Dog-Gone Good Business
Teen animal lovers are cashing in on the pet-care craze. Why not hop on the gravy train?
By Bonnie Drew • Sep 1, 2003
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Some people say this country is going to the dogs--and they're right. It's a proven fact: There are more pets than people in the United States today, according to a recent survey by the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association (APPMA). Sixty-two percent of all households in the United States now own a pet. American pet lovers own 77 million cats, 65 million dogs, 16.8 million small animals, 17.3 million birds, 8.8 million reptiles, 7 million saltwater fish, and 185 million freshwater fish.
What does this mean to you? If you're a teen entrepreneur who likes animals, America's infatuation with pets could be your cash cow! "We estimate that pet owners will spend $31 billion in 2003 to care for, feed, spoil and pamper the American pet population," says Lee Alvarado of the APPMA.
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