(Reuters) – Pets At Home, a British retailer, stated that the number of homes adopting new pets has increased since COVID-19 lockdowns last year. This is driving up member numbers and generating a 77% increase in earnings for half-year.

UK’s biggest pet retailer with 453 shops, Petco has reported that memberships to its club for puppy and kitten care more than doubled. Members typically spend a third less than those who are not members. The number of active VIP members has increased 13% to 6.8million.

Pets At Home shares rose 7% and were among the highest midcap gainers at 1450 GMT.

Due to COVID-19’s spread, lockdowns have seen an increase in pet sales. These companies are among the winners in this pandemic.

According to the most recent report by the Pet Food Manufacturers Association (PFMA), a trade association representing the pet food industry, 3.2 million UK households brought a pet home during the pandemic.

The conditions at a pet superstore are simply unbeatable. Hargreaves Sophie Lund-Yates, analyst at Lansdown (LON) said.

The trend seems to have more potential than first thought. “It seems flexible working and the renewed popularity in rural living has led to the trend being more open.”

According to the PFMA, 17 million British households are responsible for a pet’s welfare. This is roughly 1 in 4 households in Britain and 1 in 5 American households.

Pets At Home maintained its website, stores and veterinary offices open during the pandemic. It said that new registrations to its high-margin business of veterinary clinics averaged around 10,000 each week in the six months up to Oct. 7.

Profits for the half-year rose to 70.2 millions pounds