Establishment of 'Pet Guardianship Lab' by PETOKOTO, NPO, Insurance, and Legal Experts to Build Social Infrastructure for Pets

PETOKOTO Inc. (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; President: Taisuke Okubo), a pet wellness company with the mission 'Creating a world where pets are loved as family,' has established the 'Pet Guardianship Lab' in collaboration with the NPO Center for Human-Animal Coexistence (Gifu City, Gifu; Chairperson: Yoriyuki Okuda), Little Family Small Amount Short Term Insurance Co., Ltd. (Taito-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Kazuhiko Itaya), and HAL Administrative Scrivener Office (Yokohama, Kanagawa; Representative: Satomi Tashiro). A commemorative presentation and study session were held on April 24, 2026, to announce future activity policies.

While the domestic pet market is expanding to approximately 2 trillion yen, issues regarding pet rehoming due to the 'owner's unexpected circumstances' have become evident due to an aging society and the rise of single-person households. This lab aims to implement animal coexistence not as mere 'emotion' but as 'social infrastructure' against this 'pet refugee risk.'

**What is Pet Guardianship Lab?**
The lab is a cross-industry co-creation platform where pet-related companies, experts, and NPOs collaborate on awareness, research, system design, and business co-creation to 'implement systems in society that protect the future of pets.'

**Background: Expanding Market vs. Neglected Risks**
In recent years, pets have become members of the family. However, with single households reaching 40% in Japan, risks such as interrupted care due to hospitalization, dementia, or death have become social issues. Currently, there is a lack of reception facilities, fragmented information, and insufficient financial preparation.

**Four Main Activity Policies:**
1. Sharing: Building a common industry language through research and case sharing.
2. Formation: Developing a multi-layered network of caretakers nationwide.
3. Proposal: Advocating for institutionalization to make pet guardianship a standard/mandatory practice.
4. Communication: Promoting corporate participation and public awareness via media.

**Roles of Participating Companies:**
- PETOKOTO: Handling awareness and information dissemination through matching services and media.
- Center for Human-Animal Coexistence: Responsible for system design, research, and guidelines.
- Little Family Insurance: Providing economic safety nets through specialized insurance products.
- HAL Administrative Scrivener Office: Offering professional support for contracts and legal documents.