Holiday season travel boosts demand for pet care services and automated pet care products

Ahead of the New Year holidays, pet owners in Russia have been increasingly seeking pet care services and purchasing products designed to automate daily pet care routines. According to Avito, demand for pet sitters increased by 1.2 times between late November and mid-December 2025 compared to the previous month.

Interest in pet sitters providing scheduled feeding, water replacement, litter box cleaning, and dog walking when required grew by 21%, while the number of active listings increased by 9%. Demand for dog walking services rose by 9%, alongside a 4% increase in available offers.

The strongest pre-holiday growth was recorded in care services for birds, with demand increasing by 15% compared to the previous period and supply rising by 7%. Demand for care of rodents grew by 14%, exotic pets by 10%, rabbits by 9%, and reptiles, amphibians, and spiders by 9%. Searches for cat care services increased by 5%, while demand for fish feeding and aquarium cleaning services rose by 7%.

Similar trends were observed across product categories. According to the press release, purchases of dog toys increased by 23%, while cat toys were bought 19% more frequently. Sales of clothing for cats rose by 19%. Automatic feeders for various pets were purchased 21% more often, bowls by 13%, and pet beds by 5%.

Avito noted that the growth in demand reflects pet owners’ efforts to maintain consistent care routines and comfort for their pets during travel periods and extended holidays, as well as to reduce daily workloads by delegating routine tasks to pet sitters and smart devices.

Source: Avito press service