News & Newsletters: Page 757

Pet insurance company lists top pet poisoning causes of 2011

According to the North American Pet Health Association, more than 100,000 cases of pet poisoning were reported in the US in 2011. Embrace Pet Insurance looked into its claims database to find the top causes of pet poisoning in dogs and cats in 2011: chocolate, raisins, mushrooms, xylitol sweetener and grapes.

Animal food production and petfood market report updated by IBISWorld

IBISWorld recently updated its "Animal Food Production in the US: Market Research Report" to include the latest animal food production industry statistics and trends, including in the fast-growing petfood industry, which has some animal feed producers changing products from livestock feed to food for companion animals. According to the report, steady growth in pet ownership, spikes in feed prices and increasing demand from farm supplies wholesalers have contributed to industry revenue gains at an annualized rate of 3.8 percent since 2007.

Preventive cat food diets become more available over the counter

In recent years, petfood manufacturers have began creating more over-the-counter preventive petfood diets that help cat owners manage their cat's special health condition, says a recent article in Pet Product News International. Previously, petfoods to manage cat health issues, such as allergies, urinary problems, hairballs and diabetes, were only available from a veterinarian, but petfood retailers are now offering special cat diets from grain-free to novel protein-sourced formulas, all without a prescription.

Pet industry spending at record US$50 billion in 2011, report finds

The American Pet Products Association's annual pet industry spending and data report found that pet industry spending grew by 5.3 percent to an all-time high of US$50.96 billion in 2011. The American Pet Products Association projects a 3.8 percent growth rate through 2012 and US$53 billion in overall pet spending, driven by new, innovative products including petfood, pet supplies and over-the-counter medications, veterinary care, live animal purchases and other pet services.

Food safety company to hold mycotoxin webinar March 8

Food safety certification and testing company SGS will hold a webinar about mycotoxins on Thursday, March 8, at 10 a.m. CT. The 90-minute webinar will review the impact that field and storage fungi has on seed quality and the fungi-germination interaction model, as well as common detection methods and quantification of mycotoxins.

Compy petfood allegedly linked to kidney failure in Spain pets

Spanish petfood brand Compy has removed its products from some Mercadona supermarket shelves in Spain after complaints that the petfood is allegedly linked to kidney failure in pets, according to a report. The petfood products are being tested by Compy's technicians to determine whether or not the petfood is connected to the kidney failure reports in dogs.

Evermore Pet Food earns top dog food review, expands retail network

Evermore Pet Food announced that since partnering with Rhode Island, USA-based distributor Pet Food Experts in May 2011, the petfood company has quadrupled its accounts. Evermore says its network now includes retailers in Maine, USA, and Pet Sage in Virginia, USA.

Team meets to discuss petfood safety at GFSI conference

Members of a food safety validation team met at the 2012 edition of the Global Food Safety Initiative's Global Food Safety Conference, February 14-17, in Orlando, Florida, USA, to give a presentation on food safety of low-moisture foods, including petfood. The Food Safety Validation team presented to the GFSI board, including representatives from Yum! Brands, Walmart, petfood manufacturer Cargill, Danone, Kroger, COFCO Corp. (China), Tyson Foods and others.

Pet Food Institute urged state Senate committee to strip petfood tax provisions from bill

The Pet Food Institute expressed its appreciation to the West Virginia, USA, Senate Agriculture Committee for amending a bill to remove petfood tax provisions. The Senate Agriculture Committee passed an amended version of S.B. 479 that removed the petfood tax provisions, which would have funded a spay and neuter assistance program with supplemental money from the fee increase on petfood retailers and distributors, the group says.

Obese dogs may have lower vitality, more pain, UK study shows

Researchers at the University of Liverpool in the UK recently conducted a study to determine the effect of weight loss on obese dogs. The study enrolled 50 obese dogs of various breeds and genders at the University's Royal Canin Weight Management Clinic.

Interzoo cautions exhibitors of EU petfood importation requirements

Interzoo show organizers are encouraging exhibitors for the pet product show to check in well ahead of the May event to ensure the petfood from their country is allowed to be imported into the EU and Germany and avoid problems with Border Inspection Posts. According to show organizers, in principle, food for pets and ornamental fish that contains animal by-products may only be imported from third countries that meet requirements of the valid version of Chapter II Section 1, Table 2, No. 12 of Regulation (EC) 142/2011.

Pets live longer as veterinary care advances

Since 2001, nearly 1,000 people have applied to Guinness World Records with claims to have the oldest pet for its species, says a recent FT Magazine article that looks into the growing obsession with pets' ages. With overall pet spending in the US of more than US$50 billion in 2011, according to the American Pet Products Association, pets are being treated to better veterinary care as owners become more attached to their pets and try to keep them alive as long as possible.

Page 757 of 891