“Most greeting cards are bought by women,” explained Brian Dardis at Papyrus, adding that “Cat cards are the most popular.” He concluded that women are visually attracted by images and like to browse in card shops while men are more inclined to buy a card for a specific occasion.

For those who prefer the “high-tech” approach to sending cards, American Greetings also offers online greetings. Pet-related greetings can be sent via e-mail by visiting the company’s web site at www.americangreetings.com or on AOL, keyword American Greetings.
• • • •
The people-pet bond is growing and growing stronger, as evidenced by these facts and factoids.

According to the Washington, D.C.-based Pet Food Institute, as of 1997 (the most recent statistics), there were 70 million cats and 33.3 million cat owners compared with 65.8 million cats and 32.1 million cat owners in 1995. The popularity of dogs and dog owners also is on the rise. In 1997, there were 55.9 million dogs and 37.6 million dog owners compared with 54.9 million dogs and 36.7 million dog owners two years earlier.

Hallmark Card research indicates that:

• Almost six in 10 American households include a pet, compared with one in three that include a child.
• Approximately one-third of all pet owners let their pet sleep in or on their beds.
• Doting pet owners spend approximately $20 billion a year on their pets, including $3 billion in pet accessories. The pet industry is growing 3 to 4 percent annually.
• Some 40 percent of pet owners celebrate their pet’s birthday.
• About 75 percent of pet owners give holiday presents to their pets.


Copyright © 1999 by Susan Bard Hall. All rights reserved.

This article first ran in the December 1999 issue of Pet Times™.