News & Newsletters: Page 753

FDA announces inspection fees for petfood companies under FSMA

The US Food and Drug Administration announced a reduction in the hourly FDA inspector fees it will levy against petfood companies for the upcoming fiscal year under the Food Safety Modernization Act. FDA will charge US$221 per hour if no foreign travel is required and US$289 per hour if foreign travel is required.

Walmart launches new ultra-premium dry dog food line

Walmart is launching its own line of ultra-premium dry dog food to compete directly with specialty pet product retailers such as PetSmart and Petco. The new brand, Pure Balance, is an expansion of Walmart's Ol' Roy brand of dog food that is currently sold and is expected to appear on store shelves in the coming weeks.

New online dog food company to donate to shelter animals

A new online dog food company recently launched its business with the goal of providing petfood to shelter animals across the US. BOGO Bowl, based in Des Moines, Iowa, USA, intends to donate one bag of dog food to a shelter of the customer's choice for every bag of dog food purchased through the website.

BOGO Bowl intends to donate one bag of petfood to an animal shelter of the customer's choice for each bag of dog food purchased online.

Global petfood market to reach US$74.8 billion in 2017

The global petfood market will grow by 4.2 percent annually over the next six years, increasing from US$58.6 billion in 2011 to US$74.8 billion by 2017, according to a report published by Transparency Market Research of Albany, New York, USA. The report projects the US market for petfood sales will increase 3.2 percent in 2012, growing at an annual rate of 3.5 percent over the next six years, from US$21.7 billion in 2011 to US$26.6 billion in 2017.

Petco recalls petfood bowls for potential contamination

Pet product retailer Petco is recalling certain stainless steel petfood bowls sold at its store due to the potential that the bowls may contain Cobalt-60, a radioactive material commonly used in industrial gauging equipment and other uses. Petco says it doesn't know how the radioactive material got into the petfood bowls, but believes that it may have come from scrap metal used by foreign suppliers that had Cobalt-60 accidentally mixed in, and which was found to emit low levels of radiation.

New natural petfood store opens in Illinois, USA

Labrador Franchises Inc., operator of the Pet Depot Franchise, opened its 30th franchise location in Elk Grove Village, Illinois, USA: Graham’s Pet Depot. Owned and operated by Valerie Graham and her brother David Graham, the store provides customers with 5,500 square feet of natural petfood and supplies for all companion animals, along with a professional pet grooming salon.

New study aims to better understand pet ownership, end pet homelessness

American Humane Association's Animal Welfare Research Institute released the results of the first phase of a three-part study to better understand pet ownership and retention and discover the most effective strategies to ensure homeless animals find their forever homes. Phase I of the "Keeping Pets (Dogs and Cats) in Homes Retention Study," funded through a grant from PetSmart Charities, examines why some American households don't have a pet through interviews with 1,500 previous pet owners and non-pet owners.

President Obama's dog depicted in new campaign against petfood from China

Food & Water Watch, a group that lobbies for stricter food-import laws, has launched a campaign criticizing the safety of food and petfood imported from China, which the group hopes will attract attention with the help of a new poster figure. A recent article from Food & Water Watch features President Obama's dog, Bo Obama, in a photo in front of the White House, with the caption: “Is the First Dog being fed risky chicken treats from China?

Food & Water Watch hopes its article with Bo Obama will draw attention to the lack of regulation on the safety of petfood imported from China.

The Honest Kitchen named among 'Best Places to Work'

The Honest Kitchen, a San Diego, California, USA, manufacturer of petfoods and treats, was named to Outside Magazine’s fifth annual “Best Places to Work” list. The Honest Kitchen was ranked number 19 out of 100 selected companies, up from its ranking of 37 on last year's list.

My Perfect Pet launches online dog food store

My Perfect Pet, a fresh, frozen and all-natural dog food company in California, USA, has launched a new online store at www.5thAvenueDog.com. My Perfect Pet’s online store will give consumers across the lower 48 states access to the company's dog food via overnight delivery.

Market Trends and Reports

Red Dog Deli offers new Lamberoni treats for dogs

Red Dog Deli, the maker of Red Dog Blue Kat raw petfood, has added Lamberoni Stix and Lamberoni Nibbles to its product line of treats for dogs. According to the company's owner and manager, Inna Shekhtman, the treats are made from naturally raised, non-medicated lamb from Canada, including lamb tripe and lamb meat, and organic oat fiber.

Market Trends and Reports

Nutrience petfood brand features abused pets in new marketing campaign

Petfood manufacturer Rolf C. Hagen Inc.’s Nutrience brand has launched a new Canadian marketing campaign, “Stop bad things happening to good pets,” featuring abused dogs and cats that is getting mixed reviews. The new ad campaign launched in mid-June, seen in city transit shelters and on other vehicles citywide, features a scrawny, filthy kitten photographed in black and white, with the wording, “At last, a cat food with a life saving ingredient” and a call-to-action message to visit the brand’s website, nobadanything.com.

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