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I copied this from the ABC website Australia today. It go's along with my recent thinking that animal rights has somehow put its cause well ahead of human rights in Australia.

"Pampered pets get more than foreign aid recipients
A Canberra think tank says Australians now spend more on pets than on official foreign aid.

The Australia Institute estimates that more than $2.2 billion was spent on pets last year, compared to the Federal Government's official development assistance of less than $2 billion.

The institute's report is entitled Overconsumption of Pet Food in Australia.

It says the upsurge in spending on pets is driven by expensive products such as diamond jewellery for dogs, gourmet cat food, sleeping bags for ferrets and breath freshener for animals.

Richard Denniss, from the Australia Institute, says Australians value their pets more than the world's poor.

"People are now spending in between $50 and $100 a kilo even on treats for their dogs and cats," he said.

"A whole range of products from bouyancy vests to sunglasses for dogs and cats have emerged.

"By all accounts that where the growth is coming from in the industry."