More on the Growing Pet Industry


Pet industry provides new business opportunitiesHey, we told you that the pet industry is big business in the U.S., and in some other countries too.

I was planning to write about the Puppy Bowl, to show yet one more example of the new and unique pet businesses being invented, but found that Samantha Hartley of the Enlightened Marketing blog beat me to it.

For those not in the know, the Puppy Bowl is a TV program aired at the same time as the Super Bowl, which is the big football championship game here in the United States. It gave people a special event to watch if they were not football fans, and I suppose it was also something for the kids to watch while the parents were partying. Samantha writes:

This year millions of viewers tuned in to Animal Planet to watch Puppy Bowl III and the Kitty Half Time Show. It’s a Superbowl alternative that ran 3 (!) hours in back-to-back loops for most of the day on Sunday. It’s basically a bunch of shelter puppies rassling with each other on a cute, miniature football field covered in toys. Fun, creative details, like a water bowl with a camera in the bottom (“puppy bowl cam”), a few dogs “tailgating” outside the stadium (in the “barking lot”), instant replays of “bone-crushing hits” (no, they weren’t; and all action was carefully supervised by the Humane Society), and penalty flags thrown by a ref in costume (for poops on the field) made this even more enjoyable.

Personally, I can’t think of anything more stress-reducing than three straight hours of puppies falling all over each other.

I caught some of the program while flipping through channels on Sunday, and agree that it was stress-reducing. And it was more interesting to watch than I would have expected (view the video clips and judge for yourself). But the point is that millions of people watched it and advertisers took it seriously.

Not only do we have special TV shows to cash in on the pet trend, but now comes the Herman Trend Alert writing about the growth in “pet nannies” as a profession.

Pet-related businesses are booming.

7 Comments ▼

Anita Campbell Anita Campbell is the Founder, CEO and Publisher of Small Business Trends and has been following trends in small businesses since 2003. She is the owner of BizSugar, a social media site for small businesses.

7 Reactions
  1. I work in a pet friendly office and we get to enjoy something like this almost every day when the dogs play with each other… Stress-reducer is absolutely right!

  2. Yes, as a dog owner, I know that the pet related industry is huge.People nowadays will really not hesitate to spend big bucks on their beloved pets.
    This all started after 9/11, with the “nesting” of the American family.
    One important thing, though;
    For those thinking about getting into the pet business either in a franchise or as a start up……beware.
    Don’t misplace passion for your pets with passion for a business.Big difference.
    Franpro

  3. Solo Business Marketing

    Since pets are a combination friend and child to owners, the industry’s sales are guaranteed to increase every year.

    I expect to see and hear about product and service expansions for pets and their owners. Pet nannies are just the beginning. It’s inevitable.

    I also watched Puppy Bowl with a smile on my face the entire time. Very, very sweet.

    Shirley

  4. “Since pets are a combination friend and child to owners, the industry’s sales are guaranteed to increase every year.”

    Agreed, especially with the growing popularity of small breeds, thanks to some infamous celebs. Owners totally baby these creatures, spending big bucks on anything from designer outfits to “doggles”.

  5. I watched the puppy bowl for over an hour and I loved it! Oddly enough, so did my dog! She was intensely focused on the television and frequently ran up to the screen to participate and vocalize with the players on the field. It was truly entertaining for us both!

  6. Franpro writes “For those thinking about getting into the pet business either in a franchise or as a start upbeware.
    Don’t misplace passion for your pets with passion for a business.Big difference.” I totally agree with you.

  7. I have started a web based business designing and making urns for cats and dogs. It’s slow going, but the people who have purchased urns seem to really like them. I have a small inventory which is viewable online; and since an article was published in our local newpaper’s business section, I have gotten some custom orders. I like being able to provide some closure for folks who’ve lost their best buddies. And I like providing them with something different and a bit more upbeat than a black box. It’s a niche market, and I hope to see it grow even if I can’t make a living doing it.