Two notable pet-industry acquisitions closed in September. One bringing AI-powered clinical documentation into IDEXX's software ecosystem, the other marking the first acquisition for fresh-food brand The Farmer's Dog.
|Articles|September 1, 2007
Pet-related services skyrocket, experts say
Greenwich, Conn. - New graduates entering small-animal practice likely will enjoy financial growth due to the spending practices of 71.1 million U.S. households with pets.
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GREENWICH, CONN. — New graduates entering small-animal practice likely will enjoy financial growth due to the spending practices of 71.1 million U.S. households with pets.
That's a new record, up from 64 million in 2004, according to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association's (APPMA) 2007-2008 National Pet Owners Survey.
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And those pet owners also are spending more — an increase that directly correlates to positive attitudes regarding the human-animal bond, the 550-page survey shows.
"...Over the past two decades we have come to realize people consider pets a part of the family and treat them accordingly," APPMA President Bob Vetere says in a news release. "That has led to the evolution of everything from new and improved services and travel accommodations to food and medicines, all of which make spending time with our pets more enjoyable and help fuel the continued rise in pet ownership."
Among the report's findings is an increased use of dental care products and procedures. Around 10 percent of dogs and cats visited the veterinarian for dental care last year.
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