trusts her pet with her best friend. The family sets aside a monthly budget of Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,000 for Boogie. “As we are living in a flat, it is difficult to source grass. Boogie eats only a certain type of grass, and we get it delivered,” says Vivek. Boogie gets stomach issues regularly, and getting him treated at the vet is the biggest expenditure. “One problem we face is that there are not enough veterinary hospitals equipped to treat rabbits,” says Kareena.Reimagining pet boardingWhenever they are away, Thor is kept in a boarding where he has his own space “because he’s not friendly with other dogs”. A reliable pet boarding in Bengaluru costs anywhere between Rs 900-Rs 1,500.Mewsly is a boarding centre exclusively for cats. Located in Indiranagar, Mewsly is run by 26-year-old techie Sumaanta Munde.Sumaanta has a dog and two cats, and hates the idea of caging pets. That’s what inspired her to start Mewsly four months ago. Her centre is a hit with pet parents. Slots are limited and need to be booked in advance. “The cats won’t be friendly initially, so I give them time and space to adjust,” she says. “They’ll scowl and hiss, but become attached soon.”Sumaanta says most of her customers are single pet parents. “The crowd is varied, from IT folks to museum designers to HR. People now prefer to adopt indies mostly. Out of 50 cats brought to the centre, only three are from different breeds,” she says.Sumaanta is also planning to develop an app to walk dogs, by onboarding gig workers or college students. “Bengaluru pet parents pay a bomb currently to walk dogs. Apps charge a lot, like Rs 250 for 30 minutes.”Preventive healthcareBengaluru is shifting from “treat my pet when it’s sick” to “help me keep my pet healthy”, says Udit Gadkary, co-founder at Dr Paws, a veterinary chain for pets. “Pet parents now want preventive care, nutrition guidance, dental work, physiotherapy, and a veterinary team that genuinely cares.”For a lot of young professionals, dogs and cats are family. A young couple was so upset when their pup ate a dishwasher scrubber accidentally. They were relieved only after a Rs 20,000 surgery saved his life. A decade ago, a dog often lived in the yard, but today’s pets have a hospital on speed dial, a diet plan and a physiotherapy schedule. Now, pet parents can book home visits and teams arrive to handle routine consultations, vaccinations, diagnostics, laser therapy, and even sample collection.Toys, grooming products, and food for pets too have seen a rise in demand. From toys to treats, products are priced in the range of Rs 200 to Rs 20,000.Grooming is another sector that’s witnessing growth. Services include pet bathing, hygiene trims, styling, ear cleaning, nail clipping and haircuts, and are priced between Rs 900-Rs 3,000. Some grooming centres even offer van service to ferry the pets.
