Something a little light this week. I was amazed to read that in 2023, the US spent $186 billion on their pets! This covers everything from food to vet visits, toys, grooming, and dog walking. To put this in context, while not a direct comparison, this is more than what Americans spent on childcare. These figures are roughly the same in Canada.

 

 

I recall doing a plan for one of our clients; a couple with two dogs. They provided me with their budget, which had all the normal entries such as housing, food, travel, savings, etc., but then a very high number for their pets. I believe the figure was $1200. So, when I asked them about this I said: “this must be the yearly amount not monthly”. Sure enough if was a monthly amount. Bottom-line, I need to investigate a company that has exposure to this pet care business. As part of the “dogversification” of our portfolios (haha!)

 

I have two predictions this weekend:

 

First, most of us are familiar with the famous quote : “Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face”. This is one of Mike Tyson’s most famous quotes. There was a time when a Mike Tyson fight was a really big deal. Now closing in on 60, he’s at it again, against a YouTube celebrity named Jake Paul. As a reflection of the time, this “fight” is being broadcast live on Netflix. Back when Mike Tyson was having his title fights, everyone had to either go to someone’s house and buy a “pay per view TV” subscription or go to a bar and pay an egregious entrance fee. It’s incredible how the consumption of content has changed. While Mike Tyson is well past his prime, I’m predicting a knock-out against his opponent.

 

Second, my loathe of the Toronto Maple Leafs is well documented. As is my Edmonton Oilers fandom. So, what better way to spend a Saturday night at the game, watching the Oilers clobber the Leafs! Of course, it will be mayhem downtown. You might have heard that there is concert going on... “Taylor something?”.

 

Have a great weekend.