Toronto Star

Pet owners snap up Halloween costumes

Sales in Canada have doubled over the past four years

- FRANCINE KOPUN BUSINESS REPORTER

Tricia Whitehead dressed her pug, Zoe, as a ladybug at Halloween last year. This year, Zoe will be dressed as a caterpilla­r — but not for trick-ortreating.

Whitehead lives in Liberty Village, home of the annual Spooktacul­ar Dog Walk, and she’ll bring Zoe to mingle with her dog friends at Liberty Village Park the day before Halloween.

“It’s a social thing. I get to meet other neighbours with dogs, I get to meet the dogs she walks with every day,” says Whitehead, 33, who works in the banking industry.

Whitehead and her fellow Spooktacul­ar participan­ts are part of a growing number of pet owners turning Halloween costumes for their four-legged loved ones into big business for retailers.

Pet costumes at Halloween will hit $350 million in sales in the U.S. this year, according to the Halloween Spending Survey, conducted by the National Retail Federation.

An estimated 20 million Americans will dress up their pets.

The price of pet costume varies widely, from under $5 on sale to $30 and more.

Pet costume sales in Canada have doubled in the past four years, says Howard Beige, executive vice-president of Rubie’s Costume Company. The privately owned family business is the largest costume manufactur­er in the world, operating in 15 countries.

Rubie’s has been in business for 64 years — 55 of them in costume sales.

Beige says that Halloween has gone from being for trick-or-treaters under the age of 12 to a family celebratio­n where everyone dresses up — including mom, dad and the dog.

“Everyone in the family, including the furry ones, does participat­e,” says Beige.

He says the top five pet costumes in Canada this year are, starting from the top, Minions, Star Wars characters, Iron Man, Captain America and Wonder Woman.

Social media is one of the drivers of the trend — pet owners love sharing pictures of their pets in costume, according to Sean Williams, a spokesman for PetSmart, a specialty pet retailer with 1,433 stores in North America.

The Instagram account petsincost­umes has 13,000 followers, from people in their 20s to empty-nesters who like to treat their pets like children.

“The reality is, pets are a part of our lives; having them experience part of these celebratio­ns is important,” Williams says.

PetSmart now carries more than 250 animal costumes. Pet costumes are also sold at Winners, Marshalls and Walmart, among other stores. Even longtime home decor brand Martha Stewart has a line of pet costumes.

From a standing start in 2010, My Knit for Pets on Etsy now sells 200 hand-knit pet costumes and sweat- ers, including a tutu for a Chihuahua.

You can also buy costumes for pets other than dogs and cats — a giant black spider Halloween costume for your pet tortoise is available on Etsy.

“Everybody is after this little Ewok costume. It’s so popular. We ran out of sizes,” says Noreen Muldoon, manager of the Global Pet Foods in Liberty Village, adding that the number of pet owners buying costumes is definitely on the rise.

Global Pet Foods also sells Captain America pet costumes, Supergirl, Beetlejuic­e, Minions, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Star Wars characters and witches.

The most popular pet costume at PetSmart this year is Batman. Last year, the favourite was a bumblebee. Most of the costumes are riders or sweaters, which many dogs, especially short-haired ones, are already used to wearing on cold days.

Beige says his company takes the same approach to manufactur­ing costumes for pets that it does making costumes for toddlers. They want to ensure pets aren’t going to eat any loose ends.

Last year, about two dozen pets turned up with their owners at the Spooktacul­ar Dog Walk, organized by the Village Dog Pack dog-walking company, says manager Cassandra Alexander.

It rained last year, and Alexander hopes for better weather and a bigger turnout this year.

Four-legged participan­ts get treats from Treats Happen and there is a prize for best costume.

Sue Doerfling, 33, dressed her mixed-breed dog Romley as Nemo for Spooktacul­ar two years ago. Last year, he went as a Red Kong dog treat.

“It’s nice to see other people smiling when the dogs parade down the sidewalk. It gets their attention,” says Doerfling, a teacher. Be kind to Spot

According to the Toronto Humane Society website, while some pets love being the centre of attention, others don’t like to be dressed up. If your pet seems uncomforta­ble or stressed, take the costume off.

If your pet is comfortabl­e in a costume, ensure there are no loose pieces that can be bitten off and swallowed.

The Humane Society also recommends not taking animals along while trick-or-treating.

 ?? AARON HARRIS FOR THE TORONTO STAR ?? Jeff Reichman and Lindsay Alter’s dog, Bruno, is ready to save the day with his Batman costume.
AARON HARRIS FOR THE TORONTO STAR Jeff Reichman and Lindsay Alter’s dog, Bruno, is ready to save the day with his Batman costume.

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