By EMILIE BAXTER

Pet businesses are flourishing as Australians spend more money than ever on their pampered pets.

Commonwealth Bank data found Aussies spent about $743 million a year on their pets, an increase of more than 90 per cent over two years.

Pet chefs, costumes, spa treatments and weekends away were identified as some of the new growth areas. 

Pawprints Doggy Daycare attendant and Posh Paws groomer Brie Leischman said the daycare business had grown exponentially over the past year.

“We’re a smaller daycare because we prefer more one-on-one time with the dogs,” she said.

Ms Leischman said more services and high-end products had become available to purchase for pets.

“At Posh Paws we sell beds that are $130 and people buy them by the bucketload.

“We have luxury handmade collars and leashes, actual certified organic dog food and we ship handmade dog clothes from America,” Ms Leischman said.

“My dog always has a bath every two weeks, a de-shed every month and the best of the food you can buy.”

Ms Leischman said she believed people were spending more money on their pets because we felt better with animals around.

“I think we’re more in tune with ourselves and we’re finding that animals make us feel better,” she said.

“Why not spend your money on making sure your best friend is well taken care of?”

Owner of elite pet store Fish and Feather Bev Rout said her business had expanded to meet the growing demands of the industry.

“Our store offers small pet boarding, grooming, a pet laundry and also two hydrobaths that customers can use,” she said.

“This is an area that has doubled over the past 12 months.”

Ms Rout said her store kept changing and adapting to suit the market.

“We have a cafe, which we put in to give the people waiting for dogs or laundry somewhere to have a coffee and wait in comfort.

“We’ve seen a bit of a resurgence in kids wanting fish tanks, where for a long while it seemed all they wanted was an Xbox,” she said.

Animal Medicines Australia reported that Australia had one of the highest household rates of pet ownership in the world. In 2016, there were about 24 million pets across the country.

Deputy general manager for small business from the Commonwealth Bank Nicole McCormack said in a statement that businesses were developing new services and products to help people pamper their pets.

“Australian pet spending continues to rise and as a result we’re seeing more entrepreneurs launch niche small businesses to cater for the growing demand,” Ms McCormack said.