virna2015janmar

Not that long ago, if you sighed, “It’s a dog’s life,” you meant life’s tough. Tough as

the life of a dog, that is, before pet owners started calling themselves pet parents

and treating their “fur kids” like full-fledged family members. In just a decade,

animal humanization — our obsession with providing our four-legged companions

with human-quality products and a lifestyle to match — has become a top dog

among consumer trends. A new group of shoppers are expected to drive sales of

pet-related products and services to US$73 billion by the end of 2014, according to

a new market research report published by

Packaged Facts. For budding niche markets and well-established industries, pet-

friendly is the new black. And the hospitality industry is at the head of the pack.

By Joyce Hadley Copeland

TRENDS

RESORTDEVELOPER.COM

vacation industry review

JANUARY – MARCH 2015

The Perks —

and Peeves —

of Being

Pet-Friendly

the Dogs