Owners Splash out to Keep Pampered Pets Warm in Winter

A growing number of pet owners are purchasing sleeping bags and heated mattresses for their four-legged friends as the mercury plummets amid a cold snap.

Park So-hyun, a 27-year-old resident of Euijeongbu north of Seoul, recently bought paw massage cream and shoes for her pooch. Park said, "I heard that calcium chloride sprinkled on the streets to prevent ice is bad for dogs, so I purchased products to protect its paws."

With pet owners in Korea now estimated to number about 15 million, a vast number of products have become available for them to pamper their furry companions. Hooded parkas, heated pads for paws, scarves and blankets are among the most popular.

Online retailer Gmarket said on Wednesday that sales of pet sleeping bags and blankets over the last one month surged 150 percent on-year.

One pet owner in eastern Seoul recently purchased a W30,000 parka for her 2-year-old dog (US$1=W1,197). She said she bought the product to keep the pet from catching a cold this winter. "I want to buy only good things for my dog, whom I consider part of my family."