Christmas isn't just for kids. Retailers will tell you it's also for people's pets.
A recent Associated Press-Petside.com poll shows that more than half of the pet owners across the country will spend an average $46 on their animals this holiday season. That figure is up $5 from last year.
According to the poll:
- 68 percent of pets getting gifts can look forward to a toy
- 45 percent to food or another treat
- 8 percent new bedding
- 6 percent clothing
- 3 percent a leash, collar or harness
- 3 percent new grooming products.
Some pets will even get more than one gift.
"Christmas is about the pets," said Gayla McCarthy, 58, whose Australian shepherd, Echo, will find a toy under the tree.
Major pet retailers also have also announced big sales for Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
The AP-Petside.com poll was conducted Oct. 13-17. It involved landline and cell phone interviews with 1,118 pet owners. The poll results have a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3.6 percentage points.
--Originally published Nov. 22, 2011.