Let's take a look at a few excerpts from some recent stories about people and their pets.
From The Central New York Business Journal:
Pet-industry sales — which includes live animal purchases, veterinary care, over-the-counter medicine, food, and services such as grooming and boarding — jumped more than 80 percent from $21 billion in 1996 to $38.5 billion in 2006, according to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association, Inc. (APPMA). Pet-industry sales are expected to climb to $40.8 billion in 2007. The Greenwich, Conn.–based not-for-profit is a trade association with more than 900 members.
Americans spent $2.7 billion on grooming and boarding their pets in 2006, according to the APPMA. This is projected to increase to $2.9 billion in 2007.
In 2006, people spent more than $15 billion on pet food — more than any other commodity or service including veterinary care, over-the-counter medicine, live animal purchases, and pet services, APPMA statistics show. Pet-food spending is expected to increase to more than $16 billion in 2007.
''He's our baby, he's a family member, I would want somebody to do that for me,'' explains Ann Gufford.
She estimates spending $5,000 over the last two years on medicine for her baby, a mixed beagle-cocker spaniel. He has lost a couple of steps on the squirrels outside their little home near Goldsboro, N.C. His hearing is failing. Still, without some of the drugs, he'd probably be gone.
''You cannot put a price on that,'' says Mrs. Gufford.
Health insurance for pets has finally begun to catch on in the past five years. It multiplied from near invisibility in 2002 to as much as 3 percent in 2005, a marketing study found. Now insured are dogs, cats, birds, pigs, mice, snakes and other exotics.
Veterinary Pet Insurance of Brea claims close to 80 percent of the U.S. market with its 400,000 policies, typically costing $30 a month in premiums. Company spokesman Brian Iannessa says the total market is expected to climb to $500 million by 2010.
"My dogs are really spoiled," Bigger said. "I don’t have kids, so they’re kind of like my kids. They’re great companions for me."Bigger was one of many shoppers who contributed to the $38.5 billion people spent on pets in 2006, according to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association. National spending is almost double the $21 billion pet owners spent 10 years earlier.
Fifty-six percent of U.S. households owned a pet in 1988, compared to 63 percent today, according to the APPMA.
From NewsOne.ca in Ottawa, Canada:
David Rothman, a Columbia University expert in medicine‘s role in society, points to the millions of people who are desperately short on care: "If you can‘t get malaria drugs in some Third World countries, what are we doing with chemotherapy for cats?"
Yet many American pet owners, like some who come to N.C. State‘s veterinary school, "spend $500 a month on their chronic medications — and they don‘t flinch," says school pharmacist Gigi Davidson.
David Rothman, a Columbia University expert in medicine‘s role in society, points to the millions of people who are desperately short on care: "If you can‘t get malaria drugs in some Third World countries, what are we doing with chemotherapy for cats?"
Yet many American pet owners, like some who come to N.C. State‘s veterinary school, "spend $500 a month on their chronic medications — and they don‘t flinch," says school pharmacist Gigi Davidson.
It seems inconceivable to me this is occurring in the same country where people are DEMANDING "universal health care."
People will pay for their pets, but not for themselves?
What a crazy mixed up world we live in.
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Comments: 7
Aren't they the ones that don't pay their fair share of taxes??? *chuckle*
Most of the health care costs for pets is being spent on pets of wealthy or middle class folks who already have their own health care
Sounds like a bold claim from a one eyed fat man if you ask me. Trying to prove that bit of conjecture would be another story.