FongO'connell645

A expanding admiration for pets has Americans acquiring increasingly inventive pet merchandise, from self-washing, toilet bowl-shaped cat litter boxes and dog strollers to tennis ball-launching doggie golf-club drivers, treat launchers and higher-tech clippers. These hot new merchandise and hundreds of other individuals had been unveiled at Global Pet Expo, the pet industry's largest annual trade show in the world. Figures from the American Pet Goods Suppliers Association (APPMA) show spending on pets is at an all-time higher-an estimated $38.four billion this year.

So just exactly where are these billions going?

• $15.two billion for food

• $9.3 billion for supplies and over-the-counter medications

• $9.4 billion for veterinarian care

• $1.8 billion for live animal purchases

• $two.7 billion for other services.

And it is not just the fundamentals. APPMA's National Pet Owners Survey shows 27 percent of dog owners and 13 percent of cat owners purchase their pets birthday presents, and 55 percent of dog owners and 37 percent of cat owners acquire their pets holiday presents.

All this spending and pampering has prompted ingenuity ranging from low-upkeep aquariums, matching sunglasses for dogs and their owners and spa remedies for your pet, to laser cat toys and adjustable heating and massaging dog beds.

Market experts point to a continued trend in the humanization of pet goods. "Each infant boomers and young specialists who are delaying getting families in favor of careers are turning to pets to fill the void at house," mentioned APPMA President Bob Vetere. "With these families' higher-than-average disposable incomes, their pets are enjoying elaborate higher-end and higher-tech products as effectively as revolutionary devices developed for convenience for the pet owner."

Pet owners report in APPMA's National Pet Owners Survey that they have a specific bond with their pets and think about them a very best buddy, a companion or like a child or member of their loved ones.

Vetere likens it to his encounter with his golden Lab, Dakota. "I can sit and talk to him and inform him any difficulty I have and he just sits there with his tongue hanging out, smiling at me, just waiting for me to finish. It really is like, 'OK, you feel far better now? Let's go outdoors and play.'

"We've come a long way in terms of how we view and treat our pets," concluded Vetere. "Thankfully, for pets and individuals, there is nevertheless plenty of opportunity for healthy development." www.linkedin.com/pub/shirley-moores/2b/586/9a5