Table of Contents
Scope and Themes
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- What you need to know
- Definition
- Data sources
- Sales data
- Consumer survey data
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Terms
Executive Summary
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- The pet market is estimated at $54.5 billion in 2014
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- Figure 1: Total US retail sales and fan chart forecast of the pet market at current prices,with best and worst case scenarios, 2009-19
- Pet food and veterinary services are the two largest market segments
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- Figure 2: Sales of pets, pet products, supplies, and services, segmented by type, 2014
- Market drivers
- The consumer
- Pets are a part of the quintessential family unit
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- Figure 3: Household pet ownership, July 2014
- Most adults plan to have a pet
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- Figure 4: Plans for pets in the future, by pets while growing up, July 2014
- Responsibility and expense are barriers to pet ownership
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- Figure 5: Top reasons for not having pets, July 2014
- Pet owners want the best for their animals
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- Figure 6: Attitudes toward pet’s holistic health, July 2014
- Most adults agree pets should be micro-chipped
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- Figure 7: Attitudes toward tech assistance for pet care, July 2014
- Four in 10 kids take care of a pet in the household most of the time
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- Figure 8: Kids responsible for taking care of a pet, by gender, November 2012-December 2013
- Hispanics embrace pet ownership
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- Figure 9: Household pet ownership, by race/Hispanic origin, July 2014
- What we think
Issues and Insights
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- Are there any limits on what pet owners will do for (or spend on) their pets?
- The issues:
- The implications:
- Do pet owners welcome tech connections?
- The issues:
- The implications:
- How important are Hispanics to future growth in the market?
- The issues:
- The implications:
Trend Application
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- Trend: Click and Connect
- Trend: Second Skin
- Trend: Mood to Order
Market Size and Forecast
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- Key points
- Americans LOVE their pets
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- Figure 10: Total US retail sales and forecast of the pet market, at current prices, 2009-19
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- Figure 11: Total US retail sales and forecast of the pet market, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2009-19
- Fan chart forecast
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- Figure 12: Total US retail sales and fan chart forecast of the pet market at current prices,with best and worst case scenarios, 2009-19
Market Drivers
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- Key points
- Majority of American households own pets
- Shifts in key age groups create market opportunities
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- Figure 13: Total US population, by age, 2009-19
- Families are more likely to be pet owners; childless households offer opportunities
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- Figure 14: Number of households, by presence of own children, 2003-13
- The influence of the Hispanic pet owner
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- Figure 15: Population, by Hispanic origin, 2009-19
- Increased consumer confidence provides impetus for impulse purchases
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- Figure 16: Consumer Sentiment Index, January 2007-July 2014
Segment Overview
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- Key points
- The cost of purchasing a pet is just the tip of the iceberg
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- Figure 17: Sales of pets, pet products, supplies, and services, segmented by type, 2012 and 2014
Segment Performance – Pet Food
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- Key points
- Americans spend more than $20 billion on pet food
- Pet food sales outlook is positive
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- Figure 18: Total US retail sales and forecast of pet food, at current prices, 2009-19
- Figure 19: Total US retail sales and forecast of pet food, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2009-19
Segment Performance – Veterinary Services
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- Key points
- What’s good for veterinarians is costly for pet owners
- Advances in veterinary medicine can extend a pet’s life
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- Figure 20: Sales and forecast of veterinary services, at current prices, 2009-19
- Figure 21: Sales and forecast of veterinary services, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2009-19
Segment Performance – Pet Supplies
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- Key points
- Recession-resilient segment exceeds $12 billion annually
- Litter/deodorant and dog/cat supplies account for majority of supply sales
- Pet supply sales forecast to increase 21% between 2014 and 2019
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- Figure 22: Sales and forecast of pet supplies, at current prices, 2009-19
- Figure 23: Sales and forecast of pet supplies, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2009-19
Segment Performance – Pet Services
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- Key points
- Pampered pets lead to 42% growth
- Pet services to grow 29% between 2014 and 2019
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- Figure 24: Sales and forecast of pet services, at current prices, 2009-19
- Figure 25: Sales and forecast of pet services, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2009-19
Segment Performance – Pet Sales
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- Key points
- About $2.2 billion a year is spent on buying a pet
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- Figure 26: Sales and forecast of pets, at current prices, 2009-19
- Figure 27: Sales and forecast of pets, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2009-19
Innovation and Innovators
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- IKEA – Home for Hope
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- Figure 28: IKEA Singapore, Home for Hope Video, 2014
- Zoetis
- Luxury Pet Hotels and Spas
- Rover.com
- Meals on Wheels, Fort Collins, Colo.
- PetChatz
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- Figure 29: PetChatz, Greet & Treat Your Pets from Anywhere, Anytime video, 2013
Marketing Strategies
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- Overview
- Theme: The Human/Animal Connection
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- Figure 30: Petco, “The Power of Together – Companions,” 2013
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- Figure 31: Petco, “One to Remember – Summer,” May 2014
- Theme: Anthropomorphism
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- Figure 32: FreshPet, “The Freshpet Story,” 2013
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- Figure 33: Friskies SauceSations Commercial, 2014
- Theme: Convenience/Assistance
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- Figure 34: Top 10 claims associated with new pet supply product launches – 2009-14
- Figure 35: Tidy Cats Light Weight Litter, Hidden Camera video, 2013
- Theme: Your Brand/Service Provider Cares
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- Figure 36: Dog for Dog, Now in Walgreens, 2014
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- Figure 37: Pedigree, “Good Food: See What Good Food Can Do(TM),” 2014
- Theme: Connecting
Pet Ownership by the Numbers
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- Key points
- Majority of US households own a pet
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- Figure 38: Household pet ownership, July 2014
- US households own more than 95 million cats and 83 million dogs
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- Figure 39: Number of households that own pets and total number of pets owned, by type, 2013/2014
- Oldest adults least likely to have pets in their household
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- Figure 40: Household pet ownership, by age, July 2014
- Higher-income households more likely to own pets
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- Figure 41: Household pet ownership, by household income, July 2014
- Children and pets a perfect fit
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- Figure 42: Household pet ownership, by presence of children in household, July 2014
- Pet owners are more likely to own their own home
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- Figure 43: Household pet ownership, by primary residence, July 2014
- Pet owners most likely had a pet as a child
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- Figure 44: Household pet ownership, by pets while growing up, July 2014
- Multi-pet owners a significant group
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- Figure 45: Household pet ownership – Frequency groups, by dog and cat owners, July 2014
Plans for Pets in the Future
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- Key points
- Seven in 10 adults plan to have a pet in the future
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- Figure 46: Plans for pets in the future, by age, July 2014
- Most adults plan to have a pet, regardless of income
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- Figure 47: Plans for pets in the future, by household income, July 2014
- Adults with children more likely to foresee a pet in their future
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- Figure 48: Plans for pets in the future, by presence of children in household, July 2014
- Adults who grew up with pets want them the most
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- Figure 49: Plans for pets in the future, by pets while growing up, July 2014
Reasons for Dog/Cat Ownership
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- Key points
- Most adults acquire a pet because they want one
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- Figure 50: Reasons for dog/cat ownership, July 2014
- Men more likely to go along with the decision to get a pet
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- Figure 51: Reasons for dog/cat ownership, by gender, July 2014
- Majority of dog owners have a dog for the enjoyment they provide
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- Figure 52: Reasons for dog ownership, by gender, July 2014
- Many men agree to own a cat because of someone else
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- Figure 53: Reasons for cat ownership, by gender, July 2014
Reasons for Not Having Pets
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- Key points
- Responsibility and expense block pet ownership
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- Figure 54: Reasons for not having pets, by gender, July 2014
- Older adults less likely to want the responsibility of pet care
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- Figure 55: Reasons for not having pets, by age, July 2014
- Cost precludes many low-income householders from owning pets
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- Figure 56: Reasons for not having pets, by household income, July 2014
Responsibility for Pet Care
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- Key points
- More than four in 10 owners are solely responsible for pet’s care
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- Figure 57: Responsibility for dog(s)/cat(s) care and attitudes toward health, by gender, July 2014
- Sole responsibility for pet care is highest for adults 25-34
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- Figure 58: Responsibility for dog(s)/cat(s) care and attitudes toward health, by age, July 2014
Attitudes toward Pet Health and Welfare
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- Key points
- Adults are generally concerned about pet health and wellbeing
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- Figure 59: Responsibility for dog(s)/cat(s) care and attitudes toward health, by gender, July 2014
- Adults aged 55+ more focused on their pet’s health and wellbeing
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- Figure 60: Responsibility for dog(s)/cat(s) care and attitudes toward health, by age, July 2014
Trust Issues for Pet Owners
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- Key points
- Pet owners split on who to trust with their pet’s wellbeing
- Most pet owners are nonchalant about pet-related technology
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- Figure 61: Caring for dog(s)/cat(s), by gender, July 2014
- Adults age 55+ more likely to trust their vet; less likely to count on others
- Pet-related technology of greater interest to younger adults
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- Figure 62: Caring for dog(s)/cat(s), by age, July 2014
- Wealthiest households most trusting of others for pet care
- Adults earning $150K+ most interested in pet-related technology
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- Figure 63: Caring for dog(s)/cat(s), by household income, July 2014
Attitudes toward a Holistic Approach to Health
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- Key points
- Pet owners want the best for their animals
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- Figure 64: Attitudes toward pet’s holistic health, July 2014
- Men somewhat more likely to take action
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- Figure 65: Attitudes toward pet’s holistic health, by gender, July 2014
- Older adults less likely to take action
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- Figure 66: Attitudes toward pet’s holistic health, by age, July 2014
Attitudes toward Technology Assistance
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- Key points
- Most adults agree pets should be micro-chipped
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- Figure 67: Attitudes toward tech assistance for pet care, July 2014
- Men slightly more interested in tech assistance
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- Figure 68: Attitudes toward tech assistance for pet care, by gender, July 2014
- Younger adults more receptive to tech assistance
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- Figure 69: Attitudes toward tech assistance for pet care, by age, July 2014
Trust in Pet Food/Pet Food Brands
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- Key points
- Most adults believe there are differences among pet foods brands
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- Figure 70: Trust in pet food/pet food brands, July 2014
- Men are more likely than women to say pet food brands are all the same
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- Figure 71: Trust in pet food/pet food brands, by gender, July 2014
- Young adults more likely to agree that pet food brands are all the same
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- Figure 72: Trust in pet food/pet food brands, by age, July 2014
Kids’ Responsibility for Pet Care
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- Key points
- Four in 10 kids take care of a pet in the household most of the time
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- Figure 73: Kids responsible for taking care of a pet, by gender, November 2012-December 2013
- Half of girls 9-11 take care of their pet most of the time
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- Figure 74: Kids responsible for taking care of a pet, by gender and age, November 2012-December 2013
- Kids who take care of pets have more responsibilities than other kids
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- Figure 75: Household responsibilities, by take care of pet, November 2012-December 2013
Impact of Race and Hispanic Origin
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- Key points
- Pet ownership highest for Hispanic households
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- Figure 76: Household pet ownership, by race/Hispanic origin, July 2014
- Eight in 10 Hispanics have future plans to own a pet
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- Figure 77: Plans for pets in the future, by race/Hispanic origin, July 2014
- Hispanics have more diverse reasons for owning a pet
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- Figure 78: Reasons for dog/cat ownership, by race/Hispanic origin, July 2014
- Black and Hispanic adults more likely to be solely responsible for pet care
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- Figure 79: Responsibility for dog(s)/cat(s) care and attitudes toward health, by race/Hispanic origin, July 2014
- Responsibility for care and cost are barriers to pet ownership
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- Figure 80: Reasons for not having pets, by race/Hispanic origin, July 2014
Appendix – Other Useful Consumer Tables
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- Pet ownership
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- Figure 81: Pet ownership, February 2007-March 2014
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- Figure 82: Pet ownership, by household income, January 2013-March 2014
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- Figure 83: Pet ownership, by presence of children in household, January 2013-March 2014
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- Figure 84: Pet ownership, by region, January 2013-March 2014
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- Figure 85: Pet ownership, by race/Hispanic origin, January 2013-March 2014
- Dogs in household
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- Figure 86: Number of dogs in household, by household income, January 2013-March 2014
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- Figure 87: Number of dogs in household, by race/Hispanic origin, January 2013-March 2014
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- Figure 88: Number of dogs in household, by region, January 2013-March 2014
- Cats in household
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- Figure 89: Number of cats in household, by household income, January 2013-March 2014
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- Figure 90: Number of cats in household, by race/Hispanic origin, January 2013-March 2014
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- Figure 91: Number of cats in household, by region, January 2013-March 2014
- Household pet ownership
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- Figure 92: Household pet ownership, by gender, July 2014
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- Figure 93: Household pet ownership, by gender and age, July 2014
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- Figure 94: Household pet ownership, by marital/relationship status, July 2014
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- Figure 95: Household pet ownership, by area, July 2014
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- Figure 96: Household pet ownership, by plans for pets in the future, July 2014
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- Figure 97: Household pet ownership – Frequency groups (3+), July 2014
- Reasons for dog/cat ownership
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- Figure 98: Reasons for dog/cat ownership, by age, July 2014
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- Figure 99: Reasons for dog/cat ownership, by gender and age, July 2014
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- Figure 100: Reasons for dog/cat ownership, by household income, July 2014
- Reasons for not having pets
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- Figure 101: Reasons for not having pets, by presence of children in household, July 2014
- Attitudes toward pet health
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- Figure 102: Responsibility for dog(s) care and attitudes toward health, by gender, July 2014
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- Figure 103: Responsibility for cat(s) care and attitudes toward health, by gender, July 2014
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- Figure 104: Responsibility for dog(s)/cat(s) care and attitudes toward health, by household income, July 2014
- Trust issues for pet owners
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- Figure 105: Caring for dog(s), July 2014
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- Figure 106: Caring for cat(s), July 2014
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- Figure 107: Caring for cat(s), by gender, July 2014
- Attitudes toward pets
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- Figure 108: Attitudes toward pets, by household income, July 2014
- Impact of race and Hispanic origin
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- Figure 109: Caring for dog(s)/cat(s), by race/Hispanic origin, July 2014
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- Figure 110: Attitudes toward pets, by race/Hispanic origin, July 2014
Appendix – Information Resources, Inc. Builders Panel Data Definitions
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- SymphonyIRI Consumer Network Metrics
Appendix – Trade Associations
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