8 ways pets are becoming big American consumers By: CNBC.com News March 23, 2014 at 12:38 PM EDT Here are eight signs the amount of money being spent on pets shows they've become a big consumer class in the U.S. Read More >> Related Stocks: Aratana Theraptcs PetSmart, Inc. Pfizer Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Zoetis