PLC Newsletter

Towards the end of last month, we visited the vibrant city of Austin, Texas for a series of stakeholder meetings for the Austin Pet-Friendly initiative. In addition to identifying ways the PLC can help the city improve access to pet-friendly housing and expand pet-friendly workplaces, we had a chance to visit some of the city’s most accommodating, pet-friendly establishments. This will help us build case studies for future use as we expand this initiative and help make pet ownership more accessible to individuals on a national level.

As the warmer months come along, I’m sure you’ll notice an increase in the number of pets out and about. I invite you to take this as an opportunity to thank your local pet-friendly establishments, as its thanks to their support that pets are able to enjoy more quality time with their owners outside their home. Furthermore, we can encourage and engage non-pet-friendly businesses, giving them the resources and support they need to become more pet-friendly. As Mars Petcare’s BETTER CITIES FOR PETS ™ noted in a recent article, there are a number of ways businesses can become pet-friendly even when pets aren’t welcome inside, showing that any business is capable of joining the movement.

Also, a reminder that Take Your Dog to Work Day is coming up on June 21. If your workplace isn’t pet-friendly yet, I encourage you to use the national observance as a trial for pets to join employees in the office. For those of you who welcome pets in the workplace already, you can help by offering your experience as to how businesses in your community can become pet-friendly and spread the word. Together, we can work to establish happier and healthier employees in businesses across the U.S.

Thanks for all you do to build a more pet-friendly society. I hope you enjoy this month’s readings.

Mars Petcare and the Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) today gathered leaders in public health, research, psychology, gerontology, and veterinary medicine to advance scientific research, best practices, and practical solutions to facilitate the role of companion animals and human-animal interaction (HAI) in addressing the public health crisis of social isolation and loneliness in society.

Zoetis is the first company to become Human-Animal Bond certified. More than two dozen company employees completed the program, and were taught the science behind the human-animal bond.

The American Pet Products Association (APPA) elected Allice Tillett to serve as chair of its board of directors and Jeremy Baker to serve as a director.

The American Kennel club has launched the AKC Certified Export Pedigree. The document contains all of the information required to obtain registration with foreign kennel clubs.

I didn’t know I could want to adopt 10 dogs all at once and without hesitation until the Pet Expo located at the OC Fairgrounds came along over the weekend. The Pet Expo is hosted by the World Pet Association and focuses on creating a healthy environment and lifestyle for pets and pet owners.

If a parent tried to serve baby food to their 18-year-old son or daughter during a family meal, they would no doubt be on the receiving end of a raised eyebrow, followed by a comment to the effect of, “Is this a joke? What are you really giving me to eat?”

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) welcomes today’s re-introduction of the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program Enhancement Act (S. 1163) by Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.).

Love your furry friends? Want to make sure they live their best lives? So does Happy Paws-a new publication from Meredith Corporation (NYSE: MDP) (meredith.com), the nation’s largest brand-powered food, lifestyle and entertainment media company, and Fear Free, LLC, a veterinary, pet professional and pet owner education company-which is a guide to your dog and cat’s best life.