| If you read up on trends in business or
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| | After all, if you're going to start a
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| home business, then you've probably seen
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| | business, it makes sense to start one
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| quite a few articles recently on the pet
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| | with a growing customer base and high
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| industry. To put it briefly, more and
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| | demand.
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| more people are owning more and more
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| | Not that a pet-related business means you
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| pets. The figures are amazing, both in
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| | have to work directly with pets. Or get a
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| terms of numbers of pets owned and
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| | degree in veterinary science. Or pay
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| amounts spent on pets.
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| | thousands of dollars in fees to open up a
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| According to the APPMA (the American Pet
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| | pet store franchise. When you consider
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| Products Manufacturer's Association), pet
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| | that many pet owners have
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| spending has more than doubled from $17
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| | higher-than-average disposable incomes
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| billion in 1994 to about $38.4 billion in
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| | and full time careers too, products or
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| 2006. And spending is not just on basics
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| | services that go beyond the traditional
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| like food or routine veterinary care.
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| | can be surprisingly profitable.
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| APPMAs National Pet Owners Survey shows
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| | For example, if you do like to work
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| 27% of dog owners and 13% of cat owners
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| | directly with cats, dogs or small
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| buy their pets birthday presents, and 55%
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| | animals, dog grooming and pet sitting
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| of dog owners and 37% of cat owners buy
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| | continue to be viable businesses. But
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| their pet holiday presents. High-end
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| | they're just the beginning. If you prefer
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| retail goods and services such as pet
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| | less competition, consider pet
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| spas and hotels, pet therapy and
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| | photography, or becoming a pet massage
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| expanding veterinary services such as
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| | therapist, or raising one of the popular
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| joint replacement surgeries and delicate
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| | new crossbreeds such as Puggles or
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| eye procedures are becoming morecommon.
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| | Labradoodles. A doggie day care might be
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| Baby boomers (whose children have grown
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| | fun. There are even people who conduct
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| up) and young professional couples (who
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| | parties for pets, to celebrate birthdays
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| delay having children in favor of
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| | and other events like graduation from
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| careers), are fuelling much of the growth
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| | obedience school!
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| in spending. They turn to pets to fill
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| | But you can start a pet-related business
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| the void and often consider their furry
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| | even if you can't stand dogs or are
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| companion a best friend or member of the
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| | allergic to cats. Remember, pet owners
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| family.
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| | today spend a lot of money both to pamper
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| So what does this mean for you?
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| | their pets and to make owning a pet more
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| Maybe not much, unless you also consider
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| | convenient.
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| the continuing growth of and interest in
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| | So you could sew designer clothes for
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| self-employment and home based business.
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| | dogs or designer dog carriers. You can
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| For many people, corporate downsizing,
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| | fulfill an ongoing need of pet owners by
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| reduced pension plans or health care
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| | starting a pet food delivery service, or
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| coverage, outsourcing and the sheer
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| | take care of animal waste through a
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| desire for financial independence are
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| | pooper-scooper enterprise. You could
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| good reasons to consider starting a full
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| | write a newsletter focused on the care of
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| or part-time business venture.
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| | tropical fish, or design and sell dog
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| It's this combination - the booming pet
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| | houses.
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| industry and the need for supplemental or
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| | It's a purr-fectly great time to start a
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| replacement income - that makes it worth
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| | pet business!
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| your while to examine the pet industry.
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