聽說，前幾年，疫情嚴重時，由於停留在家中的時間變多了，於是帶動了寵物陪伴的需求，據統計，全球有超過一半（56%）的人飼養寵物，其中 47% 是首次飼養者，我之前也有一篇文章提到，養貓的人慢慢地超過養狗的人，所以，近年來的寵物展越來越多，也不奇怪。
至於我想養寵物嗎？小時候有想過，但是爸媽沒給我養，在我開始工作之後，已經沒有太多心力，想這件事情了，不過，身邊倒是有不少朋友有養寵物，所以就陪朋友去寵物展看看有甚麼新玩意，朋友並沒有要買甚麼東西，不過，她想看看寵物科技產品，像是自動餵食器及智慧貓砂盆等，智慧貓砂盆可以自動偵測並清理貓咪的排泄物，還能夠去除貓砂盆中的異味，保持空氣清新，是種能輔助飼主的清潔工作的好工具。
一走進展場，映入眼簾的是各式各樣的寵物用品攤位，從高端的寵物食品、玩具，到造型獨特的寵物服飾，琳瑯滿目，讓人目不暇給，尤其是時間快接近農曆新年，帶有節慶氛圍的寵物服飾，特別吸引寵物人士的目光，我看到好幾個攤位，有賣寵物主題的春聯或紅包袋等應景小物，一看價錢，還真的是不便宜啊，不過，生意看起來還蠻不錯的，現代人真的很捨得把錢花在寵物身上。
流浪動物花園協會在展場內有個據點，該協會訴求「以領養代替買賣」的理念，我也蠻支持這理念，之前有陪過朋友去寵物店挑一隻小狗，朋友挑了一隻看得順眼的幼犬，店家要價一萬元台幣，其實，我覺得不便宜，沒想到三週後，和朋友聚會時，問看看那隻小狗的近況，結果，朋友說，那隻幼犬生病死了，雖然不確定，店家是否賣的是病狗，但是從此之後，我對寵物店的觀感就不好，而領養協會的動物，不但可以避免在收容所的動物被安樂死的命運，也可以減少流浪動物問題，費用的話，可能需要晶片費、寵物登記費、疫苗注射費等基礎手續費，相對而言，是個更好的選擇。
雖然，我和朋友原本只打算快快地掃過展場一圈，就離開，不過，展場內人潮洶湧，好玩的新事物也蠻多的，很多飼主們也帶著他們的寵物一起逛展，可以順便試吃各式飼料或零食，測試是否合乎寵物的胃口，假如，自家的寵物不吃的話，再便宜也不划算，沒想到，最後，倒也花了幾個鐘頭，才逛完一圈。
A few years ago, when the pandemic was severe, people spent much more time at home, which led to an increased demand for pet companionship. According to statistics, more than half (56%) of people worldwide own pets, and 47% of them are first-time pet owners. I also mentioned in a previous article that the number of cat owners is gradually surpassing dog owners, so it’s no surprise that pet expos have been increasing in recent years.
Do I want to have a pet? When I was a kid, I did think about it, but my parents didn’t allow me to have one. After I started working, I just didn’t have the energy to consider it anymore. However, a lot of my friends have pets, so I went to the pet expo with one of them to check out what’s new. My friend wasn’t planning to buy anything but was interested in pet tech products, like automatic feeders and smart litter boxes. The smart litter box can automatically detect and clean up after a cat, remove odors, and keep the air fresh—definitely a helpful tool for pet owners.
As soon as we walked into the expo, we were surrounded by all kinds of pet-related booths, from high-end pet food and toys to uniquely designed pet outfits—it was overwhelming! Since Lunar New Year is coming up, festive pet clothes were especially eye-catching. I also saw several booths selling pet-themed Spring Festival couplets and red envelopes. When I checked the prices, they were surprisingly expensive! But judging from the sales, people are really willing to spend on their pets.
Inside the expo, the Stray Animal Garden Association had a booth promoting the idea of “adopt, don’t shop.” I really support this concept. I once went with a friend to a pet store to pick out a puppy, and she chose one that caught her eye. The store was selling it for 10,000 TWD, which I thought was quite pricey. A few weeks later, when we met up, I asked how the puppy was doing, and to my surprise, she told me it had passed away due to illness. We couldn’t be sure whether the store had sold her a sick dog, but ever since then, I’ve had a bad impression of pet stores. Adoption, on the other hand, not only saves shelter animals from euthanasia but also helps reduce the stray animal population. The cost of adoption usually just includes basic fees like microchipping, pet registration, and vaccinations, making it a much better option.
Originally, my friend and I just planned to take a quick walk around the expo and leave, but with the huge crowd and so many interesting things to see, we ended up staying for hours. Many pet owners brought their pets along, letting them try out different food samples to see what they liked. After all, if your pet won’t eat something, no matter how cheap it is, it’s a waste. In the end, we spent way more time there than expected!