By Angelic Lara and Candace Dulley

1. Organizational & Household Decision Making By Angelic Lara and Candace Dulley

2. Consumers Pamper Pets with Healthier Products • Focus on nonhuman family members • Spending on pets has doubled in the last decade • “Pets are increasingly thought of as family members, so not only are we willing to dig deeper into our pockets for our pets, the choices we make for them are a direct reflection of our personal preferences, values and ideals,"

3. The Family Unit • Families with kids • Married/Single with no kids • Empty nesters • "For the most part, as parents, we don't skimp on our kids until or unless we really have to. And same goes for our pets today,"

4. Pet Industry • $50.84 Billion est. spending on furry friends in 2011 • 62% of the U.S. owns a pet • Average annual amount spent • Dogs – $1542 • Cats – $1217 • Average # per household • Dogs – 1.7 • Cats – 2.2

5. Products and Services Marketing to your pet • Basics • Food • Toys • Clothing • Luxury items • Grooming • Spa • Pet burial • Pet Hotels • Specialty foods • Lactose free • Pro-biotic • Vegan • Pet Insurance • Doggy daycare

7. Discussion • Has anyone purchased a designer or luxury item for your pet? • Since you’ve left home do your parents treat a pet as a child? • Do you take into account your pet when making purchasing decisions?

8. References • www.avma.org/reference/marketstats/ownership.asp • www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/07_32/b4045001.htm • http://money.bundle.com/article/are-we-obsessed-spending-our-pets • www.ilovedogsdiamonds.com/collection/amouramour.html • http://yourlife.usatoday.com/parenting-family/pets/story/2012-02-13/Consumers-pamper-pets-with-healthier-products/53070322/1 • http://www.nsga.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageID=4495