Americans Pony Up Record $60B Keeping Pets Healthy, Happy
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

LOS ANGELES — Americans spent just over $60 billion on their pets last year, a record fueled by a big jump in what owners shelled out for services like grooming, boarding and training.

Two age groups drove the increase: millennials, because of their lifestyle, and baby boomers, because of their age, said Bob Vetere, president and CEO of the American Pet Products Association.

Those groups in particular often look to others to keep their pets exercised and looking and feeling good. They also tend to hire pet-sitters and use boarding services.

Americans spent $5.4 billion on such pet services last year, up nearly 12 percent from 2014, according to the association’s annual report released Thursday at the Global Pet Expo trade show in Florida. Here are some of its other findings:

NO LOVE LOST

By having others care for their pets, are owners not showing as much love as they used to?

“No, no, no,” Vetere said. “I don’t see this as a way people are trying to farm out their love for a pet. I think it’s a way of increasing exposure to loving people.”

The spike in service spending is expected to moderate in 2016 but still increase nearly 6 percent, more than any other area of pet spending.

MORE PILLS, FEWER VISITS TO THE VET

The proliferation of reality TV shows featuring veterinarians like “The Incredible Dr. Pol” and “Dr. Oakley, Yukon Vet” have focused more attention on the profession.

But the spending report found people are turning more to pharmacies, pet stores and food supplement stores for products to increase their animals’ health and longevity.

Medications are being refined and mass marketed, increasing their quality and availability.

Spending on pet supplies and medication increased nearly 4 percent, compared with a 2.5 percent hike for veterinary services.

“If a pet is sick or injured, today’s owner will run to the vet, but routine visits to the vet are down,” Vetere said.

LIVE LONG AND PROSPER

Americans are spending more to take care of their pets, but they aren’t buying as many pets to begin with.

People in the U.S. spent about $2.1 billion on animals last year, down 1.4 percent from 2014. It was the second year in row that sales fell, and a third dip is expected in 2016, though the decline should moderate.

Reasons for the drop: Pets are living longer. The oldest baby boomers are reaching 70 and not replacing their animal companions.

Also, a growing number of cities across the country have banned the sale of dogs in pet stores in efforts to put puppy mills out of business.

美國人養寵物年花1.97兆 產業看旺

寵物產業欣欣向榮，美國人2015年為寵物花費了創紀錄的602億8000萬美元（台幣1兆9710億元），而且這個產業未來預測將更興旺。

2016年度全球寵物博覽會16至18日在美國佛羅里達州奧蘭多市舉行，照例由美國寵物產品協會（APPA）與寵物業經銷商協會（PIDA）聯合主辦，APPA會長兼執行長維特爾17日在博覽會宣布去年美國人在他們寵物身上的大方花費。

花費的要項包括狗食、用品/非處方藥、獸醫費、寵物買賣，以及寵物服務等等。

「寵物服務」開銷成長率 連2年第1

「寵物服務」內容豐富，包括美容、寄宿、蹓狗、訓練、保母、運動及提供庭院，繼2014年之後，在2015年以11.8%的成長率再度蟬聯成長幅度最大的花費項目，金額達54億1000萬美元。

成長率第二名是用品/非處方藥，增加3.9%，達到142億8000萬美元。

維特爾說，今天的寵物主人為了使他們的寵物更長命、更健康，在藥品和補品上的支出一個比一個大方，彌補獸醫費的較低成長足足有餘。

食物將繼續穩坐寵物產業最大支出項目的寶座。今天的寵物主人比以前更精細審視他們端到寵物嘴巴前的東西，而且比歷來更留意天然、本地生產的成分。

除了品質，他們花錢還要求「價值」，也就是食物附帶的健康效益，例如對牙齒或關節有無益處。因此，推動食物支出的主力並不是寵物食品銷售數量增加，而是一分錢一分貨，寵物食品價格上升。

千禧和嬰兒潮世代 推動產業成長

寵物產業繁榮，尤其是美國、寄宿之類，兩個年齡群是主要推手：一是千禧年世代，因為其生活習慣，二是嬰兒潮世代，因為其年紀。這兩個年齡群都傾向於找人蹓狗，找保母照顧寵物，幫寵物尋找寄宿。

寵物買賣金額連續兩年下滑，原因包括寵物壽命延長、嬰兒潮世代長者在寵物死後不再養新寵物、越來越多地方政府禁止寵物店買賣寵物。

原文參照：
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2016/03/17/us/ap-us-pet-spending-things-to-know.html

2016-03-18．聯合晚報．A6．國際焦點．編譯彭淮棟