Pet lovers will tell you there’s a good reason they’re willing to spend so much on their dogs and cats—from food and surgeries to grooming and kennel fees—and baby boomers are particularly fond of their pets.

“What did they call us?” American Pet Products Association President Bob Vetere says to the Associated Press. “Helicopter parents, because we were constantly hovering over the kids. The kids left home and now we're looking to hover over something else. And so we wind up doing it over pets.”

At issue is what happens when boomers—the oldest of whom turn 66 in 2012—can no longer care for their dogs and cats, or fork over the amounts they’re spending on them currently, according to the news service.

Enter the pet product industry. Looking to the future, companies including Petco and Pfizer Animal Health have formed the nonprofit Human Animal Bond Research Initiative to encourage pet ownership for health and wellness reasons.

What do you think? Is there a point where having a pet goes from good idea to bad? Leave a comment below!

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