The Pet Sustainability Coalition, founded in 2013, is an an organization dedicated to improving sustainability within the pet industry. In just five years, it has grown its membership from eight pet companies to over 60. Its expansion into Europe is expected to follow a similar path, with its initial European contingent consisting of four companies: Brit, Josera, Pets International, and Protix.
European membership will open in May at Interzoo in Nuremburg, Germany.
https://petleadershipcouncil.org/resources/uploads/pet-leadership-council-logo-sm.png00Jamie Branthttps://petleadershipcouncil.org/resources/uploads/pet-leadership-council-logo-sm.pngJamie Brant2018-04-06 10:00:342018-04-18 23:00:28Pet Sustainability Coalition Adds European Members
Last year, Americans spent over $69 billion on pets, an increase of 4% over 2016’s $66 billion. Of that, pet food sales continue to account for the biggest portion, with over $29 billion spent. Veterinary care represented the second biggest portion at over $17 billion and is the fastest growing segment, having grown 7% in the past year.
“It’s incredible to not only see growth for the pet industry in general, but to experience growth across all categories — with the exception of ‘live animal purchases’ which remained the same. Talk to any pet owner and they’ll tell you how difficult it is to put a dollar limit on what they’d spend to give their loyal companion a happy life, and it’s this outlook that continues to drive growth.”
https://petleadershipcouncil.org/resources/uploads/pet-leadership-council-logo-sm.png00Jamie Branthttps://petleadershipcouncil.org/resources/uploads/pet-leadership-council-logo-sm.pngJamie Brant2018-04-05 12:30:382018-04-18 23:42:342017 U.S. Pet Spending Highest to Date
Many dog owners are familiar with the precautions taken around pyrotechnic holidays like the Fourth of July and New Year’s Eve to keep skittish pups calm and comfortable. While noise aversion among dogs is a well-known phenomenon, researchers from the United Kingdom and Brazil suggest that, for many dogs, the problem may actually cause — and be caused by — physical pain.
The researchers found that dogs who developed noise sensitivity later in life often experienced joint or muscle pain. While these pains were initially unrelated to sudden, loud noises, the researchers found that those noises may make dogs tense up. This tensing action combined with underlying joint of muscle pains results in exacerbated pain which dogs then begin to associate with the noises. Over time, these dogs develop an stronger aversion to noises because they associate them with the pain of tensing painful joints or muscles.
The findings suggest that an aversion to noise that develops later in life may be a sign of underlying pain in a dog that may not otherwise show symptoms of a problem. The researchers suggest that owners of dogs who have developed a fear of noises later in life should have their dogs examined by a veterinarian for underlying conditions that may be causing them pain. Not only could this help treat the noise aversion itself, it may help to treat pain in dogs and, potentially, more serious underlying conditions.
“Although the average ages of the dogs were similar, the average age of onset of the problem was nearly four years later in the ‘clinical cases’. This strong theme of an older age of onset suggests that the pain may develop later in life and that owners seek treatment more readily, perhaps because the appearance of the problem is out of character in the subject. These results are consistent with the suggestion that whenever there is a late age onset to a behaviour problem, medical issues including those related to pain, should be carefully evaluated. It is worth owners being aware that once pain is successfully managed, the previously learned associations with noise may persist and require their own targeted behaviour modification programme.”
https://petleadershipcouncil.org/resources/uploads/pet-leadership-council-logo-sm.png00Jamie Branthttps://petleadershipcouncil.org/resources/uploads/pet-leadership-council-logo-sm.pngJamie Brant2018-03-28 15:38:432018-04-18 22:40:20Study Finds Noise Sensitivity in Dogs May Be Sign of Underlying Pain
Most know to keep chocolate, antifreeze, and pesticides well out of reach of pets, but there are many other common household items that pose a poisoning risk to pet. American Humane has published a list of lesser known, potentially toxic household items that pet owners should be aware of. Items on the list include
Acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil), and other common over-the-counter medications
Fabric softener sheets
Batteries
Sugar-free candies, mints, and other snacks
Grapes and raisins
Because many of these items are small, common, and often easy to accidentally leave in reach of a pet, American Humane stresses that care be taken to secure them from your pets. Further, because some of the more potent items on this list — such as the artificial sweetener Xylitol — can result in catastrophic organ failure with only brief or small exposure, it’s important for pet owners to minimize the possibility of accidental ingestion.
For the full list of surprising household poisons, as well as signs of poisoning to watch out for, read American Humane’s full article.
Zoetis recently teamed up with K-9 Courage to launch a campaign to give dogs across the nation a way to salute other dogs serving in law enforcement and military roles.
The campaign, Dogs Salute Dogs, allows pet owners to photograph their dogs within a themed digital frame that can then be shared via Facebook. The frames can be generated on the K-9 Courage website, where visitors can also make a donation to support retired military and police dogs.
“Americans have a great tradition of posting yellow or red, white and blue ribbons on our cars to show support for our human troops. Now, we want to extend that honor of a salute to our canine heroes. Through K-9 Courage, Zoetis salutes retired police and military dogs every day by helping them lead happy, healthy lives in retirement, and now we’re extending that salute on social media by engaging dogs and pet owners. Our goal is to raise awareness about the important role these service animals play in protecting our nation, and why they are so deserving of our support.”
— J. Michael McFarland, Executive Director, Marketing, Zoetis
For more information about K-9 Courage and the Dogs Salute Dogs campaign, visit the K-9 Courage website.
https://petleadershipcouncil.org/resources/uploads/pet-leadership-council-logo-sm.png00Jamie Branthttps://petleadershipcouncil.org/resources/uploads/pet-leadership-council-logo-sm.pngJamie Brant2018-03-19 18:50:552018-04-10 03:38:12Zoetis Launches Campaign to Recognize Military and Police Dogs
Scientists at the University of Helsinki are developing artificial intelligence-based tactics to help detect traces of the illegal wildlife trade on social media.
The tactics, described in the latest issue of the journal Conservation Biology, use machine learning methods and natural language processing to mine social media platforms for evidence of illegal animal trafficking. This AI-supported approach can quickly sift through thousands of images and textual data and flag posts that appear to contain evidence of illegal activity. Once posts have been identified, metadata can provide clues about the origin of the post as well as possible collaborators. This information can then be passed on to law enforcement to pursue.
“Machine learning algorithms can be trained to detect which species or wildlife products, such as rhino horns, appear in an image or video contained in social media posts, while also classifying their setting, such as a natural habitat or a marketplace.”
— Christoph Fink, Information Scientist, University of Helsinki
Historically, analyzing social media for evidence of illegal wildlife trading required specially trained humans and a prohibitively large amount of time. However, recent advances in machine learning have enabled computers to accurately identify a variety of species nearly instantaneously.
The scientists responsible for the development of these AI-based detection tools hope they will be used to reduce the number of instances of illegal trafficking and to advance wildlife conservation efforts.
Zoetis has released two new videos as part of its ongoing campaign to raise awareness of the beneficial health effects of pets, The Pet Effect.
The new videos, titled “Adopt a Human” and “Comrade,” focus on the mutual beneficial effects of pet adoption and the therapeutic effects of service dogs on those suffering from PTSD, respectively.
The Pet Effect campaign, initially launched in 2017, is a collaborative effort between Zoetis and the Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) to call attention to the significant scientific evidence that indicates that pets can improve human health across a wide spectrum. Among the areas highlighted by The Pet Effect campaign are the positive effects pets have been shown to have on allergies, autism, cardiovascular health, depression, obesity, and PTSD.
“The Pet Effect aims to put veterinarians at the center of the conversation with pet owners and potential pet owners about how human and pet health are connected. As a HABRI co-founder, Zoetis firmly supports human-animal bond research, and we hope these videos and new research results will help spread the word of the physical and emotional benefits of pet ownership.”
— J. Michael McFarland, Executive Director, Marketing, Zoetis
The latest additions to the campaign, along with previously released materials, can be found on the campaign’s website, ThePetEffect.org. For veterinarian-specific resources, visit ThePetEffect.org/vet. For more information about HABRI’s human-animal bond research, including a new study on PTSD, visit HABRI.org.
https://petleadershipcouncil.org/resources/uploads/pet-leadership-council-logo-sm.png00Jamie Branthttps://petleadershipcouncil.org/resources/uploads/pet-leadership-council-logo-sm.pngJamie Brant2018-03-14 08:45:492018-04-20 04:48:15Zoetis Releases New Videos for The Pet Effect Campaign
Among the recent developments, a pet nutrition facts box — similar to those found on human food packaging — has been proposed as a replacement to existing product content analysis and calorie content statements. While not completely identical to the human Nutrition Facts label, the Pet Nutrition Facts label is intended to be visually and functionally similar.
In addition to the revised content information, updates to nutritional adequacy statement requirements have also been proposed. Under the recently proposed requirements, pet food packaging would need to display a standardized graphic on the front that would indicate the sizes and life stages for which the food is formulated. Additional graphics would be required for foods not intended to be the primary source of nutrition and for those intended for use only under veterinary supervision.
While the proposed pet food label updates represent a large step forward, they have not yet been formally decided upon. AAFCO intends to collect additional data from consumers and other stakeholders before considering next steps for the proposed changes.
The recently appointed president of the World Pet Association (WPA), Jacinthe Moreau, has posted a blog entry outlining some of the resources and initiatives the WPA is working on to support the pet industry.
In the post, Moreau reaffirmed the WPA’s commitment to animal welfare and to supporting the growth of business owners. Moreau also reminded members of the pet industry that the WPA provides a number of supporting resources, including access to unique educational and networking opportunities as well as special reports and white papers on customer behavior and industry performance.
https://petleadershipcouncil.org/resources/uploads/pet-leadership-council-logo-sm.png00Jamie Branthttps://petleadershipcouncil.org/resources/uploads/pet-leadership-council-logo-sm.pngJamie Brant2018-03-10 11:55:592018-04-03 18:55:51World Pet Association Offers Resources to Support Pet Industry
Blue Buffalo Pet Products have announced that they have entered an agreement with General Mills under which General Mills will acquire the pet food giant for approximately $8 billion.
Upon completion of the sale — which is still pending regulatory approval — Blue Buffalo will continue to operate as a new pet-oriented arm of General Mills.
“I have been impressed by General Mills’ strong track record of accelerating growth for its natural and organic brands, while giving them the freedom to maintain their own unique culture and identity. General Mills will be a tremendous home for our BLUE brand as our talented team of over 1,700 ‘Buffs’ joins this new extended family. From the first meeting Jeff and I had, I felt a strong cultural fit between our two companies and believe they will be a great partner in our mission to reach more pet parents and feed more pets. This transaction creates significant, immediate value for our shareholders, as it recognizes the strength of our competitively advantaged business model. Along with our leadership team, we look forward to working with General Mills to continue growing the BLUE brand for many years to come.”
https://petleadershipcouncil.org/resources/uploads/pet-leadership-council-logo-sm.png00Jamie Branthttps://petleadershipcouncil.org/resources/uploads/pet-leadership-council-logo-sm.pngJamie Brant2018-03-01 08:05:442018-04-10 03:50:22General Mills to Purchase Blue Buffalo for $8 Billion
Pet Sustainability Coalition Adds European Members
The U.S.-focused Pet Sustainability Coalition will be expanding to include European companies later this year.
The Pet Sustainability Coalition, founded in 2013, is an an organization dedicated to improving sustainability within the pet industry. In just five years, it has grown its membership from eight pet companies to over 60. Its expansion into Europe is expected to follow a similar path, with its initial European contingent consisting of four companies: Brit, Josera, Pets International, and Protix.
European membership will open in May at Interzoo in Nuremburg, Germany.
Source: European pet companies join Pet Sustainability Coalition
2017 U.S. Pet Spending Highest to Date
According to the American Pet Products Association (APPA), 2017 broke new records for pet spending in the United States.
Last year, Americans spent over $69 billion on pets, an increase of 4% over 2016’s $66 billion. Of that, pet food sales continue to account for the biggest portion, with over $29 billion spent. Veterinary care represented the second biggest portion at over $17 billion and is the fastest growing segment, having grown 7% in the past year.
Source: US pet owners spent most ever on pets in 2017
Study Finds Noise Sensitivity in Dogs May Be Sign of Underlying Pain
A new study published in the journal Frontiers in Veterinary Science suggests that dogs with sensitivity to noise should be regularly assessed by a veterinarian for pain.
Many dog owners are familiar with the precautions taken around pyrotechnic holidays like the Fourth of July and New Year’s Eve to keep skittish pups calm and comfortable. While noise aversion among dogs is a well-known phenomenon, researchers from the United Kingdom and Brazil suggest that, for many dogs, the problem may actually cause — and be caused by — physical pain.
The researchers found that dogs who developed noise sensitivity later in life often experienced joint or muscle pain. While these pains were initially unrelated to sudden, loud noises, the researchers found that those noises may make dogs tense up. This tensing action combined with underlying joint of muscle pains results in exacerbated pain which dogs then begin to associate with the noises. Over time, these dogs develop an stronger aversion to noises because they associate them with the pain of tensing painful joints or muscles.
The findings suggest that an aversion to noise that develops later in life may be a sign of underlying pain in a dog that may not otherwise show symptoms of a problem. The researchers suggest that owners of dogs who have developed a fear of noises later in life should have their dogs examined by a veterinarian for underlying conditions that may be causing them pain. Not only could this help treat the noise aversion itself, it may help to treat pain in dogs and, potentially, more serious underlying conditions.
Source: Dogs with noise sensitivity should be routinely assessed for pain by vets
American Humane Publishes List of Surprising Toxic Household Items
Most know to keep chocolate, antifreeze, and pesticides well out of reach of pets, but there are many other common household items that pose a poisoning risk to pet. American Humane has published a list of lesser known, potentially toxic household items that pet owners should be aware of. Items on the list include
Because many of these items are small, common, and often easy to accidentally leave in reach of a pet, American Humane stresses that care be taken to secure them from your pets. Further, because some of the more potent items on this list — such as the artificial sweetener Xylitol — can result in catastrophic organ failure with only brief or small exposure, it’s important for pet owners to minimize the possibility of accidental ingestion.
For the full list of surprising household poisons, as well as signs of poisoning to watch out for, read American Humane’s full article.
Source: The Surprising Pet Poisons Lurking in Your Home
Zoetis Launches Campaign to Recognize Military and Police Dogs
Zoetis recently teamed up with K-9 Courage to launch a campaign to give dogs across the nation a way to salute other dogs serving in law enforcement and military roles.
The campaign, Dogs Salute Dogs, allows pet owners to photograph their dogs within a themed digital frame that can then be shared via Facebook. The frames can be generated on the K-9 Courage website, where visitors can also make a donation to support retired military and police dogs.
For more information about K-9 Courage and the Dogs Salute Dogs campaign, visit the K-9 Courage website.
Source: Zoetis K-9 Courage Program Introduces “Dogs Salute Dogs” Campaign to Honor | Zoetis US
Artificial Intelligence Used to Track Illegal Animal Trade
Scientists at the University of Helsinki are developing artificial intelligence-based tactics to help detect traces of the illegal wildlife trade on social media.
The tactics, described in the latest issue of the journal Conservation Biology, use machine learning methods and natural language processing to mine social media platforms for evidence of illegal animal trafficking. This AI-supported approach can quickly sift through thousands of images and textual data and flag posts that appear to contain evidence of illegal activity. Once posts have been identified, metadata can provide clues about the origin of the post as well as possible collaborators. This information can then be passed on to law enforcement to pursue.
Historically, analyzing social media for evidence of illegal wildlife trading required specially trained humans and a prohibitively large amount of time. However, recent advances in machine learning have enabled computers to accurately identify a variety of species nearly instantaneously.
The scientists responsible for the development of these AI-based detection tools hope they will be used to reduce the number of instances of illegal trafficking and to advance wildlife conservation efforts.
Source: Using artificial intelligence to investigate illegal wildlife trade on social media
Zoetis Releases New Videos for The Pet Effect Campaign
Zoetis has released two new videos as part of its ongoing campaign to raise awareness of the beneficial health effects of pets, The Pet Effect.
The new videos, titled “Adopt a Human” and “Comrade,” focus on the mutual beneficial effects of pet adoption and the therapeutic effects of service dogs on those suffering from PTSD, respectively.
The Pet Effect campaign, initially launched in 2017, is a collaborative effort between Zoetis and the Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) to call attention to the significant scientific evidence that indicates that pets can improve human health across a wide spectrum. Among the areas highlighted by The Pet Effect campaign are the positive effects pets have been shown to have on allergies, autism, cardiovascular health, depression, obesity, and PTSD.
The latest additions to the campaign, along with previously released materials, can be found on the campaign’s website, ThePetEffect.org. For veterinarian-specific resources, visit ThePetEffect.org/vet. For more information about HABRI’s human-animal bond research, including a new study on PTSD, visit HABRI.org.
Source: “The Pet Effect” Releases New Data, Videos on Human-Animal Bond
AAFCO Proposes Modernized Pet Food Labels
The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) recently made several major advances toward their goal of modernizing pet food labels.
Among the recent developments, a pet nutrition facts box — similar to those found on human food packaging — has been proposed as a replacement to existing product content analysis and calorie content statements. While not completely identical to the human Nutrition Facts label, the Pet Nutrition Facts label is intended to be visually and functionally similar.
In addition to the revised content information, updates to nutritional adequacy statement requirements have also been proposed. Under the recently proposed requirements, pet food packaging would need to display a standardized graphic on the front that would indicate the sizes and life stages for which the food is formulated. Additional graphics would be required for foods not intended to be the primary source of nutrition and for those intended for use only under veterinary supervision.
While the proposed pet food label updates represent a large step forward, they have not yet been formally decided upon. AAFCO intends to collect additional data from consumers and other stakeholders before considering next steps for the proposed changes.
Source: AAFCO makes progress on pet food labeling modernization
World Pet Association Offers Resources to Support Pet Industry
The recently appointed president of the World Pet Association (WPA), Jacinthe Moreau, has posted a blog entry outlining some of the resources and initiatives the WPA is working on to support the pet industry.
In the post, Moreau reaffirmed the WPA’s commitment to animal welfare and to supporting the growth of business owners. Moreau also reminded members of the pet industry that the WPA provides a number of supporting resources, including access to unique educational and networking opportunities as well as special reports and white papers on customer behavior and industry performance.
To learn more about the WPA’s efforts to support the pet industry, read Moreau’s full post on Pet Age.
Source: WPA: Here to Help
General Mills to Purchase Blue Buffalo for $8 Billion
Blue Buffalo Pet Products have announced that they have entered an agreement with General Mills under which General Mills will acquire the pet food giant for approximately $8 billion.
Upon completion of the sale — which is still pending regulatory approval — Blue Buffalo will continue to operate as a new pet-oriented arm of General Mills.
Source: General Mills Buys Blue Buffalo for $8B