Jakks Sees Pet Toys As Market With (4) Legs

Jakks Sees Pet Toys As Market With (4) Legs

By Claire Hoffman

November 19, 2005

Every dog has its day. Now, it also can have the Bark N' Bake oven.

An easy-bake toy available in the spring from Malibu-based Jakks Pacific Inc., it lets children prepare homemade treats for their pooches.

The not-to-be-ignored hermit crab also has its own toy by the company, an "Incredible Hulk" shell. And, under a licensing deal with Meow Mix cat food announced Friday, Jakks will develop "cat lifestyle products" aimed at driving felines wild.

"People take care of their pet like a member of their family and they are spending disposable income on them in the same way," said Stephen Berman, president and co-founder of Jakks. "For our company, having a pet is very similar to having a child. Many people see their pet in the same way."

Jakks, known for Cabbage Patch Kids dolls and Care Bears, has turned its creative attention to licensing pet products as the toy market languishes. The company, which in June acquired Pet Pal Corp., will offer an array of toys and treats for virtually any pet.

Pet experts see a potentially big market, with Americans expected to spend $36 billion on their pets this year, double what they spent a decade ago, according to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Assn.

"I think over the last five years, people do treat their pets more like part of their family," said Michelle Rivera, owner of a pet boutique Chateau Marmutt in West Hollywood. "Pets can't talk back, so sometimes they may love them more."

Jakks shares rose 35 cents to $21 on Friday.

Pet toys washed up on coast after storm

A Shropshire pet business was today counting the cost after hundreds of its animal toys worth £1,000 were found washed up along the Sussex Coast.

Staff at Rosewood Pet Products, in Broseley, today said the pet news had come as a bitter blow to the firm.

The pet toys ¡ª said to include dogs, reindeer, turkeys and pink poodles ¡ª were found at Selsey Bay, West Wittering and Climping.

They were part of a cargo of 50,000 toys lost when a ship shed four containers in rough seas on its way to Southampton on Monday.

The Broseley firm had ordered the toys ready for distribution to firms across the UK and Europe in the run-up to Christmas.

Executive assistant, Sue Ryder, said: ¡°This has had a catastrophic affect on the company. We will not be able to get the toys replaced before Christmas which means we have to let a lot of our customers down.¡±

The Mr Twister and Chubleez toys were packed up in a 40ft container.

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