Americans spend an awful lot of money on our pets. The American Pet Products Association says we'll spend about $52.8 billion this year.

If the owner of the Tradewinds (Citgo) gas station on Union Street in Bangor, Maine has guessed correctly, some of that pet care cash will be spent at his station too. He's added a dog wash to the gas station/convenience store/ car wash he operates and already he's serving folks who want to fill the tank and wash their dog.

Jennifer Brown, a local resident who now brings her dog, Dozier, there for his bath, says "It's cheaper than bringing him to a groomer and it's really not that hard. It's definitely easier than trying to do it with him at home, trying to get him into a tub."

Tony Brown, the station manager, said he thought the owner was joking when he said he wanted to expand the car wash service and add something for dogs. "Right now, our company has three dog car washes (at Union Street and two other locations) and it looks like we're the only ones north of Pennsylvania to have any, so it'd be nice for other places to get them.

Another customer thought it was a terrific idea... Since so many of the gas station/convenience stores offer things like movies from Blockbuster and Red Box, why not offer a service for pet owners who want to give their dog a good cleaning that they can afford? Clearly, customers like the affordability and the price.

And just as you have options and upgrades from the local dog groomer or pet care service (i.e., Petco) there are several dog wash options, including flea and tick treatment, and, skunk deodorizer. The cost is roughly $5.

Since adding the dog wash, Brown says the station has been selling 12 to 15 pet washes daily... and as word-of-mouth spreads, we'll guess that many more consumers will probably give it a try.

Check out the story from WABI-TV, Bangor Maine:
fill up your tank, wash your dog!