Holiday Cheer for Pets

The holiday season is right around the corner-it is absolutely amazing to me how 2009 has flown by. Based on what I have seen at Global Pet Expo, Super Zoo and the Backer Christmas Show this year there are truly many things to be thankful for when it comes to the strength of the pet industry.

The news about the economy continues to be less than stellar but the energy I have witnessed from buyers and exhibitors at our industry’s trade shows has been phenomenal. I’m continuously amazed at the innovations being presented, and more importantly put on store shelves – and consumers continue to demand more. No matter what the rest of the economy has been feeling, people still love their pets.  They are dedicated to making them a part of the family and treating them like humans.  More than ever people are realizing how much having a pet helps improve their lifestyle.  We have all seen the studies showing the many health benefits derived from owning a pet.  Lower blood pressure, better sleeping patterns, more exercise, more social interaction and so much more have all been documented in recent scientific research.

As the world has gotten more unpredictable the one thing that never changes is the unquestioned love and affection we get from our pets. They get excited every time they see us.  They can listen endlessly to our problems then look at you with a look that says “it is all going to be okay; lets go out and play”. Pet owners understand this.  They want to say thank you.  Because they are receiving gratification on a meaningful human level they feel they must show thanks on a meaningful human level.  People spend money in ways that make us feel good.  When we buy food for our family to help provide for them or donate to a charity; that makes us feel good.  Well, that carries over to spending on our pets.  We don’t feel that it is enough to buy Sparky a new tennis ball.  On our human terms that is not enough of a thank you.  Our pets are happy either way.  All they want is for us to love them back.  The fact that we give them something special is merely icing on the cake to them.

It is this spirit that continues to give optimism to those of us in the pet industry.  We can look forward to this trend continuing right through the Holiday season.  All of our hamsters and gerbils and fish and birds and dogs and cats and other pets will cause us to smile a little more, relax a little more and just feel better.  And we will thank them for doing so.  And, I believe, the industry will benefit from all of this.