ABKA (Colorado Springs, Colo.) will hold its Spring Pet Services Meeting and Expo March 11-13 at the Seelbach Hilton Louisville in Louisville, Ky. Three educational tracks—business development, leadership development and facility management—will provide educational tools and networking opportunities. For more information, call (719) 667-1600. [February 2008 PET AGE]

Nearly all pet owners—97 percent—who patronized boarding facilities accredited by ABKA (Colorado Springs, Colo.) said they were satisfied with their overall experience, according to a new survey by the association. Other survey highlights: 97 percent of respondents were satisfied with the facility’s staff; 97 percent were satisfied with the facility’s cleanliness; 96 percent believed their pets were well cared for; 91 percent were satisfied with the facility’s drop-off/pickup process; 92 percent believed the staff adhered to policies and procedures; 72 percent were satisfied with the cost of services; and 71 percent were satisfied with the facility’s location. Furthermore, 98 percent said they would use that facility in the future, and 99 percent would recommend that facility to friends or family. [February 2008 PET AGE]

Absorption Corp., a subsidiary of International Absorbents Inc. (Ferndale, Wash.), won the first Outstanding Achievement Award in the Live Animals and Supplies category from Petcetera, a retail chain based in Canada.  [February 2008 PET AGE]

Students at the Academy of Dog Grooming Arts (Arlington Heights, Ill.) worked with the Illinois Vest-a-Dog organization to secure a bullet-resistant vest for the first canine officer to serve the Arlington Heights Police Department in more than 25 years. [February 2008 PET AGE]

AniMed, a free Web-based pet-care service by Telecare Direct Marketing (Long Island, N.Y.), now offers veterinary, nutrition and behavior information about dogs, cats, birds, fish, and popular pocket pets. [February 2008 PET AGE]

Aquascape Inc. (St. Charles, Ill.), along with several contractors, helped build a waterfall commissioned by NASCAR legend Richard Petty at Victory Junction Gang Camp in Randleman, N.C. The camp provides outdoor living experiences for children with chronic medical conditions and serious illnesses. [February 2008 PET AGE]

Ark Naturals Products for Pets (Naples, Fla.) hired publicist Darren Jordan to handle all aspects of publicity for the company’s product lines. [February 2008 PET AGE]

Aspen Pet Products Holdings Inc. (Denver) and Doskocil Manufacturing (Arlington, Texas) will exhibit for the first time in one booth under the Petmate brand at Global Pet Expo, Feb. 14-16 Center in San Diego. [February 2008 PET AGE]

The Atlanta Pet Fair will celebrate its 20th anniversary when it takes place March 6-9 at the Hilton Atlanta Airport Hotel in Atlanta. In a new Super Model Dog Competition, contestants will groom model dogs made of yarn. Other highlights will include GroomTean USA-sanctioned grooming competitions, lectures and demonstrations covering all facets of professional grooming, the Internet Hospitality with Green Hat Competition, a Kenchii Fusion 2008 party with belly dancing and break dancing performances, a GroomTeam USA auction, and a trade show with more than 75 vendors. For more information, visit www.atlantapetfair.com.    [February 2008 PET AGE]

BARK BUSTERS, a Colorado-based dog-training chain, recently began offering PetCentRx Vim & Vigor Wellness Formula by Pet-Togethers (Scottsdale, Ariz.). [February 2008 PET AGE]

Bark Busters Home Dog Training (Englewood, Colo.) and Fetch! Pet Care (Berkeley, Calif.), a franchise offering pet-sitting and dog-walking services, partnered in a marketing campaign to promote each other’s offerings to customers. The companies plan to bundle packages that combine in-home pet-sitting and dog-walking services with dog-training services. [February 2008 PET AGE]

The Pacific Northwest Grooming Show, produced by Barkleigh Productions Inc. (Mechanicsburg, Pa.), will take place March 14-16 at the Greater Tacoma Convention and Trade Center in Tacoma, Wash. New this year, the Model Dog Tournament will allow groomers to show their skills on dogs made of yarn. Regular competition classes will focus on sporting breeds, terriers, mixed and other purebreds, and poodles. Other highlights will include educational sessions and a trade show. For more information, visit www.barkleigh.com. [February 2008 PET AGE]

Best Friends Pet Care Inc. (Norwalk, Conn.) agreed to build and operate a luxury pet resort at Walt Disney World Resort. The facility will provide a full range of pet hospitality services, including dog and cat boarding, day care, grooming and doggy day camp, for park and resort guests as well as employees. [February 2008 PET AGE]

CALIFORNIA—Mandatory Spay/Neuter. Assembly member Lloyd Levine in December re-launched the California Healthy Pets Act, a mandatory sterilization bill defeated last July. The revived measure, Assembly Bill 1634, resided in the Senate Local Government Committee at press time and was expected to be heard in early 2008. In response to the bill, a loose confederation of opponents is collecting signatures for an initiative to ban mandatory sterilization, according to published news reports. The group also is fighting laws that require pets to be embedded with microchips, while supporting laws that would curtail euthanasia at shelters, cap license fees and lift restrictions on the number of pets a person can own. [February 2008 PET AGE]

Camp Bow Wow, a dog day camp franchise based in Boulder, Colo., opened a location in Plymouth, Minn. It now has 50 locations. [February 2008 PET AGE]

Central Garden & Pet Co. (Walnut Creek, Calif.) reported net sales of $401 million for the 2007 fourth quarter, down 5 percent from $421 million for the year-earlier period. Net sales for the pet products segment were $221 million, down 7 percent from the year-earlier period. Sales of branded pet products were down 6 percent, while sales of pet products by other manufacturers dropped 11 percent.  [February 2008 PET AGE]

Chateau Poochie opened in Lighthouse Point, Fla. The 10,000-square-foot dog and cat hotel features VIP suites with plasma TVs, customized bedding, chandeliers, a guest concierge, a gourmand chef, a doggie disco and social lounge and more. [February 2008 PET AGE]

Chi Wow Wow (Altadena, Calif.), which makes dog apparel and accessories, gave its first grant from The Elvis Fund to the Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA. [February 2008 PET AGE]

The Comfort Co. (Geneva, Ill.), an online store, now offers sympathy gifts for the owners of deceased pets. [February 2008 PET AGE]

Crazy Pet L.L.C. (Azusa, Calif.) launched a multiplatform microsite on Kabillion.com, featuring the Crazy Pet characters in various activities, games and videos designed to build character in children by teaching them to care for pets.    [February 2008 PET AGE]

Del Monte Foods Co. (San Francisco) reported net sales of $938.1 million for the 2008 second quarter, up 5 percent from $893.5 million for the year-earlier period. The sales increase was driven primarily by new product growth in consumer and pet products, as well as volume growth primarily in consumer products. [February 2008 PET AGE]

Dogtravel Co. L.L.C. (McLean, Va.), a member-based travel company for dogs and owners, launched on the Web in November. [February 2008 PET AGE]

Eternal Gems Inc. (Sarasota, Fla.), which makes pet memorial products, at press time planned to acquire a 4,000-square-foot production facility and have it running by the end of the 2008 first quarter. [February 2008 PET AGE]

Fetch! Pet Care, a Berkeley, Calif.-based franchise offering pet-sitting and dog-walking services, opened new locations in Tucson, Ariz., Morro Bay, San Gabriel and Woodland Hills, Calif., Fairfield, Conn., Chicago, Hampstead, Md., Apex and Wilmington, N.C., Oregon City, Ore., Philadelphia, and New Wales, Pa.    [February 2008 PET AGE]

FLORIDA—Mandatory Spay/Neuter. Palm Beach in December introduced an ordinance requiring most dogs and cats to be spayed or neutered. The proposed measure would be the most sweeping countywide pet sterilization mandate in the nation and the only one of its kind in Florida, according to published news reports.  It also would hike pet owner fees, including higher charges for reclaiming intact animals impounded at animal shelters. [February 2008 PET AGE]

The Goodlife Recipe Pet Care Co. (Franklin, Tenn.) gave $10,000, a year’s supply of products and the opportunity to be featured in an advertisement to Curt Evrard of Chicago and his dog Bart, winners of the Here’s to the Good Life pet video contest. The company also donated a year’s supply of The Goodlife Recipe treats to the Chenney Troupe Inc., a pet therapy group in Chicago, in the duo’s name. [February 2008 PET AGE]

Groomers Helper.com (Margate City, N.J.) received the International Society of Canine Cosmetologists Seal of Approval for its pet safety and positioning system. Independent testing proved that the product reduced the bite radius of a dog by 90 percent. [February 2008 PET AGE]

The PetBuckle safety harness by IMMI (Westfield, Ind.) won first prize in the Safe & Sound category at the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo for enhancing the safety of pets and drivers. [February 2008 PET AGE]

To recognize 2008 as the International Year of the Reef, the International Coral Reef Initiative and the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force launched an educational campaign to include public service announcements, high-profile events and other activities supported by The Discovery Channel, MTV, the CW Network, the Los Angeles Times, Condé Nast and other organizations. For more information, visit www.iyor.org. [February 2008 PET AGE]

K9 Genetics Corp. (Irvine, Calif.) recently began accepting pre-orders for Personalized Chow and Personalized Treats for dogs. The company plans to sell specialized dog food and treats—made with ingredients customized to each pet—direct to consumers. [February 2008 PET AGE]

Kennelwood Pet Resorts (St. Louis) launched the Next Steps: Start to Educate Pet Safety course for children aged 3 months to 6 years, providing families information about how to avoid bites, the benefits of keeping pets and other important tips. [February 2008 PET AGE]

Pet-themed key chains by LittleGifts Inc. (New York) were ranked the No. 3 bestselling pet-related gift line by Gift Beat Magazine, based on feedback from independent gift retailers across the country.  [February 2008 PET AGE]

NestlÉ Purina PetCare Co. (St. Louis) provided coupons for Purina dog treats with copies of Banjo Gets a B-A-T-H, a book designed to help children improve their reading skills by reading to their pets. Inspired by the Reading With Animals program of the Tony La Russa Animal Rescue Foundation, the book is sold at select Target stores nationwide.   [February 2008 PET AGE] 

NEW JERSEY—Pesticide Registration Fees. The Department of Environmental Protection issued a proposed regulation to increase the fee to register pesticide products from $250 per product to $300 per product. According to the Department, the increase is meant to generate sufficient revenues to offset increased operations costs. Comments may be submitted by Feb. 1, 2008, to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Oneida Cuevas, Esq., Attn: 23-07-10/546. [February 2008 PET AGE]

Wellness Core Dog and Wellness Core Cat foods by Old Mother Hubbard (Tewksbury, Mass.) won first prize in the flexible packaging category of BrandPackaging magazine’s 2007 Annual Design Gallery. [February 2008 PET AGE]

Oxbow Pet Products (Murdock, Neb.) awarded a $3,000 rescue project grant to the Conservancy of Southwest Florida; a $1,000 wildlife rescue grant to the Liberty Wildlife Rehabilitation Foundation of Arizona; and $1,000 general rescue grants to the Great Lakes Rabbit Sanctuary of Michigan, the Ojai Raptor Center of California and the Society of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals of Tampa Bay, Fla. [February 2008 PET AGE]

Pennsylvania—Kennel Crackdown. Agriculture Department officials are stepping up efforts to cite and close down unsatisfactory kennels, according to Jessie Smith, Special Deputy Agriculture Secretary for Dog Law Enforcement. Recent actions taken by the Special Prosecutor for Dog Law Enforcement include filing charges against an unlicensed Perry County kennel, whose owner pled guilty and surrendered all of his dogs. State dog wardens also charged a Snyder County kennel with failure to keep the facility in sanitary and humane condition. After the owner was tried and pled guilty, the Department revoked his license.   [February 2008 PET AGE]

Dan and Janet Star in December opened a Petland-Aquarium Adventure store in Bolingbrook, Ill. The pair own and operate a Petland-Aquarium Adventure store in Hoffman Estates, Ill., as well as a Petland store in Batavia, Ill. [February 2008 PET AGE]

Jessica Rook opened a 23,000-square-foot Petland store—the chain’s largest to date—in Springfield, Mo. She also operates Petland stores in Independence and Joplin, Mo., and Olathe, Kan. [February 2008 PET AGE]

Petmate Pet Products (Arlington, Texas) shipped more than 10,200 items to Southern California for distribution to shelters and other relief agencies caring for pets displaced by recent wildfires. [February 2008 PET AGE]

A Pet’s World (Manchester Center, Vt.) participated in Pet Fashion Week NY—The Tokyo Project, a pet fashion event held in January at the Tokyo Broadcasting Systems New Year Dog Party.  [February 2008 PET AGE]

PetSmart Inc. (Phoenix) reported net sales of $1.12 billion for the 2007 third quarter,, compared with $1.03 billion for the year-earlier period. Comparable store sales grew 1.4 percent, compared with 6.8 percent. Pet services sales were $111 million, up 23 percent from the year-earlier period. [February 2008 PET AGE]

PetSmart Charities (Phoenix) provided nearly $1 million to Saving Animals to build four spay/neuter clinics and equip one in Houston; and provided $635,000 to Kittico Cat Rescue of Dallas to expand its spay/neuter clinic and add a mobile spay/neuter unit.

Pet Supermarket, a retail chain based in Sunrise, Fla., recently began carrying World’s Best Cat Litter by GPC Pet Products (Muscatine, Iowa) at its 100 stores. [February 2008 PET AGE]

Pet Tents, a line of pet bed enclosures by Dick Mueller of Omaha, Neb., and Jianguo Feng of Shanghai, China, won three gold and two silver awards at the China International Patent & Brand Expo—more than any other products in the expo’s four-year history. For information, contact them at dick@pettents.com or jianguo@sh163.net. [February 2008 PET AGE]

Planet Dog Foundation, the charitable arm of Planet Dog (Portland, Maine), raised more than $11,000 for My Wonderful Dog, a Maine-based nonprofit organization that trains animals for people with a wide range of disabilities, during its Second Annual Amateur Dog Show Fund-raiser and Cover Dog Challenge. [February 2008 PET AGE]

Planet Dog Foundation, the charitable arm of Planet Dog (Portland, Maine), gave $10,000 grants to Assistance Dogs of the West (Santa Fe, N.M.), Dogs for Deaf and Disabled Americans (West Boylston, Mass.) and Freedom Service Dogs (Lakewood, Colo.); and $5,000 grants to Soul Friends (Yalesville, Conn.) and Teacher’s Pet: Dogs and Kids Learning Together (Rochester Hills, Mich.). [February 2008 PET AGE]

Procter & Gamble Productions Inc. (Cincinnati) and NBC Universal Digital Media (New York) partnered with The ZiZo Group Inc. (Santa Monica, Calif.) to launch Petside.com, a Web site offering information, services, entertainment and an online community for dog and cat owners. [February 2008 PET AGE]

Pussy & Pooch opened at 564 S. Main St. in downtown Los Angeles. Catering to consumers who live in urban lofts, condos or apartments with their pets, the boutique features a Pawbar food counter, self-serve Bathhouse, indoor PetaPotty area and covered outdoor patio with free Internet access.  [February 2008 PET AGE]

Sittercity.com (Chicago), an online database of nannies, tutors, pet sitters, senior caregivers and house sitters in cities across the United States, won first place in the UPS Best “Out-of-the-Box” Small Business Contest for providing a valuable resource for people looking for reliable caregivers. Founder Genevieve Thiers received $25,000 from UPS plus $2,000 from co-sponsor IBM. [February 2008 PET AGE]

SPCA International (New York) gave 2008 Best of the Best awards to Bark Busters (Englewood, Colo.), for its pet behavior training program; Komfort Pets L.L.C. (Revere, Mass.), for the Komfort Pets carrier; Pet Ecology Brands Inc. (Dallas), for Perfect Litter; Pets Best Insurance (Boise, Idaho), for the highest insurance benefits in the industry; and Pet-Togethers (Scottsdale, Ariz.), for PetCentRx nutritional supplements. [February 2008 PET AGE]

Tails Pet Media Group Inc. (Chicago) in December launched LA Tails magazine in Los Angeles and City Tails magazine in New York, offering residents of both cities local and national news and feature stories about pets. The monthly magazines are distributed through pet stores, veterinary clinics, grocery stores, book stores, coffee houses and other locations. [February 2008 PET AGE]

Wag Pet Boutique (Raleigh, N.C.) helped raise more than $10,000 for individuals and organizations working at the grassroots level to care for homeless dogs and cats during a Presents 4 Pets collection drive held in November. [February 2008 PET AGE]

Xoilla (New York), formerly known as Precious Pampered Paws, is re-branding itself by e-tailing luxury pet products in distinctive gift packaging and hosting pet parties. [February 2008 PET AGE]