The domesticed pet industry in the U.S. is $40B per year and growing at 4-5% annually. If you add Europe and Japan to this, its $90B a year. This fifure includes what people pay to buy a pet and take care of it (food, grooming, vet visits, clothes and toys etc). It exclues the $ spent on animals kept in Zoos or research facilities.
Lets forget about Europe and Japan for the time being. $40,000,000,000 a year is more than the GDP of 70 countries on planet earth and its more than the GDP of the poorest 10 nations on earth combined. Unfortunately, of the 10 poorest nations on earth, 5 are in Africa.
An average dog owner in Manhattan spends $2,400 a year on a dog. In Beverly Hills this figure is slightly lower at $1,900. Many families in Manhattan or B.H. have more than 1 dog.
In many African countries, you can sustain a child’s life including education through High school for $1,800 a year.
Don’t get me wrong. I don’t have anything against dogs or cats. But in my opinion, there is something really wrong with this picture. My gut feel tells me we have to do something to reduce the difference between wealth and prosperity in some nations and poverty and hopelessness in others.
Will this ever get done, I hope so. Until today, I really have never taken any steps towards this correction no matter how small of a change 1 person’s action may have an effect. I think I will start doing something today!
