In recognition of the sixth anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, Aussie Pet Mobile (Dana Point, Calif.) co-sponsored a “Give, Bundle and Build” event in Vail, Colo., in which franchise leaders from across the country stuffed cameras, batteries, snacks, games and even iPods into care packages for U.S. troops serving overseas. The event was organized by FranChoice, a network of franchise referral consultants. [December 2007 PET AGE]

Bravo! (Vernon, Ct.) in September recalled select tubes of three poultry products for cats and dogs after the Food and Drug Administration detected Salmonella and/or Listeria monocytogenes, organisms that can cause serious infections in animals and people, in product samples. The recalled products, with batch codes 236 and 226, were distributed nationwide through pet retail channels and via the Internet. Other batch IDs for the pet food products were not involved in the recall. For details, call 866-922-9222 or visit www.bravorawdiet.com. [December 2007 PET AGE]

Breeder’s Choice Pet Foods Inc. (Irwindale, Calif.), a division of Central Garden & Pet Co. (Walnut Creek, Calif.), is sponsoring a new race series in which dog-and-owner teams compete on trail and obstacle courses. Regional Breeder’s Choice Xterra K9 Challenge races will be held in Temecula, Calif., Pelham, Ala., Richmond, Va., and Ogden, Utah, and the national championship will be held in September in Lake Tahoe, Nev. Central Pet will coordinate in-store promotions with each event. [December 2007 PET AGE]

Camp Bow Wow, a doggy day care franchise based in Boulder, Colo., in September launched the Bow Wow Buddies Foundation Inc., a non-profit organization to promote animal education programs; help increase the availability of spaying and neutering services, including low-cost clinics, in areas of need; and support re-homing efforts for adoptable animals.
The foundation is already partnering with animal welfare groups in Greece, Germany, England and Holland to find homes for pets in need.
In addition, the foundation is partnering with the Morris Animal Foundation (Denver), and plans to contribute $50,000 annually to the Animal Cancer Center at Colorado State University (Fort Collins) for research on the cure for canine cancer, a disease that kills one in four dogs. [December 2007 PET AGE]

Creative E-Concepts (North Andover, Mass.) now offers electronic newsletter services for members of the pet industry. To simplify the marketing process for small businesses, the company writes customized articles, designs and sends newsletters and tracks responses. For more information, call (978) 273-6848 or visit www.creativeeconcepts.com. [December 2007 PET AGE]

To encourage pet owners to consider in-home pet care as an alternative to traditional boarding in kennels and group day-care facilities, Fetch! Pet Care (Berkeley, Calif.) offered 10 percent discounts to new clients in October as part of a nationwide “Get to Know Us” promotion.
With the recent addition of franchises in Central Spokane County, Wash., and Miami Beach, the company now has 107 locations. [December 2007 PET AGE]      

Global Pet Expo has been named one of the top 50 fastest-growing trade shows—based on net square footage—for the second straight year by Tradeshow Week, a leading industry publication. The 2007 show, co-sponsored by the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association (Greenwich, Conn.) and the Pet Industry Distributors Association (Bel Air, Md.), featured 760 exhibiting companies in nearly 2,300 booths and attracted 4,600 buyers. [December 2007 PET AGE]

Jackie Boulton of Jackie’s Animal Services Ltd. (Calgary, Alberta) won the PetSmart GroomOlympics World Champion title and the Nature’s Specialties Winners Circle Grand Champion title at Groom Expo, held Sept. 6-9 in Hershey, Pa., by Barkleigh Productions (Mechanicsburg, Pa.). Boulton received $5,000 from PetSmart Inc. (Phoenix, Ariz.), $2,500 from Nature’s Specialties Manufacturing (Corona, Calif.) as well as the $30,000 Triple Crown jackpot—offered only to three-time winners of the Winners Circle title—sponsored by PetSmart, Andis Co. (Racine, Wis.), Geib Hand-Made Shears (Orlando, Fla.), Kim Laube & Co. Inc. (Oxnard, Calif.), Nash Academy On-Line (Lexington, Ky.) and Tomlyn Products (Buena, N.J.).
Meggan Mulcahy of A Gucci Pooch (New Lenox, Ill.) won the Barkleigh Creative Styling Contest with her “Charmed” entry, as well as the People’s Choice Award. She received a total of $3,000.
The next Groom Expo will be held Sept. 11-14, 2008. [December 2007 PET AGE]

Groomers Helper (Margate City, N.J.) signed Challenge Dog Supplies (Brookvale, New South Wales, Australia) to distribute its pet handling and safety system in Australia. [December 2007 PET AGE]

H & H Distributing L.L.C. (Ann Arbor, Mich.) in September stopped selling to independent pet stores in order to service the Pet Supplies “Plus” chain exclusively, and sold its independent pet store business to Wolverton Inc. (Lansing, Mich.). [December 2007 PET AGE]

To help independent retailers affected by widespread wildfires in Southern California, Rolf C. Hagen (USA) Corp. (Mansfield, Mass.) on Oct. 25 froze account balances for its California customers, making them payable Dec. 15, 2007, and also offered special net-90-day terms on orders placed through Nov. 25.
“The holiday season is only three weeks away and it is vital that retailers are given the tools to get back on their feet and be prepared for the selling season. We hope that our efforts will assist these stores through this difficult time,” said Trevor Hagen, chief operating officer of the company.
For more information, contact Hagen Dealer Support at 800-353-3444. [December 2007 PET AGE]

Iowa—Dangerous Wild Animals. The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship in September implemented new rules prohibiting the importation, ownership, possession and breeding of dangerous wild animals, including water monitors, venomous snakes, pythons and anacondas. Persons who owned or possessed an animal defined as a dangerous wild animal as of July 1, 2007, will be allowed to keep the animal subject to certain conditions. Violators of the regulations are subject to civil penalties of no more than $2,000 for each offense. [December 2007 PET AGE]

Kennelwood Pet Resorts (St. Louis) was the premier pet resort sponsor of the Multiple Sclerosis Bike Ride held Sept. 8-9 in St. Louis, as well as the Siteman Cancer Center Celebrate Spot event on Oct. 7. For the bike ride, Kennelwood collected donations at all six of its resort locations, volunteered its golden retriever-topped Bow Wow Buses as support vehicles and provided coupons to participants. For the cancer center event, benefiting the Young Women’s Breast Cancer Program, Kennelwood set up a lounge offering ice cream to people and Frosty Paws to dogs as well as conducting training demonstrations. [December 2007 PET AGE]

Marine Aquarium Council (Honolulu) now offers a certification preparation kit to help industry wholesalers and retailers become MAC-certified as quickly and economically as possible. The kit includes general information about the certification process, a self-assessment questionnaire, model templates and reference information. For more information, contact MAC at info@aquariumcouncil.org. [December 2007 PET AGE]

Moyer & Son, Inc. (Souderton, Pa.) signed Natural Animal Nutrition (Edgewood, Md.) to distribute its Scarlett Mardi Gras and Scarlett Nutra companion bird and small-animal lines as well as its Scarlett Wild Bird Food blends in the mid-Atlantic region. [December 2007 PET AGE]

Under the Formulation Guaranteeprogram designed to ensure strict adherence to its patent-pending formula of pet food, Mulligan Stew Pet Food (Jackson, Wy.) now is posting signed affidavits correlating to “best by” dates on each can on its Web site, www.mulliganstewpetfood.com, so distributors, retailers and consumers may review the exact ingredients in each can of pet food. The company instituted the program after learning in April that its contract manufacturer, American Nutrition Inc. (Ogden, Utah), had added rice protein to some products without its knowledge or approval. [December 2007 PET AGE]

The National Association of Professional Pet Sitters (Mount Laurel, N.J.) in September launched a nationwide Community Awareness Program to promote pet sitting as a safe, healthy and less stressful alternative to traditional boarding services. The campaign will use a variety of media to deliver its message, according to association officials.
 In addition, NAPPS is partnering with Pets Best Pet Insurance L.L.C. (Boise, Idaho) to offer pet health insurance programs to pet owners. [December 2007 PET AGE]

The National DOG Groomers Association of America (Clark, Pa.) is partnering with Vsurance Inc. (Little Rock, Ark.) to market innovative pet health insurance programs, including the Get HIP plan, via pet-care professionals. Details of the national marketing plan were not available at press time. [December 2007 PET AGE]

Ohio— Breeder Licensing/Pet Store Warranty. Legislation to establish broad new requirements for pet breeders in the state and create a statutory warranty for pet stores gained a hearing in October but failed to move out of committee. House Bill 223 would have required the Ohio Department of Agriculture to license operators of dog breeding kennels and inspect the facilities. It also would have regulated “dog intermediaries,” including any person who sells more than 25 dogs annually. [December 2007 PET AGE]

OKLAHOMA—Artificial Coloring of Fish. The Okalahoma City Council in October voted to make tattooed fish illegal, but allow dyed fish, according to published news reports. The decision amends a year-old law barring artificial coloring of animals, including fish. [December 2007 PET AGE]

Parker’s Pets, the only pet boutique in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood, celebrated its grand opening in September. Owned by Katherine Pottenger, the boutique/bakery features high-quality gifts, toys and apparel and gourmet cat and dog food. Pottenger plans to add a grooming parlor to the facility later this year. [December 2007 PET AGE]

Paw Naturaw (Lake Mills, Wis.) inked a deal to distribute its certified organic frozen raw food for dogs via Amazon.com. The Internet seller will offer four varieties of Paw Naturaw food in six-packs and 12-packs. [December 2007 PET AGE]

Pennsylvania—Dog Law Regulations. The Department of Agriculture is reviewing more than 16,000 responses received during the public comment period on proposed changes to existing dog law regulations that govern breeding kennels. A new draft, expected by the end of the year, will include revised record-keeping requirements and allow training or hunting as accepted forms of exercise for kenneled dogs, according to Jessie Smith, special deputy agriculture secretary for dog law enforcement. Two more comment periods, including a public hearing, will be open to the public, and another revision of the proposal will be written before the final draft is approved. [December 2007 PET AGE]

Pet Butler, a pet waste cleanup franchise based in Dallas, recently won a Celebration of Enterprise Award, honoring the fastest-growing companies in Collin County, Texas, from ViewPoint Bank. The company, which has 80 franchise locations in 23 states. recently scooped its 40 millionth pile of poop and is on target to generate $4 million in revenue in 2007. [December 2007 PET AGE]

PETCO Animal Supplies Inc. (San Diego) now accepts MasterCard PayPass, a contactless payment option, at all of its nearly 900 stores across the country. [December 2007 PET AGE]

Petmanufacturers.com (New York), a state-of-the art business-to-business Web site for the pet industry, allows retailers to efficiently purchase pet products from more than 100 leading manufacturers. The site is offering retailers 10 percent discounts on all orders through Jan. 1, 2008. [December 2007 PET AGE]

In honor of Planet Dog’s 10th anniversary, the Planet Dog Foundation (Portland, Maine) recently gave a $10,000 grant to the Chenny Troupe, a Chicago-based organization that offers animal-assisted therapy to thousands of people in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, youth centers and recovery centers each year. [December 2007 PET AGE]

RC Pet Products (Vancouver) signed a licensing deal with Columbia Sportswear Co., a global leader in the active outdoor apparel and footwear industries, to design, manufacture and market a line of Columbia Sportswear-branded pet products aimed at outdoor consumers. A first for Columbia Sportswear, the new line will feature premium coats and accessories for dogs and a neoprene vest for hunting dogs. The new products will be available during the third quarter 2008. [December 2007 PET AGE]

RG PetComm (San Diego) is now selling its SmartWalk Manager products to retailers and consumers via its Web site, www.rgpetcomm.com. [December 2007 PET AGE]

SimplyShe (San Francisco) is getting 16 feet of dedicated shelf space for its four pet brands—SimplyDog, Lulu Pink, Max-A-Million and Big Paws—at Wal-Mart stores across the nation. The brands, three of which are exclusive to Wal-Mart, are designed to bring a wide range of dog fashion products to price-conscious buyers. [December 2007 PET AGE]

Responding to a Food and Drug Administration warning about illnesses associated with overfeeding chicken treats to dogs, Smokehouse Pet Products (Burbank, Calif.) issued specific feeding guidelines for its chicken-based Chicken Breast Tender Jerky, Chicken Chips and Chicken Poppers. For details, visit www.smokehousepet.com. [December 2007 PET AGE]

Whoopi Goldberg, the new co-host on ABC-TV’s “The View” morning talk show, named StickySheets by StickySheets Unlimited L.L.C. (Colorado Springs, Colo.) as one of “Whoopi’s Must-Haves” on the show’s Sept. 14, 2007, episode. [December 2007 PET AGE]

Transcon Trading Co. (Irmo, S.C.) signed contracts to manage international sales and marketing for Big Hit Inc. (West Allis, Wis.) and Bovidr Laboratories Inc. (Scottsbluff, Neb.). [December 2007 PET AGE]

The creative services team at United Pet Group (Cincinnati) won four American Graphic Design Awards from Graphic Design USA, a national monthly industry magazine, for excellence in packaging and label design. The team was cited for its contemporary new packaging and label design for Perfect Coat dog shampoo as well as three additional dog shampoo products. [December 2007 PET AGE]

Vsurance Inc. (Little Rock, Ark.) in October launched the first phase of a multi-million dollar media campaign to generate national exposure for its pet health insurance programs, including its Get HIP Health Insurance for Pets Program. The initial phase of the campaign includes ads on the most popular financial news networks, including CNN and MSNBC, as well as Forbes, Fortune, Time and Newsweek. The next phase of the campaign will include television, radio and print media, as well as outdoor billboard advertisements in major metropolitan areas. [December 2007 PET AGE]

Vsurance Inc. (Little Rock, Ark.) to promoting its pet health insurance programs by offering pet boarding insurance through boarding facilities. Participating boarding facilities simply give pet owners the option of selecting or declining basic pet accident/injury coverage or complete accident/injury and illness coverage on a per-day basis for the duration of the pet’s stay. The boarding facility, as the administrator, receives half of all premiums collected. For more information, contact Russell Smith at 877-372-4443 or ir@vsurance.com.       [December 2007 PET AGE]

Wag N’ Wash Healthy Pet Center celebrated the grand opening of its Naperville, Ill., location in October. The franchise business offers a do-it-yourself dog wash facility and an on-site bakery/deli, and sells unique toys and accessories and natural, organic and raw pet foods. Wag N’ Wash, based in Monument, Colo., now has five locations. [December 2007 PET AGE]

Effective immediately, the World Wide Pet Industry Association Inc. (Monrovia, Calif.) is increasing its annual base payment to the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (Washington) by 15 percent, to $115,000, to help the trade association better protect the interests of the pet industry. In addition, WWPIA will release an additional $25,000 per year for three years to help PIJAC increase and maintain the staff necessary to continue its good works. [December 2007 PET AGE]

To celebrate the launch of PetSource.org, the World Wide Pet Industry Association (Monrovia, Calif.) is hosting a series of monthly contests with prizes ranging from pet products to donations to the winner’s chosen animal-related charity. In the first contest, “Pets—They’re Just Like Us!”—pet owners can submit photos of their pets participating in everyday activities, such as sleeping under the covers, watching their favorite team on TV or typing away at the computer. To enter to win, consumers can visit http://community.petsource.org/photos and upload a photo of their pet in action. [December 2007 PET AGE]