Pampering pooches grows

The PETaPOTTY ensures dogs on holiday won’t be caught short.

From portable potty turf to disposable kitty litter boxes and pet passports, the growing number of travelling pets - estimated at 20 million last year - has spawned an industry dedicated to making the lives of road-weary animals a little easier.

Spill-free water gadgets, car booster seats and freeze-dried pure organ meat are also among the hot-selling products fuelling the booming travel segment of the US$36 billion ($51 billion) pet industry.

Even airlines are doing their part, enticing customers with frequent-flyer pet programmes.

"Pets are no longer pets, they're extensions of the family," said Bob Vetere, managing director of the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association. "During a vacation, now it's fun to take Fifi, Fido and Fluffy with you.

"That has fuelled the growth of companies dedicating themselves to pet mobility."

One of those companies is PETaPOTTY, which sells portable turf patches with drainage underneath. They look like a patch of grass that even the strongest-willed canines may find it difficult to resist.

PETaPOTTY tripled sales to US$230,000 ($326,350) last year and expected to pull in US$600,000 ($851,350) this year, said owner Brandon Hochman, 32, a former professional snowboarder from Los Angeles.

Sylvia Pickett, co-founder of Global Pet Products, is having similar success with her doggie car-seat business.

The idea for the seat, which also keeps upholstery free of hair and dirt, came to Pickett when she almost had a car accident while driving with her dog in her lap.

"People are constantly bringing their pets with them," said Gregg Oehler, publisher of New York Dog magazine. "I get calls every day from advertisers who have travel as part of their pet product mix."

He said the craze had prompted hotels to offer pet-friendly perks such as menus, day-care and playgrounds, the way hotels became kid-friendly a generation ago.

Since Midwest Airlines introduced a frequent flyer pet programme in January, pet travel had grown 25 per cent, said Susan Kerwin-Hagen, a Midwest marketing manager. Owner-accompanied pets get a free round-trip ticket after their third domestic round-trip flight.

Experts point to several factors leading to the pet travel boom, among them childless couples who take pets on holiday the same way parents take children.

In 2004, pet travel rose 33 per cent to 20 million - 80 per cent of them dogs.

Among the other companies capitalising on the trend are JoBananas Club, the makers of disposable kitty litter boxes. WalkyDog USA makes a spillproof water device and a hands-free dog carrying pouch.

Petco Animal Supplies and PetsMart are also taking note, expanding their offering of travel-related products to include booster seats and pet ramps.

- REUTERS