Is the Pet Industry Recession Proof?

In the throes of a recession, most people look for ways they can cut spending. But is pet pampering considered a nonessential expense? For some pet owners, particularly those who view their pets "like children," the answer appears to be no. And although no industry can be considered truly recession proof, the pet industry does seem more recession resistant than some.

I came to this conclusion after reading about the proliferation of high-end pet boarding facilities that offer perks like spa treatments (massage and aromatherapy), bottled water, fitness sessions, ice cream breaks and birthday parties. These five-star pet hotels will even read your fur baby a bedtime story - Clifford the Big Red Dog?-and for $1,600 you can get a recording of your dog's first CD. If this isn't ample evidence that some pet owners think nothing is too good or "too much" for their animal companions, I don't know what is!

According to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association in Connecticut, spending on pet services including boarding and grooming has more than doubled to $2.5 billion in the last five years. The continued success of high-end pet hotels seems to indicate that pet owners are willing to pay extra for pampering no matter what shape the economy is in. Some pet owners may be seeking to assuage their guilt over going away on vacation without the dog, while others may simply view it as a necessary family expense.

"Pet owners expect kennels to do more than board-they want their dogs and cats treated like children," said Jim Krack, executive director of the American Boarding Kennels Association. And Michael San Filippo of the American Veterinary Medical Association believes that empty nesters are helping to drive the trend toward pet pampering. "The kids are married or away and this sort of fills a parental need," he said.

Indeed, a March market report from the consumer-research group Packaged Facts concluded that today's pet owners "view their pets as full-fledged members of the family, with regard to which they would no more take lightly any serious cutbacks on spending than they would for their kids."

Further proof that the pet industry is probably more recession resistant than some, can be inferred from the results of a recent Associated Press/Petside.com survey. Interviews with 1,110 American pet owners revealed that half of them consider their animals to be as much a part of their family as any human member.

The AP/Petside poll asked "Which comes closest to the way you feel about how your pet fits into your family?" 13% said "My pet is part of my household but not part of my family;" 36% said "My pet is part of the family, but not as much as the people in the household;" and 50% said "My pet is just as much a part of the family as any other person in the household."

The June 23, 2009 survey also revealed that 42% of those polled took their pet on vacation with them, 35% included their pet in family portraits, 33% included a pet on their holiday card, 30% allowed a pet sleep on their bed, 27% celebrate their pets birthday and 17% took a pet to work with them.

One thing is certain: people who treat their pets like family members are not alone. I personally see nothing wrong with a person pampering their pet to whatever degree they desire and can manage financially. I probably won't ever treat my cats to a stay in a five-star pet hotel or get them their own "kitty fitness trainer," but I will continue to look for little ways I can pamper them. For me, that's part of what makes pet ownership so enriching and enjoyable. Viva la pet pampering!

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AP/Petside poll: http://surveys.ap.org/

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