The line between pets and family blurs evermore amid calls for pets’ food to better reflect their owners’ dietary values and wider identity. People are emerging from the pandemic with a stronger emotional bond to their pets, and a wave of specialty products is catering to this shift.

Gone are the days of feeding Fido leftovers from dinner. As people increasingly see their pets as part of the family, many are looking to splash out on foods with added benefits. Catering to this, Pooch & Mutt is a high-end pet food brand that claims to benefit pooches’ physical and mental health.

The pandemic has caused significant changes to Britons’ relationship with their pets – from the use of tech to alleviate separation anxiety to the rise of sustainable pet food. Canvas8 spoke to eight pet owners from across the UK to understand how their concerns and expectations have evolved.

For a new generation of pet owners, spurred on by the pandemic, the emotional health of their animals is more important than ever before. Petpuls’ AI-powered dog collar promises to deepen the pet-owner relationship and provide emotional transparency by giving dogs a voice.