Pet Gift Giving

 

 

Do you buy Christmas gifts for your pets?? 

Around the rescue our pups do get Christmas goodies every year.  They also get a special Christmas dinner that is sponsored by a couple different donors.  We video tape each dog eating their special Christmas dinner while we tell folks about that dog and what they have done since they have been with us.  We post them on YouTube for everyone to see.  People just love seeing the pups in the rescue being spoiled for one day.  They track the progress of each dog as the years go by.  It is really a fun tradition…and we have wonderful donors that sponsor this each year.

 

Well…that went off tangent.  J Back to my original question…do you buy holiday gifts for your pets??  Do you wrap them and put them under the tree or do you have a stocking for your pet??

Did you know that 7 out of 10 pet owners will buy gifts for their pets??  This percentage has risen from 66% to 78% in the last 10 years.  Most (70%) of those gifts purchased are for your pets stocking.  More women buy gifts for their pets than men and most of those are between the ages of 35 and 54.  Of course the most popular gifts are treats and toys. 

 

According to Time Magazine, Americans spend $5 Billion annually on gifts for their pets…an estimated $210 Million just during the Holiday season.  Our research has also found that most pet gift purchases are impulse buys and people spend an average of $10.  This article also mentions industry trends researched by the American Pet Products Association.  According to them, Americans will spend $52.9 Billion on their pets this year.  This includes food, supplies, vet care, etc…

More and more pets are becoming an important part of people’s lives.  More and more people are treating them as a part of the family.  I recently read an article about Fiona Apple.  She postponed the South American part of her tour just so that she could stay home with her dying pit-bull Janet.  She wrote a long letter to her fans that moved me to tears.  She stated ““I will not be the woman who puts her career ahead of love and friendship.” The singer asks her fans to understand, “I just can’t leave her now…If I go away again, I’m afraid she’ll die and I won’t have the honor of singing her to sleep, of escorting her out.”” 

 

Our pets help us in so many ways.  They listen with an unbiased ear, they show compassion, they keep our secrets, and they show us unconditional love.  Why not give them a little something to brighten up their lives and show them how much we love them?? 

Be Well & Be Happy,

Pet~Pourri