Global Pet Expo Day 3: Breaking Records With Man’s Best Friend

Lori Ennis
by Lori Ennis
Global Pet Expo’s industry spending trends are out, and according to the American Pet Products Association (APPA), Americans spent nearly $100 billion on their pets in 2019!


And, as we all know that pets are family, we’re not surprised by that number at all!


Here at Global Pet Expo 2020, we listened to APPA CEO Steve King as he shared that Americans spent $95.7 billion dollars on the pet industry in 2019. Folks, read that again: it’s billions of dollars we’re talking about.


The spending categories include Pet Food & Treats ($36.9 billion); Supplies, Live Animals & OTC Medicine ($19.2 billion); Vet Care and Product Sales ($10.3 billion) and Other Services ($10.3 billion).


King said that pet parents are more educated than ever about what goes into their pets’ foods and treats, and that we’re willing to pay more for quality ingredients. They’re family, after all, right?


He also shared scientific information from the Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) that showed a correlation between investing in our own human health when we’re investing in our pets’ health. Pets bring improved physical health



as well as reduce our feelings of loneliness and depression.


In addition to the trends of more organic and natural pet products, King said that there are more innovative pet toys, high tech and enrichment products and habitats.


Lucky us, we’ve gotten to see the best the industry has to offer for our pets, and the love for pets (and their humans) is as evident as ever!


As we walked the floors of day three at Global Pet Expo, evidence of those trends was alive and well!


We found plushy dog toys that were eco-friendly and made from recycled water bottles, saving the planet and enriching our furry friends’ lives at the same time! Spunky Pup makes all their toys from recycled bottles, actually, so they’re good for the earth and your pet!

We also visited West Paw and checked out their incredibly soft and eco-friendly dog bed and toy line. Pets spend more of their lives sleeping than anything else, so making sure what they’re sleeping on is safe for them, our families and the earth is a win-win-win!

We met some new friends at Walking Palm–makers of all-natural cat caves for furry feline family members. The fun and unique designs are sure to delight all the kitties you know, and we loved that they’re made from all-natural wools and processes to keep your cat safe.

As we said, using Mother Nature to treat what ails our pets was big….

As was having clinical references and science to help give our pets their best lives…

And even though we love them more than breath…sometimes we forget just how dirty our dogs (and cats) can be. My son just completed a science fair project that showed our dogs’ paws were WAY dirtier than any shoes we wore, so from now on, they’re getting daily rubdowns.

Pawz introduced sani-wipes and spray that will hit the (dirty) spots!


We also found toys that would appeal to our dogs’ strong scents of smell, and we loved that these toys from Playology (cheddar cheese scented with all-natural derivatives) are also made to conform to child-safety standards so your human children stay safe too!

Speaking of human child safety, since hydration is SO important to dogs, we love that these adorable water pouches! Spout water pouches deliver pure spring water that hydrates and even can offer supplement for your active pups, and the lids are designed so that they won’t choke children or dogs. If the worst should happen and they’d be inhaled, they’re designed with so that your child/dog can still breathe while being treated to remove it. It’s not something we often think about, but we love when companies thoughtfully design for worst-case scenarios too.

Talking about dog health, so much of it is dependent upon good oral hygiene. We found these Yummy Combs and loved! They’re like human superfoods that give nutrition and function–they have a 44% (WOW) protein content, so your pets have energy and essential vitamins and minerals for joint health. But, they also are engineered for gingivitis defense and will help with deep cleaning and fresher breath. That whole puppy breath is adorable thing is a total myth (your dog licks its bum for goodness sake)! These help all dogs have healthy teeth and breath!

And of course, dog life is nothing if not funny! We loved the super soft shirts we found at Teddy The Dog, and even more, we loved their give-back efforts!

Global Pet Expo 2020 was a hit, and we’re excited that the pet industry is so robust. The success shows that our love for our pets is thriving, and that’s what we’re all about!

Until next year, Global!

Lori Ennis
Lori Ennis

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