How Pet Bloggers are A Voice of Pets (and Money)

by: Carol Bryant, BlogPaws PR Manager

You write a pet blog? You must be one of those crazy pet moms who thinks their dog is a child and you reach a certain contingency of readers that feel the same way, right?

If you’ve ever received similar commentary by a reader of your blog, a family member, someone at a non-pet blogger conference, or a co-worker, you are not alone.

I am a dog mom. I love it when folks call me a dog mom; I never grimace, furrow a brow, or correct them. In fact, a sense of pride swells in me.

I buy cotton swabs, I use baby wipes on my dog after a muddied walk or rainy day, and I could probably circumnavigate the globe twice with the amount of paper towels I’ve used in a lifetime of what some would call dog ownership. I like to call it pet parenting.

Statistically, the numbers are also behind “us,” the pet blogger, and the anticipated growth skyrocketing of the pet industry, of which we are the voice. Cases in point:

The Wall Street Journal revealed that “PetSmart Thrives Treating Owners Like Pet Parents” – PetSmart has been a sponsor of BlogPaws conferences and their mantra of treating pet parents like the moms and dads they are has proven profitable.
Carol Frank writes in her paper, Anthropomorphism is not the Only Driver of Pet Industry Growth, “It has become common knowledge that anthropomorphism is the driving force behind the pet sector’s faithful 6.7% growth nearly year after year. This begs the question: is anthropomorphism the cause or the result of the industry boom? Has there been a deeper cultural shift beneath the pet industry that can help guide pet product producers to the promised land?”
In a recent report, FranchiseHelp.com shared, “Pet pampering is becoming the norm, as pet owner spending has moved far beyond simple food and grooming expenses to include innovative and specialized premium products.” People view pets as the members of the family they are and they are willing to spend money even during economic struggles.
Fox Business is reporting that the U.S. economy has gone to the dogs. According to the APPA's 2011-2012 National Pet Owners Survey, dog owners spent an average of $407 a year on surgical visits, $248 on routine checkups, $274 on kennel boarding and $254 on food. And that is before other costs like vitamins ($95), travel expenses ($78) and toys ($43).

I could spend an entire afternoon reciting statistics that bark in favor of the pet industry and the power and responsibility of the pet blogger.

With the American Pet Products Association reporting an estimated $52 billion projected to be spent in the pet industry in 2012, I realize I am not alone. Hello, brands: It’s me, the dog mom.

How do you handle people who simply don’t “get” the influence and voice that you, the pet blogger, have?

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