The pet industry - everything from grooming to Greenies - is booming. While much of the rest of the American economy slumped in 2006, Americans spent more on their animal companions - about $38.5 billion . That number is expected to rise to more than $40 billion this year. Ten years ago it was $20 billion.

The trend is even hotter in Las Vegas, where top pet sitters are in high demand and locals compete with tourists for suites at the best boutique pet hotels.

Christopher Easley , owner of the American Dog and Cat Hotel , just opened his second location in the valley . The high-end pet hotels cater to pet owners who treat their pets like children and are willing to pay anywhere from $25 to $250 a night to ensure the pets are comfortable while they are away.

The company's pet suites come complete with rugs, televisions and in some cases, day beds to simulate the home experience. A team of "human play pals," most with a veterinary background, are kept on-hand to amuse the pets, administer medication and clean the rooms. At least twice a day the dogs are brought out to play pens to interact with each other and tire themselves out.

"This is the only facility of this caliber in town," Easley said. "In life most of the time we get what we pay for. That's the case here. When you come to Las Vegas, you can stay at the El Sombrero for $26 a night - that's significantly different than staying at the Bellagio. We've geared this toward personalization, just like the good boutique hotels."

For years veterinarian offices and kennel facilities have taken in dogs and cats while owners are on vacation. But some dog and cat owners felt uncomfortable leaving their pets to be locked in sterile cages or kennels with limited exercise for days or weeks at a time.

Customers use pet sitters and pet hotels because the animals are generally less-stressed than in other settings, and the exposure to fleas and illness such as kennel cough is considered less, according to industry surveys .

A Blue Weimaraner relaxes at the hotel. Steve Marcus

That gave rise to professional pet sitters in the mid-1990s. Since then, what was once considered eccentric has become mainstream.

"In 2001, when so much corporate downsizing was taking a place, a lot of people who were passionate about pets turned to professional pet sitting to do something that aligned with their interests," said John Long, spokesman for Pet Sitters International. "It became an opportunity for them to do something radically different with their lives."

Like many business concepts, the boom hit Las Vegas a little later. Now there are dozens of pet-sitting businesses in Las Vegas. Many of them have taken pet sitting on as a second career and have invested countless hours and dollars into training in the latest health and pet-sitting techniques. But even those businesses cannot keep up with demand, according to Samantha Pfaffinger, president of the Southern Nevada Association of Professional Pet Services.

"It's one of the fastest-growing trades. Any kind of pet industry you can get into," she said. "There is so much need for it in this town that we all have enough work. That's why we are able to have the group without having problems. We can network and share experiences and nobody loses out."

Her organization provides networking opportunities and educational seminars and classes for workers and employers in the local pet industry. The group has about 40 members and is growing. Pfaffinger said the industry in Las Vegas appears to be growing faster than in many other cities because of the confluence of people working long hours and people who travel often, whether for business or pleasure.

"The only thing these people have in common is they treat their dogs like their family," she said. "Even people that don't make a lot of money, they'll spend what they have to have the pet sitters or dog walkers come over."

Nationwide, most pet-sitting clients are married couples with no children who live in the suburbs . Time-stressed residents hire outsiders to do everything from walking and playing with pets to cleaning up excrement in the yard. It allows people who otherwise would not be able to care for a dog, cat or bird, to have one and make sure it is properly cared for in their absence. Even Pfaffinger, who owns pet-sitting company Crazy Critters Pet Care , uses doggy day care services when she has an extra-long day at work.

"It's a great alternative for people who work long days and don't want their pets to be alone all day," she said.

Pfaffinger's group is one of numerous organizations popping up around the country to cater to those who cater to pets. The largest, with more than 7,600 members worldwide, is Pet Sitters International , a for-profit group that offers networking, education, certification and soon accreditation for professional pet sitters.

All of the group's members agree to follow a list of ethical practices which include meeting pet owners and pets before taking on clients, continuing education and keeping the proper liability insurance.

"It has become a profession and we are leading the industry in a direction of total professionalism," Long said.

Fees for pet sitters vary by region, but on average they are between $14 and $40 per night . Pet sitters in his organization have an average of 1,016 sitting jobs per year and 121 human clients. And while most pet sitters only care for cats and dogs, some like Pfaffinger, specialize in exotic pets like reptiles, birds and monkeys. Many pet sitters will also bring in the mail, check on the house and water plants.

But overall, pet sitting and pet hotels are popular because they allow people to leave home without the worry and stress of leaving a family member in less-than-perfect comfort. For some pets that means staying home with their familiar backyard and prime couch position - to others it means having the creature comforts of a luxurious suite and companionship throughout the day. In the end, everyone is happy.

"Once they're used to us, it's like finding the best baby sitter in the world living right next door who has no life," Easley said. "It changes the way people are able to live. It gives them the ability to be comfortable and travel and do the things they want to do."