pet connection

It might be a bit of a stretch, but two press releases issued today from two totally unrelated entities struck me as a sure sign of the times as related to DogCars.

The first news comes from IBISWorld, a global research firm that closely tracks trends in a given marketplace. IBIS reports that the pet products and services industry in the U.S. is continuing to grow on an annual basis, topping $43 billion and showing no signs of slowing down.

The press release states, in part:

Devoted pet owners are investing thousands of dollars on animal acupuncture, kitty chiropractics, doggie dentistry, and other alternative therapies in an effort to improve the lives of their feathered and furry friends.

The IBIS reports that of this $43 billion:

• $16.1 billion will go towards food and treats,
• $9.8 billion on veterinarian care and pet insurance,
• $9.9 billion on supplies and over the counter (OTC) medicine,
• $2.1 billion on buying live animals,
• $2.9 billion on other pet services, including training and grooming; and,
• $2.6 billion on pet products purchased at supermarkets and mass merchandisers that cater specifically to pets with toys, clothing for pets, and even pet jewelry.

What the report does not mention is how much money these pet-loving consumers will put toward purchasing the perfect vehicle to be used in transporting their pets to all of these activities.

That’s where the second news report comes into play.

Kelley Blue Book, a respected automotive market research service, said today that consumers are more concerned than ever about the envrionment and are taking that into their consideration when shopping for a new car.

Among the survey respondents, 80 percent believe that individuals should make lifestyle changes in order to reduce CO2 emissions. Furthermore, 75 percent of shoppers say they have made changes to further the betterment of the environment, with the top lifestyle changes mentioned being recycling (54 percent), cutting back on driving (46 percent) and purchasing a fuel-efficient car (31 percent).

The demand for information is so great that KBB is rolling out a new section on its website that is dedicated to providing information about high-mileage vehicles — such as hybrids — and other alternative fuel technologies.

The site features plenty of good information about environmentally friendly vehicles, including a list of the top 10 Green Cars for 2008. The Honda Fit (pictured above) — a favorite among DogCars.com readers — is on that list.

Read the full report.

So there you have it. People are spending more than ever on their pets, and car buyers are increasingly becoming more interested in getting high fuel mileage and cleaner cars than ever before.

The conclusion: We love our pets and the world they live in.

We could have told you that!

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