Animal Houses

Ann-Marie Vazzano

Pet spending reached a record high in 2014, with Americans spending an estimated $58.5 billion on their furry friends—a nearly 5% increase over 2013, according to the American Pet Products Association. Categories included food, supplies/over-the-counter medications, veterinary care, live animal purchases and other services such as grooming, boarding, training and pet sitting. Pet lovers spent an estimated $22.6 billion on food alone, followed by veterinary care ($15.2 billion), and supplies and OTC medicine ($13.7 billion). GP