Pets To Play Dress-Up This Halloween

More than 50 million adults will don costumes this year – and plan to include their pets.

Posted: October 21, 2008, 5 a.m. EDT

This Halloween, an estimated 51.8 million adults plan to play dress-up on Halloween, according to the National Retail Federation’s 2008 Halloween Consumer Intentions and Actions survey, conducted by BIGresearch. Also joining in on the festivities will be several of their family members, including the four-legged variety.

For costumes, people are looking to Hollywood and the upcoming presidential election for inspiration. The traditional witches, pirates, and cats remain crowd favorites, however, this year’s costumes are expected to have an added flair.

“Hollywood has tremendous influence over what adults, children, and even pets wear on Halloween,” said Tracy Mullin, NRF president and CEO. The success of this year’s “The Dark Knight” at the box office has put Batman costumes in high demand for adults, children, and even pets.

The election also will play a role in costume selection this year as 574,000 adults plan to dress up as a political figure. Halloween spending for 2008 is estimated to reach $5.77 billion.

BIGresearch’s forecast for 2008’s top pet costumes:
1. Pumpkin
2. Devil
3. Witch
4. Princess
5. Hot dog
6. Superman
7. Bee
8. Bowties/fancy collars, etc.
9. Ghost
10. Black cat