Man's Best Friend Actually Woman's Best Friend; Survey Reveals That Females Have Stronger Affinity for Their Pets Than Their Partners.

LOS ANGELES -- Pampered pets are becoming women's priority vs. their partners, according to a study of 901 pet owners by BizRate Research for Shopzilla, the leading shopping search site on the Web, which has seen an increase in luxury pet product searches.

It's no wonder that women are spoiling their pets. More than half of women (56%) feel that their pets are more affectionate than their partners (vs. 41% of men), and 45% of women think their pets are cuter than their partners (vs. 24% of men).

In the study, women said they had a deeper emotional connection with their pets than men did. Nearly all women respondents (99%) reported that they frequently talked to their pets (vs. 95% of men) and an astonishing 93% of women think that their pets communicate with them (vs. 87% of men).

"The most loving thing we can do for our pets is to understand them better and learn their language," said Jackie Hakim, founder, Healing Arts Dog Training. "Our furry friends come wired in a certain way and being considerate of that can be the building block to a successful relationship."

Puppy Love

Further, 73% of female pet owners report they are more inclined to date or marry someone who also has a pet (compared to 50% of men reporting as such). Approximately 7 in 10 (68%) pet owners report their pets make them happier than their jobs. Women are significantly more likely to feel this way (72% vs. 60% of men).

It's A Dog's Life

Pet owners are spending big bucks on all-natural dog food, sweaters, diamond-studded collars, booties, doggy day care, dog ophthalmologists, spas, and endless other goods and services. Women are inclined to spend about $50-$100 a month -- somewhat more than men are willing to spend.

One-third (34%) of pet owners would consider taking their pet to a pet psychic, groomer or therapist. Female pet owners are more inclined to do so (39% of women report "yes" vs. 27% of men). On a sadder note, almost one-third (31%) will consider a pet funeral. Again, women are more inclined to conduct such an activity to deepen their relationship to their pet (37%) compared to men (21%).

"While the majority of my clients are women, more pet owners are seeking deeper relationships with their animals," said pet psychic Patrice Ryan, Celestial Crystals, Inc. "The difference is, men come to me for more critical situations such as a lost or sick pet. Women want to know if their pet is happy and comfortable."

The Perfect Companion

With more and more "dog-friendly" establishments, the survey saw that one-third (33%) of owners take their pets along with them to run errands such as shopping or going to the hair salon. Women are more inclined to do so (36%) compared to men (27%).

More than half (61%) of pet owners feel that their pets reflect their personality "very much" or "moderately." Women are more likely to feel this way (70%) compared to men.

According to Shopzilla, which has more than 30 million products and 50,000 stores, with over 4,000 pet products alone, most searches are dog-related, with the majority (52%) of pet owners reporting to spend about $50 a month on their dog. The most-searched-for pet products at Shopzilla include Dog Houses, Dog Fences and Dog Clothes. But even the most pampering pooch owners can find all the latest luxury pet goods at Shopzilla:

--  pet nail polish
--  designer dog carriers
--  gourmet dog treats
--  dog clothing
--  dog beds
--  pet jewelry
--  luxury dog collars
--  dog strollers
--  dog deodorant

About the Study

The study, conducted by BizRate Research, a division of Shopzilla Inc., was based on a point-of-sale survey with a sample of 901 online buyers who are pet owners, with 507 female respondents and 394 male respondents, and 416 pet owners with dogs from March 1-3, 2005.

About Shopzilla, Inc.

Shopzilla, formerly BizRate.com, is the most powerful and easiest-to-use shopping search site on the Web. With an index of over 30 million products from more than 50,000 stores, Shopzilla uses ShopRank, a proprietary patent-pending algorithm, to help shoppers instantly find virtually anything on sale from anyone, anywhere on the Web at the best price. Shopzilla also features powerful comparison tools and BizRate consumer reviews of stores and products, the Web's largest and most trusted consumer feedback network. Every week Shopzilla prepares millions of shoppers to make smarter, more confident purchases and send them directly to the checkout page of thousands of online merchants. Shopzilla, Inc. also operates the BizRate consumer feedback network and powers shopping search for many of the Web's largest consumer sites, including AOL, Lycos, Time Warner's RoadRunner and many others. Founded in 1996, the Los Angeles-based company is profitable and privately held. For more information, visit www.shopzilla.com, the smarter way to shop.

Pet-Friendly Fast Facts

In the past 10 years, the pet industry has doubled in size to $34
billion a year in revenue (American Pet Product Manufacturing
Association)

Most-searched-for pet products at Shopzilla include Dog Houses, Dog
Fences and Dog Clothes (Shopzilla, March 16, 2005)

Pet owners often report a pet bed as the most luxurious item they
have bought for their pet (Shopzilla, February 2005)

The natural, organic and eco-friendly pet products market alone is
expected to top $1 billion by 2009 (PackagedFacts.com, February 2005)

Most registered dog breeds:
--  Labrador Retriever
--  Golden Retriever
--  German Shepherd
(American Kennel Club)

15 million Americans travel with their pet annually (American Pet
Product Manufacturing Association)

Airlines that offer pet frequent flyer miles:
--  Midwest Airlines
--  United Airlines
--  EL AL Airlines