News & Newsletters: Page 808

Husse expands business to UK

Swedish petfood company Husse is expanding its target market into the United Kingdom. Six counties—Buckinghamshire, Warwickshire, Cheshire, Devon, Essex and Fife—are already in Husse's delivery area, with further expansion planned through 2012.

Giuntini introduces restyled zipper bags for dry petfood line

Giuntini has restyled its dry petfood line with zippered, "easy to open, easy to close" packaging. The new packaging is the result of a year of testing.

UK charity study: one in five dogs overweight

UK veterinary charity the Peoples Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) conducted a four-year study on the weight and overall health of 25,000 pet dogs, coming to the conclusion that one in five dogs is now overweight. To bring awareness to and help combat pet obesity, PDSA holds an annual Pet Fit Club competition.

Veterinary Practice Insurance releases 'Top 60 Most Unusual Ingested Objects' list

Veterinary Practice Insurance (VPI) has released its "Top 60 Most Unusual Ingested Objects" list for 2010. The list, which includes such items as jellyfish, a bikini, eye glasses and a TV remote control, represents a portion of the US$3 million VPI policyholders spent to treat pets that ingested foreign objects.

Canidae Grain Free line gains new formulas, packaging

Canidae Pet Foods has expanded its Grain Free line with two new dog food options, pureSKY and pureLAND, and has revamped the packaging of the entire line for both cat and dog food. Canidae Grain Free pureSKY contains fresh duck with protein-rich turkey meal; Canidae Grain Free pureLAND is made with fresh bison and protein-rich lamb meal.

AFIA, AgGateway, 'Feed & Grain' announce IT Innovation Award

The American Feed Industry Association (AFIA), AgGateway and Feed & Grain magazine have announced the first-annual Information Technology Innovation Award, recognizing unique technologies impacting petfood, feed or ingredient manufacturers. The award will focus on companies and organizations that have used technology to improve business practices, increase profitability or savings, enhance customer/supplier relations or become an industry leader.

Chicago Anti-Hunger Federation to provide petfood to those in need

The Chicago Anti-Hunger Federation is expanding its services to pet owners in need by making petfood available to those who are struggling to provide for their animals. The Federation's petfood program will begin on January 1; pet owners will be able to acquire petfood through the distribution channels already in place for the organization's other services.

Fides Petfood doubles product storage capacity in expansion

Fides Petfood, a Blegian petfood producer, has nearly doubled its raw material and meal storage capacity in its latest expansion, which includes 11 silos with a combined volume of 1,360 cubic meters. This installation is the largest expansion for the company since 2006, when it put in a new production and storage facility with a capacity of 1,765 cubic meters.

Pedigree Innovation Grants awarded to animal shelters, rescue groups

The Pedigree Foundation awarded more than US$200,000 in Innovation Grants to 10 animal shelters and rescue groups for their ideas and efforts to help find dogs new homes. The one-time grants will fund creative projects aimed at increasing dog adoptions and will assist homeless dogs with behavior training, feeding, housing and medical support.

Market Trends and Reports

Americans spend more money on pets than children

Americans are spending more money on their pets than their children, according to a blog on The Telegraph's (UK) website. The pet market, which includes petfood as well as accessories and toys, is growing and outstripping the children's toy market, particularly around the holidays.

Pet Food Industry Association of South Africa vows to eliminate petfood fraud

The Pet Food Industry Association of Southern Africa (PFI) has vowed to eliminate petfood fraud in 2011 and protect South African pet owners from "rogue petfood manufacturers." PFI "will put all its forces and energy behind cleaning up any illegal practices in the petfood industry that harm the image of the industry and may possibly place pets at risk," according to an association statement.

HSUS spends 50% of funds on fundraising, overhead costs, says watchdog

According to a 2010 "Watchdog Report on Animal Charities" from Animal People News, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) spends roughly 50% of its raised funds on continued fundraising and additional overhead costs, including paying lobbyists and HSUS's pension plan. This number, which Animal People News said it calculated based on HSUS's 2009 federal tax return, is in opposition with the 29% HSUS said it spends on overhead.

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