Retail giant Petsmart is no longer content to fight it out in the low margin world of pet supplies and has moved into a new business with higher margins, pet lodging
PetsHotel offers overnight pet stays for around $30. Pets get their own rooms with televisions, 24 hour care and quality play-time.
Petsmart is now looking to rapidly expand this business.
Boarding kennels have been around since the year dot, but this is the first time that someone has tried to build a single national brand out of the idea.
According to statistics from the American Pet Manufacturers Association (APMA), it looks like its never been a better time to be in the pet business.
- 69 million homes in the US own a pet
- 45% of US households own more than one pet
- The US cat population is 90 million
- The US dog population is 74 million
- Pet expenditure in 2006 is estimated to be $38.4 billion, up from $17 billion in 1994
- The pet food category is estimated to be worth $15.2 billion in 2006
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