In pets we trust: Retailers report pet products still selling well
By Pet Connection Staff
March 4, 2009
Dr. Marty Becker and Keith Turner report from Global Pet Expo in this week’s Pet Connection newspaper feature:
Somebody forgot to tell our pets that we’re in a recession.
While the ongoing U.S. economic downturn has forced many industries to cut jobs, close plants or curtail products, U.S. pet industry experts announced at last month’s massive trade show that positive growth continued throughout 2008 — and more is expected for 2009.
At its annual Global Pet Expo, held over Valentine’s Day weekend in Orlando, Fla., the American Pet Products Association reported that Americans remain sweet on their pets. Last year the pet products and services industry saw an overall growth of 4.9 percent over the year before — even though some sectors, such as veterinary medicine, are reporting slowdowns. In all, pet-loving consumers spent more than $43 billion on food, supplies, medicine and veterinary care in 2008, continuing an upward trend that places the pet industry as the eighth-largest industry in the United States, ahead of such stalwarts as toys, candy, jewelry and hardware.
“What we are seeing is that people are more willing to sacrifice on themselves before trimming back on their four-legged friends,” said Bob Vetere, president of APPA. “The pet industry continues to grow at a record pace and has proven to remain strong during times of change, stress and economic setbacks.”
Gina says the “littlest Honda” is a fit for the times:
When Honda launched the Fit into the North American market in 2006, the world was a different place. Gas prices hadn’t gone crazy, the economy wasn’t on the skids, and most everyone’s idea of the perfect car for transporting dogs was an SUV, midsized or better.
Even with all that, the Fit made a splash: We chose it as the best small car for dogs in our first DogCars.com Best in Show awards (the overall winner that year was another Honda, the Element).
Gas has gone up and back down since, and the economy … well, we know where that’s gone. That makes the all-new 2009 edition of Honda’s little hatchback even better than before.
In fact, it’s about as perfect a little car as can be imagined, especially for dog owners. The space inside is so large compared to the tiny size of the vehicle that you start to wonder if the Fit is really a circus car, the kind that an endless number of clowns can fit into and come out of. You wouldn’t want to cram that many dogs inside, but you could manage a couple of big ones with comfort and ease, especially since the Fit’s seats fold flat and low to the floorboards.
The car sits low on the ground as well, making it easy to get dogs in and out. It’s sporty to drive, especially with a stick shift, easy to park, and as fuel-efficient as it gets for a non-hybrid: 27 mpg city, 33 mpg highway, with a nifty real-time mpg monitor to help you get even more from a gallon of gas. With a starting price under $15,000, it’s hard to imagine a better Fit for the times.
It turns out playing “fetch” can be dangerous. From Dr. Marty Becker and Mikkel Becker Shannon:
Experts at the U.K.‘s Royal Veterinary College say that canine injuries from sticks are as numerous as those acquired on Britain’s roads. Not only can sticks rip holes in the mouths and throat of dogs, but a dirty stick can also raise the risk of infection.
Gina reminds everyone to secure their pets safely in the car:
Securing a pet in a vehicle makes sense all around. A loose animal in the car can cause an accident by distracting the driver. In an accident, or even if the driver has to stop suddenly, a pet can hurt himself or other passengers. Fortunately, you can easily secure your pet with new products designed for comfort and safety.
For cats and dogs, crates — secured to the floor or to a safety belt for small pets — are perfect for travel. They keep pets in place and allow for transport straight into the veterinary office for scaredy-cats or nervous dogs.
For dogs, a wide variety of safety harnesses has become available in recent years. Many of these snap right into existing seat-belt buckles, and some double as harnesses for walking the dog once you get where you’re going.
Plus: The Becker “Best in Show” Award for best new pet product; facts on leashes, and bird bath tips. All this and more, in our Pet Connection newspaper feature, which you can read right here.
You can also see it exactly the way we send it to our client newspapers here. (PDF)
I used to drive an ‘87 Toyota van (not a Previa, just “van.”) that got 27 mpg, fit into a parking space the size of a twin bed, and could easily transport the contents of a small house (or all the gear of a medium-sized mountain rescue team) plus several dogs. The ultimate Clown Car.
One of my teammates dubbed it The Tardis, but its proper name was Emo. (For “Excursion Module.”)
I want it back. I don’t care that the engine was powered by a squirrel running on a wheel, that the crumple zone was the driver’s legs, or that Amish children pointed and laughed at my vehicle. I want my box on wheels back.
The Fit looks like a nice little car, but why is the mileage not quite as good as we got with our ‘91 Civic — which had a sticker price of about 2/3 the Fit’s?
Comment by H. Houlahan — March 4, 2009 @ 6:47 am
Why isn’t the mileage better?
Perception being reality, the manufacturers know that the people buying Fit’s, etc were still in car seats when those 35MPG+ cars were being sold in the late 80’s.
Comment by eli — March 4, 2009 @ 7:27 am
I agree: Fuel economy is the biggest complaint I have with the cars I drive. But I review what they send me, and I write about them in the context of what else is available on the new vehicle market. Consider: The Fit’s 27/33 is not that far from the Smart Car’s 33/41 … and you can actually put things in the Fit.
By the way, the Civic now starts at $15K, just a little more than the Fit, and gets about the same mpg, 26/34. Why anyone would buy a sedan when they could have a hatchback has always been a mystery to me. Even if they don’t have pets, don’t they ever haul anything?
***
The Tardis? OK, dish: Who was your favorite Doctor?
Comment by Gina Spadafori — March 4, 2009 @ 7:49 am
The thought of driving a (cute!)Fit (say nothing about a Smart Car) on the highway surrounded by the huge SUVs terrifies me—for the same reason I don’t ride a motorcycle despite the fuel efficiency. I’ll stick with my Forester, and try to keep it running as cleanly as possible.
Smart Car Crash test on Top Gear:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbBo1UPbloI Gah!
Comment by Lori — March 4, 2009 @ 8:58 am
The Civic used to come in a sedan, a wagon, and a hatchback. I guess that is now the Fit.
But we bought a sedan because we were living in Boston and parking on the street; hatchbacks and wagons had no secure place to lock up your stuff. This was back in the day when you popped out the radio and took everything inside or locked it in the trunk, every time you parked the car. And also used a Club. We did not have an alarm or Lo-Jack, but a lot of people with modest vehicles did.
Also, the hatchback was a “3-door.” I had owned a coupe before, and hated the lack of back-seat access.
With a Yakima rack on top, it served as a SAR vehicle, commuter car, and road-trip conveyance for almost 200,000 miles before we sold it, still running fine.
Favorite Doctor?
Rowan Atkinson, of course:
http://www.youtube.com/view_pl.....10D07FBF49
For reals — if you are not watching the new series on BBC or Sci Fi, you are really missing out.
Comment by H. Houlahan — March 4, 2009 @ 9:08 am
I looked at the SmartCar crash footage and was astonished at how well the thing held up.
70 mph into a concrete barrier, and the passenger cage is fully intact! Wow!
Who cares if the rest of the car disintegrates into confetti? It did its job.
Any of the iron behemoths from the 70’s, same crash — they bury you in the car, still commingled with the engine block.
Comment by H. Houlahan — March 4, 2009 @ 9:16 am
David Tennant
Comment by Kim Thornton — March 4, 2009 @ 9:37 am
I suppose…unless the bumper of the Hummer is through the windshield and sitting on your face.
I know a lot of cars _now_ have a feature where the engine is designed to drop down and out in a crash. They are getting better and better for crashworthiness, but if people continue to buy the monstrosities the little guy is always going to lose against them, I think. It’s scary out there.
Comment by Lori — March 4, 2009 @ 9:44 am
I drove a Mini Cooper Clubman from San Diego to Sacramento on I-5. Felt as if I were driving alo0ng the bottom of a lonnnnngggggg canyon with the steep sides formed by massive earth-fuckers. It was a little unnerving.
***
Tom Baker, although I would love to have seen Joanna Lumley (Patsy Stone from AbFab) in the sppof version.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — March 4, 2009 @ 9:47 am
The Fit looks like a nice little car, but why is the mileage not quite as good as we got with our ‘91 Civic — which had a sticker price of about 2/3 the Fit’s?
According to Edmunds
‘91 Civic sedan: EPA 27/32 mpg, 92 hp, 2255 lb
‘09 Fit: EPA 28/35 mpg, 117 hp, 2575 lb
Compared to a ‘91 Civic, a ‘09 Fit is safer and pollutes a lot less. The Fit is almost certainly quieter, with a more refined and comfortable ride. All of those things, some of which were regulatory mandates and some of which were market driven, add weight and decrease gas mileage. And yet per EPA’s apples vs. apples comparison, the ‘09 Fit still gets better gas mileage than a ‘91 Civic.
As far as the price being 2/3, inflation has gone up more than that since 1991 so the price increase in inflation-adjusted dollar terms is actually a price decrease.
Today’s cars are better. But I wish we had the range of cars that Europeans can choose from — many many practical high mpg cars.
I am still waiting — since June 2008 — for my 2009 VW Jetta Sportwagon diesel to arrive. One might think, what with new car sales having cratered to around half of what they were a year ago, that one would not have to wait this long for a new car order. But alas these things are waaaayy under produced relative to demand.
The Jetta Sportwagon has considerably more cargo capacity than a Fit, with a similar fold flat rear seat. It also has a much more refined and quieter ride, and is more nicely equipped. It’s a more upscale and expensive car than a Fit. It will probably cost about $24K, if my order ever comes in.
The 2009 Jetta Sportwagon is only slightly smaller than my 2001 VW Passat wagon dog car that it will replace. I test drove a 2009 Jetta diesel sedan, which are easier to find than the wagons. Other than missing a few high end features found on my loaded V6 Passat (which was $30K when new), the Jetta diesel is as nice as my Passat in just about every way.
The 2009 Jetta diesel is EPA rated 29/40 mpg, but EPA admits they are pessimistic with diesels. Owners on the VW forums are typically reporting combined city/highway mpg in the high 30’s or low 40’s, and 50 mpg on long highway runs at 70 mph.
The gasoline-powered Jetta Sportwagons are less expensive than the diesels and very easy to find.
Comment by LauraS — March 4, 2009 @ 11:48 am
I loved the Jetta sportswagon, but overall have found VWs to be erratic with regard to fit and finish. The Toureg is a lovely ride, but the new Tiguan felt “cheap” — and was priced more than comparable vehicles.
These things are so individual, though. I have an unnatural attraction to the Nissan Xterra, which doesn’t really pencil out for me but that I love nonetheless. I love the Mad Max-iness of it. All you need is Mel Gibson and a Queensland Heeler and bring on the apocalypse.
In the meantime, the car I actually do own, a ‘98 Plymouth Voyager, is perfectly functional, low-mileage, OK mpg for a minivan — but it makes me feel OLD and DULL.
This morning, they took away a bright yellow Mini Coop with black racing stripes. Not practical, but I liked it.
Also: The Honda Fit is marketed worldwide as the Jazz.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — March 4, 2009 @ 12:10 pm
I don’t want cute or politically correct. I want a full-size four wheel drive pickup. With a power take off, plow and brush rack. Extended cab (room for the dogs, you know), no carpet, plastic seats (so I can power wash the interior), ipod dock and navigation. A lift gate would be nice too, but it’s not necessary. Neither is air conditioning or power windows.
Favorite Doctor - this week the orthpod who’s (hopefully) going to fix several parts of what ails me.
Comment by Janeen McMurtrie — March 4, 2009 @ 12:42 pm
Laura S wrote:
According to Edmunds
‘91 Civic sedan: EPA 27/32 mpg, 92 hp, 2255 lb
We got better mileage than that — more like 35 on the highway, and on one trip where I kept careful records, consistently better than 40 mpg.
But we had a standard.
When I bought my current Honda CRV, in 2003, it was near-impossible to get one with a standard shift. When I finally found one, the salesman pronounced it “The only one in captivity,” and I’d hunted long enough to know it was true.
Both our cars are standards, but by the time we replace them, it may be a thing of the past.
In the ultimate irony, I now drive a TRACTOR with automatic transmission.
Janeen, will your orthopod use a sonic screwdriver? ‘Cuz that would be cool.
And yeah, why can’t I buy a truck with a PTO?
Comment by H. Houlahan — March 4, 2009 @ 1:20 pm
Both the Fit I reviewed and the Mini Coop that just left had standard transmissions.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — March 4, 2009 @ 1:29 pm
I’m stuck with a minivan as I almost always travel with at least three kids and like to keep crates in the back at all times too.
I like my Sienna but the milage is meh….
Tom Baker and David Tennant. Don’t make me choose. :-)
“For reals — if you are not watching the new series on BBC or Sci Fi, you are really missing out.”
still missing out ‘cause BBCA edits more out even more than SciFi
Plus a several month delay
There’s ways to get it unedited and on time however I would never suggest anyone do something of questionable legality…
But if you have a PC or Parallels and were to accidently google Graboid Video for instance….
Comment by JenniferJ — March 4, 2009 @ 1:41 pm
Gina, the first time I drove the Miata on the freeway, I felt like I was in the toy car I had when I was 4. Terrifying, but I quickly got used to it. Its only real drawback now is that it’s hard to find in a parking lot. Maybe I should put a dive flag on it.
Comment by Kim Thornton — March 4, 2009 @ 2:29 pm
The most reputable Toyota dealer around here is on the Philadelphia Main Line, so we went looking pick-up truck there. The place really emphasies customer service, so the salesmen is beside-himself-happy that he can show me a stripped down pickup (all I need is a truck that can fit me, my cousin, my dog and haul lots and lots of manure!;-)) that I could drive off the lot that day.
“I’ll need a toolbox with that,” I said.
“A what?????” The salesman had been with on the Main Line for 15 years and sold pick-ups to the wealthy estates — he had no idea that trucks came with accessories! I had to bring up the Toyota website inside the dealership to show them what I wanted and that Toyota really did make toolboxes. We got a great price and the dealership really has lived up to its reputation, but it was funny “educating” the dealership as to what a real working truck should have!
*****
Christopher Eccleston — I can so believe that he’s from another planet. Tennant is probably the cutest of the Doctor’s, but he’s really hyperactive — he reminds me too much of my adjudicated youth that I teach at the community garden — you just know that you’re going to have to give him 6 different tasks inside a hour or some poor plant is going to get yanked out by its roots. . .
Comment by Dorene — March 4, 2009 @ 2:44 pm
According to Edmunds
‘91 Civic sedan: EPA 27/32 mpg, 92 hp, 2255 lb
We got better mileage than that — more like 35 on the highway, and on one trip where I kept careful records, consistently better than 40 mpg.
But we had a standard.
I know people with Honda Fits who report 38 mpg on the highway.
Since they revised the numbers downward a few years ago, I think the EPA became too pessimistic for highway mpg. We beat the EPA highway mpg estimates with our vehicles, even at 65-70 mph.
I prefer standards too. Try finding a 2009 VW Jetta Sportwagon diesel w/ manual, white exterior/beige interior (to keep the dogs cool), and no sunroof (the massive sunroof available in this car covers most of the roof, and would have the dogs baking under it). I asked a VW sales rep why my dog car hasn’t arrived yet. He looked it up and said only a few cars configured that way have been shipped to the entire USA.
Modern automatic transmissions are improved compared to the past. They are more efficient, so there’s usually a small difference in mpg compared to manuals. Some modern autos get slightly better mpg than manuals. There’s a version of the 2009 Fit where the auto gets better mpg than the manual. I just like controlling the gears myself.
Comment by LauraS — March 4, 2009 @ 6:41 pm