Did you know that in the mahogany paneled lobby of the PetSmart PetHotel, your discriminating dog or cat can be dropped off and have their every need catered to in a five-star environment? You just have to pay about $23 dollars for each night they stay, or $20 dollars for the day only, while you are at work.
The doggie hotel is nothing like the kennels you’re familiar with; in this inn there is lactose-free ice cream, indoor recreation, and for an extra $10 a night your pampered pup can stay in a roomier “suite” with a television set showing animal related programming all day. This can help them relax and adjust because they are used to hearing TV at home.
For potty breaks there is a 215 square foot “relief room” complete with a plastic tree, but for security reasons, there is no outdoor walking. And if dogs don’t play well with others, they get a time out in a cage for 15 minutes. Employees say after two time outs, they get the message!
Most sites have room for about 180 dogs and 25 cats. Cats stay in plexiglass cages known as “kitty cottages” for around $14 dollars a night, which includes 15 minutes of TLC, otherwise known as petting.
PetSmart Inc. launched the pet hotel concept three years ago; they have 32 hotels and plan to have over 200 in just a few years. Market experts are not surprised at their success since Americans spend nearly 40 billion dollars a year on their dogs and cats (30 percent more than five years ago). That figure is close to what Americans spend on toys for children (48 billion dollars) and more than twice the 17 billion spent on cosmetics every year!
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