Animal rights campaigners slam 'cruel' dog pjs trend

Now matching Christmas family pyjamas includes the DOG too! Major retailers cash in on ‘Fam Jam’ trend by selling PJs for pets this year – but animal rights charities say festive fashion fad is ‘cruel’

• British dog lovers are getting in on the trend and buying matching PJs for pets
• Primark, Next, Gap and other retailers are now selling dog pyjamas as part of family set – after Instagram craze for whole family matching loungewear took off
• Campaigners have warned forcing your pup into PJs is akin to animal cruelty  

Animal welfare charities are urging people not to buy matching pyjamas for their pets this year – after major retailers included outfits for animals in their matching festive family PJs sets.    

Celebrities including the Beckhams and Stacey Solomon posed in 2020 wearing Christmas matching pyjamas, and now British retailers, including Next, Primark and Pets at Home have taken the trend to another level, introducing sets that four-legged friends can wear too. 

While some might swoon at the idea of their beloved Schnauzer trotting around the house in a tartan jersey that matches their own, animal welfare campaigners have warned that the trend is cruel. 

The RSPCA website advises pet lovers to be careful what they put on their pet, as it could cause them anxiety, hinder the way they communicate and cause them to overheat. 

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The trend for whole family PJs has become hugely popular with celebrities including Mariah Carey, the Beckhams and Stacey Solomon and husband Joe Swash (pictured) dressing up in matching loungewear

British retailers are cashing in on the family pjs set trend made popular by celebrities last year, and have now added PJs for pets. Pictured: Primark family sets that include Pup PJs for £7

The Beckhams also sported blue silk PJs in 2020, while celebrating at their Cotswold farmhouse last year 

Last year, celebs populated social media with picture-perfect family portraits of their brood sporting matching pyjamas.  

Stacey Solomon posed proudly in front of the tree with her children and husband Joe Swash last year, all wearing the same black matching garments. David and Victoria Beckham also were snapped wearing matching blue silky PJs with their brood. 

American singer Mariah Carey was ahead of the curve in 2020 when she posed with her children in loungewear, and dressed up her beloved pooch in their very own Christmas sweater. 

This year, retailers are hoping to cash in on the matching PJs phenomenon further by including ranges that also cater to pet lovers.  

Adverts for Primark’s line of ‘Fam Jams’ depict a happy family surrounded by presents, with the parents, teens, tweens and toddlers all wearing the same PJs, and the family dog posing in their own cosy onesie, costing £7.   

Several Amazon sellers are also advertising family PJ sets that include tartan garments for a dog

Mariah Carey dressed her dog in their own Christmas jumper last year, and the singer also wore matching PJs with her two children, Moroccan and Monroe

Retailers like Gap, left, and Pets At Home, right, also got in on the trend with their dog PJs, which cost £15 and £20 a piece respectively 

And Amazon sellers are also advertising several family sets that include garments for dogs. 

Elsewhere, Gap and Next sell £15 tartan PJs for dogs which can be bought separately, with Pets At Home offering similar outfits for £20.

While the trend might appear harmless festive fun, animal welfare campaigners are less than impressed. 

The RSPCA have issued a stern warning on its website listing all the ways in which clothes can harm pets, saying owners who wish to dress their pups up should keep a close eye on them for signs they are uncomfortable. 

The animal charity’s website reads: ‘This may appear as difficulty moving normally (including ‘freezing’), struggling to remove the costume or signs of anxiety such as panting. 

Alternatives to costumes that your dog might tolerate include a bandana or festive collar/harness.’ 

Next are also selling pyjamas for pets; this romper is designed for small dogs 

‘Remove the costume if your pet shows signs of distress, becomes entangled or experiences other problems,’ it goes on. 

The RSPCA also says that costumes can hinder the way dogs regulate their body temperatures, and they might feel too hot.

It adds that costumes can cause dogs anxiety by hindering the way they communicate with others by restricting their movements. 

‘If you can’t read their behaviour due to a costume, this could make them feel anxious and cause you to miss important signals (such as their need to toilet) as well as potentially lead to aggression between dogs,’ it says. 

Animal Welfare charity the RSPCA has warned that pjs for pooches might cause your beloved pet to overheat

The organisation added that if you are unsure whether a costume is a good idea for a pet, the best idea is to avoid dressing them up.  

On top of the animal welfare issues, eco campaigners have told The Sunday Times that the trend of matching sets is harmful to the environment.     

Sarah Divall, from the charity Hubbub, said: ‘Christmas can be an expensive time of year for lots of families, and the amount of waste created is becoming astronomical. 

‘Taking the pressure off and trimming down your festive traditions to things you really love can save your pocket as well as the planet.’ 

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