Does This Sound Like You?

This morning's front page story in the San Francisco Chronicle reports on the amazing amount of money we're devoting to our pets - an estimated $40 Billion in the United States for 2007 alone. What I found most entertaining, however, were the "on the street" interviews with people discussing the most extravagant expenditures they've made for their pets. Here's a sample of my favorite quotes:

The "It's Hard to Top This" Quote:

When I moved from Chicago to San Francisco, I paid for first class so my bird, LaRue, could sleep on my shoulder and have plenty of wing room.

The "Love is Found in All Kinds of Places" Quote:

I have one guinea pig; he's not the school pet you take home for the summer. Cost is at least $1,200 a year; exponentially more if I get a vet bill. He's referred to as the "golden pig" at the vet's office.

The "Yes, I'd Do That Too" Quote:

Right after college, my 2-year-old golden retriever nearly died. I borrowed $6,000-plus from my parents to cover her medical expenses. It took me nearly 10 years to pay them back, but I never regretted it.

The "You are Living My Life" Quote:

I can say that the most extravagant expenditure would have to be the number of stuffed octupi we've bought our dog. We buy one, he rips it in two days. Then we buy another, and he rips it.