80 DAYS TO NEW YEARS! (#11)

Halloween Is In the Air

Who doesn’t love their pets? Some people even love their pets more than they love their children.
 
I’ve heard that pet owners spend obscene amounts of money on vet bills, dog walkers, special food, dog spa days, and the list goes on. 
 
This morning, when I was walking down Broadway, I noticed a never-ending line of people.
Lo and behold, the line led into Canine Styles, an upscale boutique catering to canines and cats.
 
My jaw dropped. I couldn’t believe it. While I already knew about the Halloween pet costumes phenomena, I never realized the effort that pet owners went to in order to outfit their loved ones.

​As soon as I returned to the hotel, I start Googling, hoping to find out more about this. I couldn’t help but wonder how much New Yorkers spent on their pets. Are pets trending? Am I that out-of-touch?
 
I honestly had no idea that they were such a big deal here.
 
Indeed, New Yorkers are spending lots and lots of money on Halloween costumes for their four-legged friends and bloggers, as well as reporters, are taking the time to write about it. Like they say,  “People Can't Stop Buying Halloween Costumes for their Pets.” Also, I found out that pet store sales in New York are up 20 percent this year. No wonder why there was such a line.
 
Later, I asked my step-daughter, Ashley, if she knows people who spend that kind of money on pets. She not only confirmed this but also told me about the annual Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade, which CNN calls “the largest dog costume parade in the world.” The parade draws hundreds of dogs and thousands of spectators, as the dogs compete for thousands of dollars in prizes.

Hmmm...maybe it’s time for me to get a pooch.
 
Woof, woof.
 
Michelle