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Pet-Friendliest Employers of 2019 Announced

Wellness Natural Pet Food has updated its annual list of the Pet-Friendliest employers for 2019.

The list, compiled by Wellness Natural Pet Food as part of a larger study about attitudes toward pets in the workplace, ranks U.S.-based employers on the pet-friendliness of their policies and facilities.

10. Purely Elizabeth
9. TripAdvisor
8. PetSafe
7. Ticketmaster
6. Procore
5. Contently
4. Ben & Jerry’s
3. Trupanion
2. Harpoon Brewery
1. Amazon

Of this year’s top-ranked companies, only Harpoon Brewery returns from the previous year.

If your company didn’t make the list, you still have time to prepare for next year’s ranking. Take Your Dog to Work Day is on June 21; there’s no better time to start exploring ways to make your workplace pet-friendlier.

Source: These Are the Pet-Friendliest Employers of 2019

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Assisted Living Facilities See Benefits of Pets, Pet-Friendly Policies

An Indiana assisted living community has recognized the benefits pets have to offer their residents and have updated their policies accordingly.

Heritage Park and Coventry Meadows Assisted Living, two assisted living facilities in Fort Wayne, Indiana, have bolstered their support for pet-friendly policies after seeing the benefits pets have to offer residents.

Both facilities have observed beneficial effects of pets on their residents that mirror many of those described by researchers in academic journals.

“Lowered blood pressure, lower anxiety, lower (risk of) strokes, and lower risk of heart disease. We have seen a number of positive results.”

— Mindy Balka, Director of Business Development, Senior Living Division, American Senior Communities

Both facilities allow residents to keep pets, but they also have programs in place to provide animal interaction for residents without their own companion animals. Heritage Park provides residents with resident animals for the entire community to enjoy while Coventry Meadows provides animal-assisted therapies for its residents.

Part of embracing the benefits pets have to offer residents involves making sure polices are in place to keep animals and people safe and comfortable. Both facilities allow pets on a case-by-case basis as they want to ensure residents have the means to care for their pets. This includes having contingency plans in place to ensure a pet will be cared for should a resident become incapacitated.

Ultimately, both facilities recognize the importance of pets in residents’ lives and are committed to supporting pet-friendly policies wherever possible.

Source: Pets enrich senior life

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Aldi Releases Limited Run Ice Cream Treats for Dogs

Aldi recently announced that it would be releasing an ice cream tailored specifically for dogs.

The product, known as Heart to Tail Dog Ice Cream, is scheduled for limited release by the grocery chain later this month. The ice cream treats will initially be available in two flavors, original and cheese & bac’n, and will retail for approximately $3.00.

As of this writing, Heart to Tail Ice Cream is expected to be available at Aldi through the dog days of summer — the perfect time to give your pups an icy treat!

Source: This Is Not a Drill: Aldi Just Released Ice Cream for Dogs

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New Podcast Focuses on Human-Animal Bond

A new podcast is giving celebs a chance to sound off about their furry friends.

Mars Petcare, via its Pedigree brand, has launched The Dog That Changed Me, a podcast focused on all things pet. Hosted by Katherine Schwarzenegger, The Dog That Changed Me features interviews with celebrities such as Bryce Dallas Howard, LeeAnn Rimes, Julianne Hough, Mandy Moore, and Haylie Duff about the impact their pets have had on their lives.

The podcast has been slated for a limited, nine episode run. All episodes are currently available directly from Pedigree as well as all major podcast services.

Source: Mars Petcare podcast focuses on dog-human bond

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Study Finds Dog Owners Four Times as Likely to Meet Physical Activity Goals

A new study has found that dog owners are four times more likely to hit their exercise targets than those without.

The study, published in the the journal Nature earlier this year, surveyed 191 dog-owning adults and 455 non-dog-owning adults in the United Kingdom about their physical activity levels. Using the UK’s physical activity guidelines that adults should get at least 150 minutes of activity per week as a reference point, the study’s authors found that dog owners were more than four times as likely to meet those guidelines than non-owners.

The results of the study are largely consistent with other studies of the effects of dog ownership on physical activity levels performed in the United States and Australia.

“A dog is not a tool just to make us more physically active. But if you feel that you have the time, inclination and finances to take on the responsibility of having a dog, they are a great motivator to get out walking when you otherwise would have made excuses not to.”

— Carri Westgarth, Lecturer, Human-Animal Interaction, the University of Liverpool

For more information about the benefits of dog ownership on physical activity and health, check out the full article in Nature.

Source: This Is How Much More Exercise Dog Owners Get Compared To People Who Don’t Have Dogs

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Canine Critics Wanted: Get Paid to Go on Vacation with Your Dog

Even as more destinations are making pet-friendliness a priority, finding a vacation spot suitable for you and your dog can be a challenge. What if we told you there is a company that is not only willing to put you and your pooch up for a night, but they’re willing to pay you for it too?

Canine Cottages, a company that organizes dog-friendly vacations, is doing exactly that. They’re seeking 10 Canine Critics (and their human companions) to review hotels, tours, and pet products. In addition to receiving a free cottage holiday package, dogs selected to be Canine Critics will also receive:

  • A Canine Critic #TopDog welcome pack containing luxury and branded items for dogs and people
  • A complete profile on Canine Cottages’ ‘Canine Critics’ web page with links to their social channels
  • Exclusive discounts and access to Canine Cottages’ selection of dog-friendly attractions around the UK
  • Free products from Canine Cottages’ partner brands to review
  • A guide to being a Canine Critic

To apply, one need only fill out a brief application form and upload a photo of you with your dog. Submissions will be accepted through June 23.

There has to be a catch, right?

Canine Cottages — being a UK-based company that primarily deals with UK-based vacations — is looking for critics from the UK specifically. Sorry, American dogs.

Source: This is how you can get paid to go on holiday with your dog

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Former Pet Parrots Naturalized in 23 States

According to a new study, escaped exotic pet birds have become naturalized in 23 U.S. states

The study, published in the Journal of Ornithology, compared data from two different bird sighting databases, eBird and the National Audubon Society‘s Christmas Bird Count to track naturalized parrot species. In total, 56 different parrot species were found across 43 states. Of those, 25 species were found to be breeding in 23 different states.

The most common species observed in the wild were monk parakeets, red-crowned Amazons, and Nanday parakeets. Many of the birds were concentrated in areas with warmer climates, such as California, Florida, and Texas, as well as major urban centers like Chicago and New York.

Unlike other types of pet that have been released into non-natural habitats, most of the birds observed in the study have been found to not be invasive or otherwise harmful to the habitats in which they have been introduced. Combined with the fact that, in many cases, there are now more introduced birds living in the United States than in their original habitats, there has been a growth of support regarding efforts to preserve and protect these naturalized birds.

“The entire conservation focus for this species is now on a non-native, introduced, naturalized population. The survival of the species is most likely going to come from efforts to save it someplace where it never existed before.”

— Stephen Pruett-Jones, Ecologist, University of Chicago

Source: Escaped pet parrots are now naturalized in 23 US states, study finds

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AVMA Holds Events to Drive Innovation for Veterinarians

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) recently brought together several thought leaders from a wide range of veterinary practices to identify ways to help veterinary practices thrive.

Two roundtable discussions were held at the AVMA’s headquarters in Schaumburg, Illinois, to explore ways to help veterinarians thrive in clinical practice as well as how veterinarians can make the most out of telemedicine and virtual care technologies.

The first session focused on strategies and techniques for helping veterinarians create more financially successful practices while also maintaining a healthy work-life balance and achieving personal and professional growth. The AVMA is currently in the process of using the feedback received during this session to develop new tools geared toward helping clinical practitioners and their teams implement many of the approaches discussed.

The second session focused on establishing guidelines regarding the use of telemedicine to improve client satisfaction, retention, compliance, and outcomes as well as techniques for the collection and sharing of data to assess those metrics. The results of this session are being used by the AVMA to further develop its Telehealth Resource Center and its telemedicine policy.

For more information about other ways the AVMA is working to drive innovation for veterinarians, check out the full post over at the AVMA@Work blog.

Source: AVMA-led conversations drive innovation for veterinarians

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Safe Walking Tips for Older Adults to Get the Most From Your Dog Walks

The benefits of dog ownership are well known — from lowering stress and feelings of loneliness to decreasing our blood pressure, cholesterol, and our overall risk of heart disease, owning a dog definitely has its upsides. This is particularly true among older adults. However, despite these overwhelming perks, a recent study suggests that dog ownership among older adults may be linked to a higher risk of injuries related to dog walking.

The study examined the medical records of patients 65 and older who visited emergency rooms in the United States between 2004 and 2017. Within that 14 year span, researchers found over 32,000 cases of fall-related injuries associated with walking dogs. Some of these injuries were minor, but a few, such as hip fractures, were more serious.

Nearly all of the injuries identified in the study could have been avoided had the walkers taken a few basic precautions.

Mother Nature Network’s Mary Jo Dilonardo has compiled a list of basic exercises and other measures older adults can adopt to help take advantage of the benefits of pet ownership while minimizing the risk of walking-related injuries.

Balance Exercises

Dilonardo suggests light strength training of the core and other exercises to improve balance. By strengthening the muscle groups associated with balancing, older adults can reduce their likelihood of falling should their pets suddenly move in an unexpected direction during a walk.

Improve Your Dog’s Training & Obedience

Dogs who are well-trained — specifically in stationary commands like “stay” or ” heel” — are more easily controllable in unexpected situations. Dogs who obey commands consistently are less likely to move unexpectedly, resulting in an overall reduction in movements that may cause a fall.

Working with a dog trainer or behaviorist may be helpful for larger and stronger-willed dogs. While training is important for smaller dogs too, the risk of a dog causing a fall increases with the size of the dog.

For a complete list of things you can do to help reduce the risk of injury while walking your dog, check out the full article on MNN.

Source: How senior dog owners can avoid injury

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FDA Withdraws Pet Food Compliance Guide

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has withdrawn several compliance policy guides pertaining to pet food manufacturing practices. According to the FDA, the guides, CPG Sec. 675.400 (Rendered Animal Feed Ingredients) and CPG Sec. 690.300 (Canned Pet Food), had been rendered obsolete by provisions contained in the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).

In a continued commitment to the agency’s modernized risk-based approach to the regulation of animal food under the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration today withdrew three outdated Compliance Policy Guides (CPGs) pertaining to the use of certain animal-derived materials in animal food.

These CPGs originally were issued in 1979-80 to explain the FDA’s enforcement priorities regarding use of certain materials in animal food. Today’s action is intended to clarify FDA regulatory policy for manufacturers of animal food (including ingredients) and to remind industry about the agency’s expectations of manufacturers who use materials from “diseased animals and animals that died otherwise than by slaughter” under the the Federal Food, Drug & Cosmetic (FD&C) Act and the FSMA preventive controls for animal food (PCAF) regulations.

The FDA has decided to withdraw CPG Sec. 675.400 – Rendered Animal Feed Ingredients and CPG Sec. 690.300 – Canned Pet Food because of the additional regulatory tools gained through FSMA. Under FSMA and the PCAF regulation, many animal food facilities are now required to establish a food safety plan, including identifying and evaluating known or reasonably foreseeable hazards. Preventive control measures must then be put into place to significantly minimize or prevent hazards requiring preventive controls.

— The U.S. Food and Drug Administration

The FSMA, enacted in 2011, has granted the FDA new approaches to ensure food producers, manufacturers, and processors comply with best practices. These approaches include requiring food makers to develop risk-based controls and safety plans to mitigate risks and hazards.

For more information about the FDA’s recent withdrawal of their compliance policy guides, read their full statement.

Source: FDA drops pet food ingredient compliance policy guide

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Dogs Able to Recognize Their Names, Even in Noisy Environments

New research suggests dogs are able to selectively lock onto the sound of a human voice, even in acoustically crowded environments.

The study, conducted by a team at the University of Maryland and published in a recent issue of Animal Cognition, examined the responses of dogs when their names were spoken in increasingly noisy environments.

The dogs in the study were able to recognize when their names were spoken, even when other background vocalizations were present. Only when the background noise eclipsed the sound of the dog’s name being spoken did dogs lose the ability to pick their names out of the din.

The ability of the dogs studied surpassed that of year-old human infants (who were only able to recognize their name when no background noise as present) but fell short of adult humans (who could recognize their name in even the noisiest conditions).

“Dogs are social creatures who pay attention to the adults around them and have evolved to do so. In some sense, they are a really good comparison to infants.”

— Rochelle Newman, co-author & Chair of the University of Maryland’s Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences

For more information about the study, read the full version in Animal Cognition.

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American Pet Products Association Announces Board Changes

Steve King, CEO of the American Pet Products Association (APPA), is pleased to announce that Allice Tillett has been elected to serve as chair of the APPA Board of Directors. Tillett succeeds Kevin Fick, CEO of Worldwise, Inc. Additionally, Jeremy Baker has been elected to serve on the board as a director.

Tillett is the CEO of Doskocil Manufacturing, doing business as Petmate, where she has been since 2014. As chair, Tillett oversees all meetings of the Board of Directors, the governing body of APPA. She also serves in a leadership advisory role, guiding industry-wide activities and initiatives. Prior to her role at Petmate, Tillett was the president of Pacific Cycle, a division of Dorel Industries, for more than 12 years. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Wittenberg University and a master’s degree from Miami University.

Jeremy Baker is Vice President of Strategic Business Development at Oxbow Animal Health, and brings nearly 12 years of pet industry experience to the APPA board. Baker earned bachelor’s degrees in marketing and management from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

“On behalf of the American Pet Products Association, I am pleased to congratulate Alice on her new leadership role and welcome Jeremy to the board. Based on their years of industry experience and passion for supporting responsible pet ownership, I am confident both Alice and Jeremy will serve their newly-elected positions well.”

— Steve King, CEO, APPA

Source: American Pet Products Association Announces Board Changes

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$450,000 Awarded to Animal Welfare Concepts at 3rd Annual Innovation Showdown

Several high-tech solutions to the problem of shelter overcrowding took the top spots at the 3rd Annual Innovation Showdown held during the Humane Society of the United States‘ (HSUS) Animal Care Expo in New Orleans last week.

The Innovation Showdown, a collaborative effort between the Petco Foundation, the Jackson Galaxy Project, and several other organizations devoted to animal welfare, brings innovators together to tackle some of the biggest issues currently facing animal welfare. Over 100 animal welfare organizations submitted their ideas for saving the lives of animals in need. Of those, three were selected to present their concepts to a panel of judges for a chance to receive an investment of up to $200,000.

The third place winner, Front Street Animal Shelter, received a $75,000 investment for their proposed automated scheduling solution to facilitate the process of socializing shelter dogs.

The second place winner, Day of the Dogs, received a $175,000 investment for their concept for a crowd-funded solution to preventing the euthanasia of shelter animals.

The first place winner, Dallas Animal Services, received a $200,000 investment for the proposed mobile app designed to allow potential adopters of shelter animals to meet potential adoptees via two-way video chat.

“The Innovation Showdown shows how thinking out of the box in animal welfare to solve problems is another way to help us become a life-saving nation. The nation’s top animal welfare organizations coming together to provide insight, guidance and ultimately investments to launch these ideas is instrumental to their success.”

— Susanne Kogut, President, Petco Foundation

For more information on the Innovation Showdown as well as this year’s winners, head here.

Source: Animal Welfare Organizations Award $450,000 at Innovation Showdown

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Food Processing Suppliers Association Elects Board of Directors for Pet Food Council

The Food Processing Suppliers Association (FPSA) recently held an election for the board of directors of its newly formed Pet Food Council.

The Pet Food Council was created in 2018 to provide pet food-specific extension to the FPSA. In addition to the Pet Food Council, FPSA also has councils dedicated to processed and packaged food verticals, including dairy products, baked goods, beverages, meat, and prepared foods.

“With the explosive growth in the pet food industry and growing FPSA member involvement in it, this move made complete sense. FPSA is the only horizontal organization with members that provide manufacturing solutions for all of the food and beverage verticals and pet food fits very well within this spectrum whether it be for processing, packaging, or food safety. This inaugural Council Board is eager to make its mark with new programs that create value for both suppliers and pet food manufacturers alike.”

— Jarrod McCarroll, Chair, Food Processing Suppliers Association

Source: FPSA Pet Food Council elects board of directors

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The Effects of Stress on the Human-Animal Bond

It is common to hear about the beneficial effects of the human-animal bond on stress, but have you ever considered the effects stress can have on the bond between you and your pets?

In an article recently published to Petfood Industry, Anne Lepoudère takes a closer look at the ways stress can affect your pets and some of the steps you can take to offset them.

According to Lepoudère, your pets may encounter stress in the form of psychological stressors, such as separation anxiety or the introduction a new family member, or physiological stressors, such as pain or other symptoms from an underlying illness. Regardless of the source, stress can cause pets to act in ways that are undesirable, maladaptive, or harmful to them or others around them.

While most owners would be quick to remedy anything that might cause a pet to experience stress, Lepoudère suggests that may be more difficult than it might seem. Among the complications, Lepoudère notes that some animals’ responses to stressors may be misattributed by their owners. An owner who chastises a dog for barking — a behavior commonly associated with fear and anxiety — may inadvertently be reinforcing that behavior, resulting in an undesirable feedback loop for both the dog and the owner.

For pets and owners struggling to cope with stress, Lepoudère suggests the use of anxiolytic medications or dietary changes to help ease pets’ anxieties. For some, however, simple behavioral adjustments through conventional reward-based conditioning and reinforcement. For particularly tricky behavioral issues, consult your veterinarian; they may be able to identify underlying health issues or recommend a behaviorist to help track down the source of your pets’ stress.

Source: Managing pet stress to preserve pet-owner bonds

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Wisdom Health Announces 2020 Pet Census

Wisdom Health, a provider of genetic testing services for pets, has announced its plans to conduct a pet census in 2020.

The proposed Pet Census, scheduled to be conducted in tandem with the United States Census Bureau‘s own census, is intended to provide insight into the sizes, breeds, and lifestyles of pets living in the United States. In addition to the collection of survey data, Wisdom Health also plans to use data collected from its Wisdom Panel genetic testing service to provide a wider understanding of the pet population in the United States.

“The insights from the Pet Census, together with genetic information from Wisdom Panel, will help advance the healthcare of the Nation’s cats and dogs. We’re also hoping a genetic portrait of our nation’s pets will lead to greater awareness of which breeds are predisposed to certain complex health conditions such as gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV) or skin allergies (atopy), along with the genetic disorders found in the Wisdom Panel array of tests.”

— Angela Hughes, DVM PhD, Veterinary Geneticist, Wisdom Health

The Pet Census is scheduled to begin later this year, with results expected in 2020.

For more information about the 2020 Pet Census or its predecessor, the 2010 National Mutt Census, visit Wisdom Panel

Source: Wisdom Health to launch 2020 Pet Census

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Animal-Assisted Therapy Shown to Improve Social Behaviors Among Those with Traumatic Brain Injuries

A new study suggests that animal-assisted therapy (AAT) may help improve social functioning among those who have suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI).

The study, published in the most recent issue of Scientific Reports, suggests that patients with TBIs exhibited higher levels of social engagement during therapy sessions when an animal was present.

Conducted by a team of researchers based at the University of Basel in Switzerland, the study examined the self-reported moods and treatment satisfaction scores of 19 TBI patients over the course of 200 therapy sessions. Of the 200 sessions, some were animal-assisted and some were not.

Participants of the study expressed almost twice the number of positive emotions when in the presence of animals. Those in assisted sessions also tended to communicate more frequently and expressed higher levels of treatment satisfaction than during conventional therapy sessions.

Interestingly, AAT appeared to have little effect on the expression of negative emotions, such as anger.

“The results suggest that animal-assisted therapy can have a positive effect on the social behavior of patients with brain injuries”

— Dr. Karin Hediger, Principal Investigator & Psychotherapist, University of Basel

For additional information about the study, read the full article in Scientific Reports.

Source: Animal-assisted therapy improves social behavior in patients with brain injuries

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Mars Petcare Launches Pet Care Innovation Coalition

Mars Petcare has launched a new coalition to drive innovation in pet healthcare and nutrition.

The coalition, known as Kinship, is intended to bring together leading innovators and experts from the fields of science, technology, medicine, and, of course, pet care to create better futures for pets. By leveraging new discoveries in areas like microbiomics and genetics as well as new technologies and approaches such as machine learning and big data analysis, Mars hopes to improve the effectiveness and accessibility of pet health and pet nutrition.

“We’re excited about our new global division, Kinship, becoming a unique collaboration platform for entrepreneurs and innovators to create new products and services that deliver on our Purpose: A Better World for Pets. There are extraordinary opportunities in data, science and connected technology. Match them with the expansive reach, resources and core capabilities of a global industry leader like Mars, and together we can create a powerful force for transforming pet care.”

— Poul Weihrauch, President, Mars Petcare

The Kinship initiative offers several forms of financial support for startups in the pet space. Among them are a recurring pitch event with a $15,000 cash prize, an incubator program, and a dedicated investment fund of $100 million. Between them, these programs are intended to support innovation and the development of new startups from the concept and pre-seed phases to the growth phase.

Source: First-of-Its-Kind Coalition Launches to Drive Pet Care Innovation

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PIJAC Releases Recommendations for Combatting Antimicrobial Resistance

The Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (PIJAC) today unveiled an industry-wide, comprehensive set of recommendations for antibiotic stewardship and combatting antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in companion animals. The announcement was made at an event PIJAC hosted during the Global Pet Expo trade show at the Orange County Convention Center.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that two million people are infected with resistant strains of bacteria and 23,000 deaths result from antibiotic resistance in the U.S. annually. Two relatively common bacteria species that have resistant strains, Campylobacter and Salmonella, are also common in pets, making responsible use of antibiotics in companion animals an important concern.

“Antibiotic resistant germs are a growing and serious health risk to both humans and animals,” said Savonne Caughey, PIJAC director of government affairs. “Last year, PIJAC committed to work with the pet care community to create best management practices to combat AMR as part of our participation in the U.S. government’s Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Challenge.”

The recommendations encompass a unified set of principles for all sectors of the pet care community, with an emphasis on those involved in the breeding, rearing, transport and sale of companion animals as well as those who work with products where antibiotics regularly intersect with animals. They provide expert advice and best management practices on topics including use of antibiotics, sanitation, hygiene, veterinary oversight and zoonotic disease prevention, among others.

“PIJAC is proud to have served as the pet industry’s liaison on public health issues and zoonotic disease prevention for over a decade through our memorandum of understanding with the CDC,” said PIJAC president and CEO Mike Bober. “These recommendations are another demonstration of PIJAC and the pet care community’s commitment to promoting the health and well-being of animals and humans alike.”

PIJAC piloted the guide’s development through an extensive process of gathering resources, conducting research and consulting with specialists, professionals, and others in a variety of pet care roles. The final recommendations were developed by a working group comprised of stakeholders and experts including pet care retailers, breeders, distributors, authorities in animal care, and representatives from the veterinary medicine and health communities and other trade associations.

“This is the first-ever set of recommendations for antibiotic stewardship in the pet care community. With widespread adoption, they will help inhibit the development of resistant germs and ensure healthier pets and healthier people around the world.”

— Laura “Peach” Reid, Board Chair, PIJAC

PIJAC and other organizations involved in the working group will be distributing the recommendations to their members and promoting them at pet care industry and related events throughout 2019. The document will also be available for download on the PIJAC website.

Source: PIJAC’s Antibiotic Stewardship Recommendations and Annual Award Winners

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Tesla Adds New “Dog Mode” for Pet Owners

Automaker Tesla recently released a new feature to help improve safety for pets and peace of mind for their owners.

The new feature, known as “Dog Mode,” activates climate control and displays a message on the dashboard touchscreen to alert passersby to the internal temperature and that pets inside are being cared for. In the event that the vehicle’s battery should drop below 20%, the driver will receive a notification to return to their pet to ensure their safety.

Dog Mode is currently only available for Tesla’s Model 3 — Models S and X built after August 2017 are slated to receive the feature via update at some point in the future.

While Dog Mode adds a layer of convenience for drivers who may wish to leave their pets briefly while running errands, Tesla reminds customers to consult local regulations before leaving pets unattended.

Source: Tesla releases new ‘dog mode’ for pet owners

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