Pet Expo proves our critters call the shots
Anyone who has yet to be convinced that Americans are crazy about their pets would see things differently after visiting the Global Pet Expo.
The pet-industry trade show, held last month in Orlando, Fla., attracted vendors from massive corporations to individual inventors, all working to catch the eyes of buyers looking to put the hottest new products in their stores. The convention center floor was packed with more than 2,000 booths and marked the launch of about 600 pet products.
Plenty of traditional pet products where on display as well, although many of these have had makeovers. It's amazing the variety possible in products as simple in concept as a dog leash or a cat bed. But if there is a way to update such gear, it was shown off here.
Among the show trends:
Togs for small dogs. Pet-supply manufacturers are clearly hoping the craze for small dogs has staying power, judging by the number of booths showing clothing, hats, jewelry, or other accessories for dogs who themselves seem at times to have been purchased as fashion statements.
Everything from wedding apparel (white dresses for first-time doggy brides, of course, and tuxedos for grooms) to pink leather biker jackets and sports-team jumpers was on display. Hats, too, were shown, including black baseball-style hats with ''FBI" on them and traditional white sailor hats. Rhinestone jewelry for little dogs? Why not? After all, how fashionable could a plain old ID tag be?
And what good is a well-dressed dog who never goes anywhere? The simple pet carrier has gone up-market, too, with several manufacturers offering a range of styles, colors, and patterns, and others pushing dog strollers as nice as any human baby could want.
Litter boxes and accessories. We want the cat to use the litter box, we don't want to see it or smell it, and we want it to clean itself. That seems to be the message from the inventors and companies trying to improve on the time-tested basic litter box.
Two manufacturers offered their versions of self-cleaning electronic litter boxes, while other companies looked for buyers of litter box hiding spots. Some of the latter were disguised as cabinets, while the most clever hid the box in the bottom of a planter, complete with plant on top.
Getting rid of what gets scooped was another source of innovation, with companies offering products in which clumps of dirtied litter could be dropped in and sealed for later disposal. No mess, no smell.
Gear for small pets. A cramped cage in a corner of a children's bedroom or a hutch in the backyard used to be about the best many small pets could expect, but things are changing. The popularity of animals such as ferrets and rabbits as indoor pets was obvious in displays of bigger, multilevel cages and racks of toys designed specifically to keep these animals from being bored.
Brand names. Pets may not be interested in brand names, but it's clear the sellers of pet products are hoping pet lovers are. One of the biggest displays at the show was Jeep's, promoting a line of rugged-looking gear for dogs. Other companies were offering items with brand names such as
All these products will be showing up in pet-supply stores and catalogs before long, and everyone at Global Pet Expo is betting on each item being a hit with consumers.
Gina Spadafori is the author of several pet-care books and a consultant to the Veterinary Information Network. Her Web log and column archives can be found at spadafori.com.
