BLOOMINGTON - During a typical trip to the store, Kari Bigger buys food, treats, toys and clothes - for her dogs.

The Pontiac woman doesn't spare much expense when it comes to her greyhound, Nide, and Italian greyhound, Vinny. Monthly bills for basics and perks can reach $200 to $300.

"My dogs are really spoiled," Bigger said. "I don't have kids, so they're kind of like my kids. They're great companions for me."

Bigger was one of many shoppers who contributed to the $38.5 billion people spent on pets in 2006, according to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association. National spending is almost double the $21 billion pet owners spent 10 years earlier.

Pet owners increasingly treat their four-legged friends like family, and businesses are responding in kind with high quality pet food, gourmet treats, elaborate toys, clothes - even jewelry.

"There's a growing trend for people to spoil their pets," said Mike Harpest, owner of Premium Pet Supply in Bloomington. "It's increasing every year."

Biscuits to bling

Reasons for the indulgence vary.

On the one hand, more Americans own pets today. Fifty-six percent of U.S. households owned a pet in 1988, compared to 63 percent today, according to the APPMA.

But the trend is especially evident with empty nesters or adults without children. It's more acceptable for people to be single today, so they might have pets instead of children, Harpest said. Some married couples opt for a dog or cat instead of having children right away.

In addition, people are more concerned about their health today, and that transfers to their pets, too, Harpest said.

The result is an increasing number of today's pet owners shop for their dogs and cats much like they would for themselves.

At Harpest's store, pet owners want top quality pet food. Higher quality food is more expensive, but "you get what you pay for," Harpest said.

Pet lovers can also pick up fresh-baked dog treats at Dog Lover's Delight in Bloomington.

If that's not enough, owner Dana Hoback has plenty of extras, ranging from a $5 sweatshirt to a $35 sweater.

The Pet Supply Center in Normal recently added bling - in the form of jeweled "pawbands" for pets.

"They went off the shelf in a day," said manager Jennifer Murphy.

Love of animals

Dog owner Laura Williams of Bloomington will only buy her two golden retrievers treats from Hoback's store. She doesn't mind paying more because she likes the ingredients and the fact that they have no preservatives.

"I'm very concerned about what goes in their bodies," Williams said. "They're part of our family."

Bigger, meanwhile, takes her dogs camping and to the hair salon she owns. She likes to dress them up in clothes, especially her little Italian greyhound.

"He has a cute little Hawaiian shirt. … We call it his Jimmy Buffet shirt," Bigger said.

She buys them organic or all-natural raw foods, and oatmeal- and cheese-flavored treats. She had professional pictures taken of them for Christmas cards the past two years.

She knows what she wants to find next: a basket for her bike so Vinny can join her on rides.

"If something pleases you, like animals do, you want to give back to them," Bigger said.