The narrator prepares for Mabel's fourth birthday weeks in advance, debating whether to wrap the early-bought present. An Amazon delivery and a brief song elicit excited jumps and knee-licking from Mabel, who is a cocker spaniel belonging to Frances. Pet birthdays comprise a booming UK market valued around £1.7bn, with a Moonpig survey reporting 64% of UK pet owners celebrate and 83% of Gen Z favoring gourmet treats or themed parties. Social media and consumer culture amplify the trend, prompting reflection on whether celebrations serve pets or the owners who treat them as family. A compromise is planned for next year.
I've been telling Mabel she'll be four soon for about a month. I bought her present similarly early, though I am unsure whether to wrap it. When the Amazon guy delivers a gift from my sister on the day, he wishes Mabel happy birthday through the gate. As I sing the opening bars, the build-up has clearly worked: she jumps up with excitement and licks my knees.
I should clarify at this point that Mabel is not my child she's a cocker spaniel. Frances's dog, Mabel. If this sounds unhinged, I'd like to stress it's statistically very normal, actually. Pet birthdays are a booming market, with the UK industry alone now worth an estimated 1.7bn. A recent survey by Moonpig found 64% of pet owners in the UK celebrate their pets' birthdays, with as many as 83% of gen Z embracing gourmet treats or even themed parties.
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