American Pets Get Top-Dog Treatment have dental products for their dog, including a toothbrush, tooth- (NAPSA)—TIf you like pamper- ing yourpet, you're not alone. Now reaching $40 billion, Americans’ spending on their pets paste, mouthwash, tartar/breath control/whitening products or floss. HappyTrails Pet owners prefer to have has hit an all-time high, according to industry groups. But along with that increase in spending has family or friends care for their come an increasein pets. Pet own- ership is currently at its highest animals while they are on vaca- level, with more than 71 million households in the U.S. owning at least one pet. Those increases indicate that pets have firmly madetheir markson our hearts. “There is nothing that more clearly demonstrates that over the past two decades we have come to realize people consider pets a part of the family and treat them accordingly,” says Bob Vetere, president of the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association (APPMA)—the company that publishes the National Pet Owners Survey. So what are we buying our pampered—and loved—pets? You maybe surprised. Vetere says new pet products range from travel accommodations to kosher foods. Here’s a look at APPMA’s 20072008 Surveyresults: Happy Holidays More than half of all pet owners purchaseda gift for their pets in the past 12 months, with Christmas being the most popular gift-giving holiday. Pet owners also shell out the big bucks on Easter, Halloween, Valentine’s Day and Hanukkah. On average, tion. However, other arrange- Fancy Fido—Twenty-six percent of dogs in the U.S. have their ownbed. dog owners spend $66 per year on treats and $41 per year on toys. Eat Up The Survey shows an increase in the number of pet owners who consider specially formulated or organic pet foods worth the extra time and money. To Your Health The percentage of dog owners with health insurance coverage for their dogs remained steady at 3 percent. More dogs are given medication (77 percent) than any other pet type. Homeopathy Is Where The Heart Is The use of homeopathic remedies has been steadily on the rise among dog owners since 2002. Accordingto the latest statistics, 6 percent of dog owners and 4 percent of cat owners chose homeopathic remedies. Pearly Whites Three out of 10 dog owners ments made when pet owners travel include professional petsitting services, boarding at a kennel, taking pets along on vacation or leaving pets home alone. Sweet Dreams Man’s best friend is receiving the royal treatment. More than a quarter of all dogs now have their own beds. Showing You Care Of course, people don’t just show love for pets through what they buy. For instance, in the event of an emergency evacuation, nearly seven out of 10 owners of dogs, cats, birds and small ani- mals said they would take their pets with them. Plus, three out of 10 people who lost a pet memorialized their friend in some way—most com- monly with a memorial/garden stone for the home or yard. Also, 15 percent of dog owners and 11 percent of cat owners placed their pet’s ashes in an urn in 2006. For more information about the Survey, visit the Web site at www.appma.org.
