When the late billionaire Leona Helmsley left $12 million to her Maltese, Trouble, a lot of people were shocked. But maybe a lot of people weren't.
Americans are pampering their pets more than ever. They treat dogs and cats as if they were human, buying them bathing suits, strollers, antidepressants and, for the neutering-conflicted, testicular implants.
This is more than puppy love. Elena Rodriguez witnessed it when a customer at the PetSmart PetsHotel she manages in Glendora asked that someone perform the sign of the cross over Sweet Pea, a Shar-Pei/chow mix, every night. One evening, Rodriguez neglected to administer the ritual.
"I was on my way driving home and I'm like, 'Oh, my gosh, I forgot to bless the dog,' " Rodriguez said. She called a co-worker to attend to Sweet Pea. For people who check their darlings into PetsHotel, she said, "It's not just about watching them overnight."
The link between pet and person has become deep and complex. Humans are relying more on pets for comfort as traditional support systems falter, experts in relations between the species say, with families becoming fragmented, baby boomers facing empty nests, job security a fading notion, employers less generous and, for many, religion under scrutiny.
"There's an extraordinary, revolutionary shift in the relationships between people and companion animals," said Jon Katz, an author of six books about dogs. "People in extraordinary numbers are turning to companion animals, especially cats and dogs, to fill the holes in their lives."
At the same time, people have more money than ever to spend, and businesses are giving them more ways than ever to spend it. Pet industry sales are expected to swell to almost $41 billion in the United States this year, making it the second-fastest growing retail category, after electronics.
Even Bob Vetere, president of the American Pet Products Manufacturers Assn., has been taken aback by the offerings.
"I just got a brochure from a company that makes wigs for dogs," he said. "I don't know when my dog ever walked past a mirror and said, 'Gee, my hair is ugly, I need a wig.' "
Pets have their own bakeries, day-care centers and GPS devices, the latter so their owners can find them faster if they get lost. The Best Little Cathouse in Pasadena is "cage free" and playrooms are outfitted with webcams so that absent owners can observe their kitties.
