NewsVoir
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], June 23: Mars, Incorporated, a global leader in pet care products and services, is expanding its BETTER CITIES FOR PETS™ program in India -helping more cities become pet-friendly and making it easier for people to enjoy life with their pets.
The expanded program invests more than $1 million globally focused on increasing access to more green spaces and pet-friendly places, aiming to benefit 10 million people and pets around the world by 2030. This global initiative is powered by a strategic partnership with C40 Cities, one of the world’s largest networks of nearly 100 mayors of the world’s leading cities working to deliver the urgent action needed to confront the climate crisis and create a future where everyone, everywhere, can thrive.
Since 2017, BETTER CITIES FOR PETS™ has supported cities, focusing on key features pet parents need and want in their community. Through its expanded global focus, Mars is putting pet parents at the heart of urban life, fostering vibrant, pet-friendly cities that are not only kinder to the planet but also uplift thriving pet-friendly businesses in communities around the world including India.
The benefits of owning a pet are undeniable. In India 79% of pet parents say their pet has had a positive impact on their mental well-being and more than half 69% in India say their pet has improved their social life-sparking conversations, connections, and even new friendships. Pets play a powerful role in strengthening community bonds and enhancing city life.
Ikdeep Singh, Global President of Mars Pet Nutrition, comments, “With the urban pet population set to rise by almost 10% by 2030, Mars is more committed than ever to improving city living for millions of pets and pet parents around the world. Giving pet parents a voice in how our cities are designed for the future won’t just benefit our pets – it will contribute to healthier communities and a better planet for all. Because a better city for pets is a better city for all.”
In India, the Better Cities for Pets™ program is being piloted in Bengaluru, a city known for its growing urban pet population and vibrant community of pet lovers. With support from Mars India, this initiative is bringing together city planners, citizen groups, and local NGOs to co-create greener, safer, and more inclusive spaces for pets and their families. The program is inviting public-private partnerships to collaboratively shape a blueprint for a more pet-friendly Bengaluru, developed in partnership with C40 Cities. This city-specific roadmap will serve as a model for how Indian metros can integrate pet-friendly and climate-resilient solutions into urban planning.
More pet-friendly, resilient green spaces
Together with C40 Cities, the BETTER CITIES FOR PETS™ program has the ambition to drive a global movement toward pet-friendly, climate-resilient cities designed for future generations.
“At Mars, we believe pets make life better-and that belief is shaping how we think about the future of our cities, our emotional wellbeing, and the spaces we share,” said Salil Murthy, Managing Director, Mars Petcare India. “As Indian cities grow denser, pets are becoming vital anchors of emotional resilience and urban living. The Better Cities for Pets program brings this to life, starting in Bengaluru, known for its pet-friendly parks and civic engagement. We’re proud to launch India’s first pet-inclusive urban initiative here, with plans to expand nationwide.”
Mark Watts, Executive Director of C40 Cities, comments, “Green space in cities is vital to ensuring people’s well-being. Places to walk, relax in and enjoy are critical. They’re also vitally important in the face of increasing climate disasters like flooding. This partnership with Mars will accelerate support to cities to build resilience and improve access to green space for people and their pets. Our Urban Nature Playbook for People, Pets and the Planet provides tangible actions for cities to design people and pet-friendly urban environments.”
At the heart of this partnership is the launch of a first-of-its-kind Urban Nature Playbook for People, Pets and the Planet where Cubbon Park has been featured. Designed to inspire and equip city leaders, the playbook offers practical guidance for greener urban spaces-from tree-lined sidewalks to parks and public squares-that support biodiversity, improve mental and physical health, and strengthen climate resilience. Mars and C40 Cities will work hand-in-hand with cities, starting in Bengaluru, London, Los Angeles, Sao Paulo, and Bangkok, to bring the playbook to life through local initiatives that enhance green spaces for pets, people, and the planet.
More pet-friendly places
11% of global urban pet parents feel owning a dog limits where they can go, highlighting the need for more pet-friendly places in cities. In India, 56% of pet parents view their neighborhoods as pet-friendly well above the global average as per the recent Mars Global Pet Parent Survey.
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