"My friend invited me to their pet dog's funeral, how much condolence money should I give?"

Online Community Debates 'Condolence Money for Pets' Daily
10 Million Pet Households Era... 'Pet Humanization' Trend Rising
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There is controversy over whether 'condolence money,' which is money given to mourn someone else's death, can be extended to the realm of 'companion animals.' As family structures have recently diversified, companion animals are also being recognized as family members, leading to divided opinions on whether to pay condolence money when attending a companion animal funeral.

A private company's memorial altar for companion dogs

On the 9th, a post titled "How much condolence money should I give at a dog funeral?" was uploaded on an online community. The author, Mr. A, said, "A friend invited me to a dog's funeral, so I went without thinking about condolence money, but there was a box for condolence money," adding, "I was embarrassed, but I hurriedly withdrew 50,000 won from an ATM and put it in, worried that they might feel hurt later. I'm not sure if that was right."

A netizen who attended the funeral of a friend's dog shared their story about being surprised to find a condolence money box.
[Photo by Online Community 'Blind']

Mr. A is not the only one who attended a friend's dog funeral and gave condolence money. Mr. B also said, "A close friend's poodle recently reached the end of its life, and they are holding a small funeral with close acquaintances," adding, "They told me to come if I have time, so I said okay, but since it's a funeral, I thought it wouldn't be right to come empty-handed, so I plan to give condolence money. How much is appropriate for a dog funeral?"

Asking how much condolence money should be given when attending the funeral of a friend's dog.
[Photo by Online Community]

Mr. C also expressed his astonishment in a post titled "They hold a three-day funeral and give condolence money when a dog dies." Mr. C said, "A colleague's pet dog recently died, and they dressed it in hemp clothes and held a three-day funeral," adding, "They posted a portrait photo and set up a memorial table. They even took three days off. Another colleague who also has a dog gave condolence money because the dog died."

A netizen mentioning a coworker who held a funeral for their pet dog that passed away.
[Photo by Online Community]

Netizens who saw this content responded negatively, saying, "I've never heard of a dog funeral. It's ridiculous," "I can understand the funeral, but telling others to come to pay respects is absurd," and "Ask if they sent a death notice to the company."

On the other hand, some netizens responded, "If you had a really deep bond with your companion animal, I think it's okay to hold a funeral," "Giving condolence money is not mandatory, so I don't understand why people criticize it," and "It's not good to mock or ridicule others' values. They didn't cause any social harm."

Companion animal households surpass 10 million... 'Pet Humanization' trend rising

Image unrelated to the article content.
Photo by Getty Images Bank

According to KB Management Research Institute's '2023 Korea Companion Animal Report,' there are 5.52 million companion animal households nationwide, amounting to 12.62 million people, surpassing the 10 million mark. As the number of companion animal households increases, related businesses are taking root in Jeonbuk along with 'Pet Humanization.' Pet Humanization is a neologism combining 'Pet' and 'Humanization.'

As more people raise companion animals, the term 'pet' feels outdated, and perceptions of companion animals are changing. The related industry and market size are also showing explosive growth. Owners who consider themselves 'butlers' of their dogs and cats do not hesitate to purchase premium products for their companion animals, whom they regard as their children.

The changing trend is also driving the expansion of the companion animal e-commerce market. The industry estimates that the domestic companion animal market grew from 1.9 trillion won in 2015 to about 4.5786 trillion won in 2023. It is expected to reach 6 trillion won by 2027. The companion animal industry continues to grow at an average annual rate of 14.5%. Like in the US and Europe, Korea's companion animal industry is increasingly shifting from low-cost to high-end and premium trends.

Companion animal-friendly cafes and funeral homes... markets striving to capture 'butlers' hearts

Vice Chairman Jeong Yong-jin of Shinsegae Group and the first Starbucks pet-friendly dining store 'Guri Galmae DT Branch' located in Guri-si, Gyeonggi-do.
[Photo by Shinsegae Group, Starbucks]

Companion animal households must take responsibility from the adoption stage to the funeral stage after death. Reflecting this, companion animal funeral homes have recently been springing up rapidly. Additionally, urns for companion animals are popular. There are various types and colors of urns made of wood, fabric, and other materials. Memorial jewelry made from companion animal ashes is also attracting attention because it can be preserved permanently in the form of jewelry.

Starbucks, the number one coffee company in Korea, recently opened its first dog-friendly store, 'Guri Galmae DT Branch,' in Guri, Gyeonggi Province. Although there were pet-friendly stores with dog parks before, this is the first store in Korea where dogs and cats can enter the indoor space together. Starbucks had not been able to open dog-friendly stores because the Food Sanitation Act prohibited eating with companion animals in restaurants and cafes. Most dog-friendly cafes or restaurants run by individual proprietors operate illegally due to a lack of accurate understanding of current laws.

Starbucks received a regulatory sandbox demonstration exemption, allowing a two-year regulatory waiver until January 4, 2026. It plans to expand dog-friendly stores to other areas such as 'The Bukhangang R Branch' and regions in Gyeonggi Province like Yangpyeong and Namyangju, while monitoring customer responses.

Industry experts expect the companion animal market to become more segmented and diverse as the companion animal population rapidly increases. Professor Eunhee Lee of Inha University's Department of Consumer Studies said, "Consumers regard companion animals as precious beings like their children or grandchildren," adding, "Sales of related products such as pet food, snacks, toys, and pet strollers are also increasing, so distribution companies will strengthen various marketing strategies to captivate customers."