Pet Mania in Brazil

Move over grandma, I must make room for Buster!  In pet-mad Brazil, grandma’s coffin will have to be moved slightly to accommodate that of the family dog or cat in the family vault.  In February 2026, the conservative governor of the State of São Paulo granted pets a slot in the family grave.  The state law acknowledges “the emotional bond” between the household pet and his or her humans.  This law was inspired by a dog who spent 10 years living in the cemetery where his owner was buried.  Buster is an old-fashioned name which does not reflect dogs’ newfound role as a full family member.  Now, pet names have been “humanized” to Chico, Max or Lua to reflect this emotional bond. 

The practice of burying pets alongside their owners is a time-honored tradition.  Notably, the oldest known wildcat pet was found buried intact next to the body of a young man, some 9.500 years ago in Cyprus. Numerous Ancient Egypt tombs contain mummified pets beside their owners.  It is still unclear, whether these pets had died naturally…

In ancient Greece, dogs had strong bonds with their owners and were carefully buried, as shown by the tomb of the dog Stephanos with a heartfelt inscription.  More generally though, animals served many roles such as sacrifice, food and labor.  I am not aware that the Roman legionnaires who travelled far and wild with their cat and monkey pets did get buried with them, although pet cemeteries have been discovered.

Later, monotheist religions discourage burying pets near people, even if Christianism was more lenient.  Animals had to work for a living.  In Europe, dogs and cats had a particularly tough time during the Middle Age; cats were persecuted, victims of superstition.

Welcome to Brazil, a pet-mad country.  In the 21^st century, animal rights have moved in the right direction, dogs and cats are no longer property but sentient beings, they are legally protected against cruelty and abuse.  Offenders can get fined and jailed for up to 5 years.  Under Brazilian law, animals can be represented in court to protect their welfare.  Recently, the entire country was moved with grief when a beloved community dog named Orelha (Ear) was found agonizing on the beach of Florianopolis in southern Brazil. Apparently, Orelha had been beaten by a group of teenagers from wealthy families.  Protest marches were organized requesting justice for the dog.  The investigation is still on going.

With about 168 million pets, Brazil (213m inhabitants) has the world's third largest pet population, after the USA and China (data from the Pet Brasil Institute).  Annually, US$ 10 billion is spent on pets.  In Rio de Janeiro, 35% of households have a dog, this percentage must be higher in Leblon where I live.  People have become dogs’ slaves and organize their lives around the needs of their dogs.  Pooper scoop has become an art of responsible citizenship which puts to shame French dog owners, another dog-made people.  Brazilians pride themselves on their physical cleanness and are known for their limitless use of showers, likewise their dogs are immaculate.  Odorless dogs are unique to Brazil.

                                          A pampered pet in Leblon, ready to strut her stuff for Carnival 

But in densely populated Leblon, dogs compete with people for space, and improperly managed dogs are major sources of friction in buildings.  Since dogs have been allowed in residence hotels, there has been an increase in reported conflicts and extra work for staff.  About 10 dogs live in our building, and their owners have become more demanding.  From his office, one man requested the bell boys to go to this apartment and take hourly pictures of his sick dog. Another owner grooms his pooch in our small garden and allows it to use the plants as restroom; still another one wanted to set aside a space for a dog run! Several dog owners consistently ignore elevator etiquette. 

Pets should refuse to be adopted by an irresponsible human!  

About 3.4 million animals have been abandoned in the State of Rio, including 2.2 million dogs and 1.2 million cats and these awful numbers keep growing.  In 2025, Brazil reported 34,086 homicides, down by 20 % from the past three years.  Feminicides continue to increase, with around four women murdered each day.

Consequently, many pets are orphaned and abandoned.