Treating Our Pets Like Children
There is a great amount of evidence of how affluent our country is. There are many people that have a great deal of money. This is obvious in many ways, but one of the most glaring to me is the pet products that are in the market place. I would challenge anyone to find a retail store that does not have some type of pet products for sale.
I first began noticing this a couple of years ago over the holiday season. Stores that ordinary do not cater to pet products had displays of gifts for your pets. I did not find this to unusual because I know many people, including me, that purchase a gift for their pet during the holiday season. But the amount of pet products and the number of stores that handle the merchandise is exploding. You cannot go anywhere without seeing pet products.
I have been going to the same barber for over twenty years, so we have become good friends. He owns a modest shop and has a selection of hair care products. Over the last six months he has started to carry a line of products for dogs and cats. He told me that the line of products that he has sold for years had developed pet shampoos. He was sent a couple of bottles to display from the distributor, and now it was his best selling product. Once the customer’s started buying the shampoo he thought he would spruce up the display by adding a couple decorative collars and ear bows and other pet products. His customers wanted to purchase the display items as well as the shampoo. He thinks he could make more money dealing in pet products than he does as a barber.
Gasoline service stations sell pet food, cat litter and pet treats for people that are traveling with their pets. One of the small gift shops located in the small resort town where I live started to sell collars for cats and dogs that match the hand beaded necklaces and bracelets that are made for people. She told me that the crafter started getting requests for hand beaded collars and so she included some in the inventory. The shop owner said that the pet products are one of her best sellers. The specialty candy shop in town now carries a full line of gourmet dog biscuits and other treats. The owner said that so many people bring their dogs along to the resorts, and they like to give them treats.
We do not travel with our dogs, unless my girlfriend is going on a hunting trip. Last week I had taken the dog to the veterinarian for her shots. On the way home I went through the drive through window at the bank. When I received my deposit receipt back there was also a dog biscuit in the tube. The teller had seen the dog in the car and had sent a treat. It seems like you cannot go anywhere with our being exposed to some type of pet product.