Pets Are Big Business

The pet industry has grown from $17 billion in sales in 1994 to a projected $35.9 billion for 2005, according to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association.

Lavish spending on pets has made the industry 55% larger than the toy industry, which brings in $20 billion a year, and a third bigger than the candy industry at $24 billion in annual revenues, according to association figures.