評論
打印
Business Pet care in Latin America Man's best amigo
商業 拉丁美洲的寵物護理業 人類最好的朋友
Profits from pooches are more than petty cash
從小狗身上掙到的，可不止是小錢
BLISS spreads across Lalo's face as his glossy black locks are blown dry by cooing stylists. Dogs big and small are beautified for 100 pesos ($7.70) in the back of a perspex-walled van run by Fluffy Shower, a mobile pet-salon that visits Mexico City's posh neighbourhoods to apply shampoo and ribbons to upper-class animals. The sharpest dogs sport green, white and red jerseys to mark Independence Day on September 16th. Next month pet boutiques will sell Halloween pumpkin outfits and dainty witches' hats.
小狗拉羅的臉龐看上去喜氣洋洋，因為設計師一邊對它輕柔細語，一邊吹干了它烏黑亮澤的毛發。移動寵物沙龍Fluffy Shower的小貨車的車身是有機玻璃做的，花上100比索（7.70美元），無論大狗小狗都可以在車上做美容；Fluffy Shower經常到訪墨西哥城的富人社區，給上層階級的寵物打上香波和緞帶。為紀念9月16日的獨立日，最機靈的狗狗要穿上綠白紅相間的毛絨衫。下個月，寵物精品店將會出售萬圣節南瓜套裝和華麗的女巫帽子。
Pet care is booming in emerging markets, as the growing middle class stops buying dogs for security (or dinner) and starts doting on them. Nowhere has the fashion taken off as quickly as in Latin America. In the past five years spending on pet food and knick-knacks has risen by 44%, to $11 billion, according to Euromonitor, a market-research firm, which estimates that Chile has more pet dogs per person than any other country. Latin pets may be the world's most fashionable. As Mexico's rainy season tails off, dogs are stepping out of designer shoes to show off painted claws.
寵物護理業在新興市場蓬勃發展，因為發展壯大的中產階層不再是為了看家（或烹飪）而買狗，并開始寵愛它們。沒有哪個地方的寵物護理風潮比拉丁美洲騰飛更快。根據市場研究公司Euromonitor的數據，在過去5年中，拉美人在寵物食品和小飾品上的消費上升了44%，達到110億美元之多；該公司估計，智利人均擁有寵物狗的數量居世界第一。拉美人的寵物可能是世界上最時尚的寵物。隨著墨西哥城的雨季過去，狗狗們紛紛跨出設計師制作的鞋子，亮出自己腳爪上的彩繪。
Rising incomes allow Latinos to treat mutts as members of the family. More young people are living alone and putting off marriage, choosing pets for company instead. These "pet parents" indulge their animals as if they were children, says Emily Woon, Euromonitor's pet-care supremo, who reports that Latin America has been the "star market" of recent years. Latinos are especially fond of dogs, which are costlier than cats, but superior in every respect. Whereas in Europe the dog- and cat-food markets are equal, in Latin America dog food outsells cat food by nearly six to one.
收入的增長讓拉丁美洲人得以把狗當做家人對待。越來越多的年輕人選擇獨居并推遲婚姻，卻選擇了寵物來陪伴自己。Euromonitor的寵物護理專家艾米麗-伍恩認為，這些"寵物的父母"就像是自己的孩子一般溺愛寵物；她的報道稱，拉美已經成為近年來的"明星市場"。拉美人特別喜歡犬類——雖然比貓要貴，但各方面都要更勝一籌。盡管在歐洲狗食和貓食的市場勢均力敵，但拉美狗食的銷量與貓食幾乎是六比一的關系。
There is room for growth. Many Latinos still feed their pets table scraps: three-quarters of Mexican hounds make do with leftover bits of burrito. Billboards around Mexico City's parks urge owners to switch to Pedigree and other brands of delicious packaged pet food.
市場還有增長的空間——拉美人仍然喂自己的寵物吃桌上的殘羹冷炙：四分之三的墨西哥獵犬將就著吃些飯后剩下的玉米煎餅。墨西哥城的公園被各種廣告牌環繞，催促寵物主人改用Pedigree和其他品牌的成包銷售的寵物美食。
Glitzy pet superstores, which account for more than a fifth of pet-product sales in America and Canada, barely exist south of the Rio Grande. The most popular outlets are still small, independent pet shops, which retain customers by offering credit. But the superstores will come. And when Latin animal-lovers can buy a full range of food, toys and veterinary services in one place, life could become even more luxurious for Mexico's privileged pets.
裝飾豪華的大型寵物店在美國和加拿大占到寵物產品市場的五分之一以上，卻幾乎不存在于格蘭德河（譯者注：美國和墨西哥之間分界的河流）以南的地區。那邊最流行的還是獨立的小型寵物店，通過提供信貸的方式來留住顧客。但大型的寵物商店還是會來的。并且，等到拉美的動物愛好者能在一個地方買到全套的寵物食品、玩具和獸醫服務時，墨西哥養尊處優的寵物們的生活甚至還會更加奢華。
