Jack Durant was over-the-top.
The former owner of the Phoenix landmark restaurant Durant's
and a well-known personality around town, Durant made headlines
and raised eyebrows in 1987 when he willed a house and $50,000
in cash to Humble, his seven-year-old English bulldog.
What in those days seemed at the very least eccentric, by today's
standards has become part of the everyday landscape. From cosmetic
surgery and spa treatments to insurance policies and $1,500
carrying purses, Valley residents are spending more and more
on their pets, especially their puppies. In fact, one Phoenix
resident may hold the world's record. He's invested about $15
million.
PETicure
While spending on pets has increased across the animal kingdom,
it's the canine that commands the deepest Valley pockets. Pet-ownership
Web sites warn humans to expect to pay around $600 each year
to keep a medium-sized dog healthy. That, say many Valley pet
owners, is only a fraction of what they are spending.
"I had a lady come by, and she spent about $600 on just dog
collars," Daniela Cicero says. Cicero works at the Identity
kiosk in the Fashion Square Mall, where she says women sporting
puppies in $1,500 doggy purses is not uncommon.
Stationed in front of Macy's, Identity sells a variety of doggy
accessories, from $50 Gubby booties and $30 outfits to carrying
bags, ranging from $90 to $450. If that seems high, walk a few
hundred yards to Louis Vuitton, where two available doggy carrying
bags are priced at $1,400 and $1,500.
But even if you can afford a Vuitton for Vinny or Spot, you
may have to wait. "We don't have any in stock right now," sales
associate Vanessa Hickey says of the purse-sized doggy bags.
"We had two a week ago, but we sell them as soon as we get them."
Celebrity Dogs Have the Market on a Leash
Back at Identity, Cicero says the popularity of Paris Hilton,
Britney Spears and other celebrities' puppies have accelerated
the sales of puppy products. Three months ago Spears jumpstarted
the pulse of local paparazzi with a shopping trip to the Hilton
Village in Scottsdale.
Bit Bit, Spears' Chihuahua, equally enjoyed the trip to Mackie's
Parlour, where Spears reportedly bought the five-pound puppy
a $66 crystal-trimmed dog vest and a $110 crown.
Valley dog accessory sellers say Britney wasn't spending much
more than their usual patrons. In a given day Identity sells
between $400 and $1,000 of puppy nail Pawlish, zip-up booties,
personalized collars, puppy outfits and carrying bags.
"We had a bag for $375 that just sold. These aren't Gucci or
anything," Cicero says. "People do spend a lot of money on this
stuff. It's very, very popular. People don't mind spending money
on their dogs, which is kind of weird, but they'll do anything,"
she adds.
Phoenix is Doggone Rich
Accessories may keep the upper-middle class busy with their
dogs, but their spending accounts for only a fraction of the
Valley's puppy budget. At 81, University of Phoenix founder
John Sperling has invested about $15 million into cloning research,
more than any other pet owner in the world.
Since the death of Sperling's dog Missy five years ago, Sperling
has been funding Genetic Savings and Clone, the company that
can now clone cats for around $40,000. Genetic Savings and Clone
exists primarily to clone Sperling's late Border Collie and
Husky mix.
At an estimated net worth of about $1.1 billion, $15 million
is a small fraction of Sperlings total fortune.
But pets may be bringing even more money into Phoenix. Petsmart,
the world's most successful pet retailer, calls Phoenix home,
and the company's booming success is a testament to America's
love for of its pets. In 2001, a share of Petsmart stock was
worth about $5. Four years later, Petsmart stocks are selling
for around $30 a share.
With more than 30,000 employees and 720 stores in North America,
the pet supplier sold $3.4 billion of pet supplies in 2004.
Pricing Pet Health
Phoenix resident Jill Keffler lives on a more average budget
than multimillionaire John Sperling, but she agrees that it's
difficult to put a price on the health and wellbeing of a family
dog. "We spend an enormous amount of money on her," Keffler
says of Shelby, the family's aging Westie.
"Some people unfortunately can't afford to spend that kind of
money on their dogs. Others, even if they have it, don't agree
philosophically with spending it on a dog," says Keffler, whose
fulltime job helps foot the bill for the family's three canines.
"I don't judge anyone. But we love our dogs. They are an integral
part of our family. Thank goodness we have been able to care
for them when their needs are great." Keffler says.
Shelby's recent MRI cost $700. Her surgery to remove a tumor
cost about $3,000, and Keffler estimates the family spends about
$200 each month for Shelby's prescriptions.
Of course, Shelby's needs cost more than an average dog, but
Valley dog owners say even healthy middle-aged dogs can trot
home with veterinary bills in the $200 to $700 range.
Cosmetic Canines
For grooming and short stays, Keffler takes Shelby and the family's
other two canine members to the Applewood Pet Resort in Paradise
Valley. At Applewood, puppies may rub fur with some area celebrity
pets, but the price of care of the pet resort is modest compared
to the budgets of some Valley pooches.
Other area dogs are taking advantage of bottled water, acupuncture,
even cosmetic surgery. "Arizona's one of our more popular states,"
says Neuticles inventor Greg Miller. The Missouri-based company
has sold more than 150,000 pair of pet testicular implants.
Miller named six area animal hospitals that have performed Neuticle
operations.
"It's a very controversial subject, as controversial in the
dog community as religion and politics in the human community,"
says Miller, who first devised the idea when his Bloodhound
was about to be neutered.
"It's like nothing ever happened," reads Miller's slogan. He
says male dogs neutered with Neuticles have more confidence.
"We've never had a complication, rejection or complaint from
over 150,000 pet owners. We insure every Neuticles pet for $2
million for the life of their pet."
Miller now offers eye implants and a silicone earpiece that
can give shape to aged, floppy ears. Neuticles sells directly
to the pet owner because, Miller says, too many veterinarians
were marking up the prices of the prosthetic doggy parts.
All in the Family
As much as 16-year-old Marcella Amado loves her dog, she thinks
cosmetic surgeries and cloning attempts go too far. With those
two exceptions, she'd do anything for her dog. "They're companions.
They act as if they're one of your own kids," Amado says while
Bandit, her one-year-old Papillon, laps up an iced-latte.
Amado and 17-year-old Hannah Keffler are sitting with Bandit
and Sid on the patio at In The Raw, a coffee, juice and dog
bar in Scottsdale. Both say their puppies account for the majority
of their budgets.
"He's spoiled. I get him doggy ice cream. I also bought him
one of those gigantic dog beds for a big dog," Amado adds. "I
used to work at PetsMart just for the discount. I spend about
$200 a month on him."
Amado's other Papillon is one of a growing number of Valley
dogs taking advantage of acupuncture. Even at that, her dogs
don't drink bottled water. But Bill Fells of Washington-based
PetRefresh says a number of Phoenix-area residents are buying
bottled water for cats and dogs in the Valley.
Available in beef, chicken, fish and natural, PetRefresh offers
a healthy drinking alternative for dogs, cats and other pets.
"I heat his food. He drinks chilled, bottled water," Neuticles
inventor Greg Miller says of Winston, his Boxer. "I look at
myself, and I think 'man, who owns who?' I love it."
"But why not?" Miller asks of seemingly-extreme pet costs. "What's
the harm? Who's it hurting? If people don't like it, tough cheese."
