U.S. and Canada: Page 79

Online petfood retailers growing popular among American pet owners

With 232.1 million Americans having Internet access at home or at the office, according to Forrester Research, a growing number of online petfood and pet product retailers are popping up in hopes of finding more success among pet owners, according to an article on WSJ.com. Online pet supply retailers like PetFlow.com, MrChewy.com and Wag.com are among those that have emerged in recent years thanks to changes in Internet commerce, online pet retailers say, as well as reduced marketing costs and consumers' desires for convenience.

Canadian petfood company files to market MOJO petfood brand in US

Canadian petfood manufacturer Paw4mance Pet Products International Inc. announced that it plans to submit filings for its MOJO brand petfood label registration in Nevada, California and Utah, USA. The petfood company anticipates that it will file for approval during the first quarter of 2012, and it will begin distribution and sales of MOJO petfood in the three states as soon as it receives clearance.

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.

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.

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.

Pet product retailer Fressnapf's 2011 sales rise to US$1.7 billion

European pet product retailer Fressnapf's 2011 sales rose by 5.2 percent over 2010 sales, to €1.36 billion (US$1.7 billion), in 11 European countries. In Germany, Fressnapf's 2011 sales increased 3.4 percent to €913.5 million (US$1.2 billion), which comes after the petfood and accessory retailer opened 23 of its 56 new stores there in 2011.

Global Pet Expo to break records for 2012 pet products show

Global Pet Expo 2012, the annual pet products trade show presented by the American Pet Products Association and the Pet Industry Distributors Association, is set to break all previous show size records, with the highest number of booths sold to a record number of exhibitors, according to Andrew Darmohraj, senior vice president of the American Pet Products Association.

Survey of vets finds 54 percent of American pets are overweight

A new survey of veterinarians, conducted by the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, found that 54 percent of pets in America are overweight or obese. The survey found that 53 percent of adult dogs and 55 percent of adult cats are considered to be overweight or obese by veterinarians - a total of 88.4 million pets.

West Virginia, USA, considers petfood package permit fee increase

The Senate Agriculture Committee of West Virginia, USA, is considering a bill that would create a pet spay and neuter fund by raising the permit fee on select petfood packages, according to a report. Senate Bill 479 establishes a Spay Neuter Assistance Fund to subsidize spay and neuter programs throughout West Virginia, USA, in an effort to decrease the number of animals euthanized in West Virginia shelters, the bill says.

Hamlet Protein opens new manufacturing plant for animal diets

Hamlet Protein, a manufacturer of vegetable proteins for food for young animals, recently opened its new manufacturing facility in Findlay, Ohio, USA. Hamlet Protein says the need to expand its manufacturing capacity came from sales growth for soy protein products in North America.

Market Trends and Reports

US pet owners using petfood coupons, seeking deals

During the “new normal” of ongoing economic sluggishness, US petfood consumers are coping in a number of ways, including shopping around more for bargains and charting out grocery visits in advance. According to Packaged Facts’ September 2011 Pet Owner Survey, 74% of US pet product buyers agree they look for lower prices, special offers and sales on pet products.

From 2008 to 2011, coupon usage increased slightly for cat owners but declined slightly for dog owners, according to Packaged Facts.

American Feed Industry Association hosts Pet Food Conference

At the 2012 International Feed Expo/International Poultry Expo, recently held in Atlanta, Georigia, USA, the American Feed Industry Association hosted the annual Pet Food Conference. The Pet Food Conference covered topics ranging from regulatory issues to the technical aspects of production, food safety, marketing and use of ingredients.

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