CONSUMERS AND THEIR ANIMAL COMPANIONS

Despite the widespread practice of keeping companion animals, virtually no consumer behavior studies have been conducted on this phenomenon. The present inquiry uses detailed depth interviews with consumers to expand three a priori themes-animals as friends, animals as self, and animals as family members-and to discuss two emergent themes: (1) companion animals' mediation between nature and culture, and (2) the socialization of consumers' companion animal preference patterns. Building on this knowledge, several directions tor future research on companion animals are discussed.