The AMERICAN PET PRODUCTS MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION (Greenwich, Conn.) is partnering with PACKAGED FACTS (New York), a market research firm, to share reports and select industry data. Under the partnership, APPMA members will get exclusive access to executive summaries of Packaged Facts reports via the association Web site and can purchase entire reports at discounted rates. [October 2006 PET AGE]

ANIMAL WOW ENTERTAINMENT (Studio City, Calif.) signed a multiyear co-marketing agreement with the AMERICAN HUMANE ASSOCIATION (Englewood, Colo.), placing characters and messages from Animal Wow’s “Dogs Wow Dogs” DVD onto a wide range of educational materials for AHA affiliates throughout the United States. [October 2006 PET AGE]

As part of a brand-enhancement strategy, AQUASCAPE DESIGNS INC. (St. Charles, Ill.) will change its name to Aquascape Inc. effective Jan. 1, 2007, and adopt a new logo.
The company also launched Pondlifestyles.com, a Web site providing water gardening information for hobbyists and professionals alike. [October 2006 PET AGE]

ARK NATURALS PRODUCTS FOR PETS (Naples, Fla.) received the NATIONAL ANIMAL SUPPLEMENT COUNCIL (Valley Center, Calif.) seal of approval and an A rating for its complete line of remedy, wellness and dog treat products. [October 2006 PET AGE]

CALIFORNIA—Animal Care Standards. Assembly Bill 2862, to impose criminal sanctions on pet stores that fail to comply with stringent new standards, was completely gutted after an August Senate Committee hearing. The original text was replaced with language requiring the Department of Consumer Affairs to adopt regulations for the care and handling of companion animals sold to the general public by Jan. 1, 2008. The new version of the bill was on the Senate calendar for a third reading at press time. [October 2006 PET AGE]

CENTRAL GARDEN & PET CO. (Walnut Creek, Calif.) reported net sales of $506.7 million for the 2006 third quarter, up 22.6 percent from $413.2 million for the prior-year period. Net sales for the pet products segment were $228 million, up 39 percent from the year-earlier period. Branded pet product sales increased $64 million, or 51 percent, and sales of other manufacturers’ products increased 1 percent. [October 2006 PET AGE]

CENTRAL GARDEN & PET CO. (Walnut Creek, Calif.) signed new sponsorship agreements with Major League Baseball’s New York Mets, Atlanta Braves and Seattle Mariners, and renewed sponsorship agreements with the Texas Rangers and Oakland Athletics. Under the marketing initiative, the company will sponsor Family Fantasy Days sweepstakes, video board promotions, Dog Day at the Ballpark, pet adoption events and calendar giveaways throughout the second half of the season. [October 2006 PET AGE]

CHOMP INC. (Weymouth, Mass.) retained the services of CHUCK LATHAM ASSOCIATES INC. (Parker, Colo.) to represent its dog and cat treats. [October 2006 PET AGE]

CHURCH & DWIGHT CO. INC. (Princeton, N.J.) reported net sales of $458.6 million for the 2006 second quarter, up 3.8 percent from $441.8 million for the year-earlier period. Specialty products sales were slightly lower due to animal nutrition sales. [October 2006 PET AGE]

D&D COMMODITIES LTD. (Stephen, Minn.) was recognized by Wild Bird Feeding Industry (Sioux Falls, S.D.) for adopting the WBFI Quality Standards Program, which ensures that outdoor pet foods meet recognized guidelines and are actually consumed by identified outdoor animals. [October 2006 PET AGE]

A Fort Payne, Ala., woman in July filed a lawsuit against DIAMOND PET FOODS INC. (Meta, Mo.) for negligence, breach of contract, suppression of truth and breach of warranty. Seeking an unspecified amount of compensatory and punitive damages, the suit alleges that Diamond knew in September 2005 that some of its products contained toxic levels of aflatoxin but continued to manufacture and sell products known to be tainted until they were recalled in December 2005. The woman bought the dog food that allegedly killed her two dogs in December 2005, according to published news reports. [October 2006 PET AGE]

Dick Van Patten of “Eight is Enough” fame will make several appearances on behalf of the first national DINE WITH YOUR DOG DAY, Oct. 21. At press time, Connecticut, Nebraska, Rhode Island and West Virginia had issued proclamations recognizing the event. In addition, many pet stores across the country are expected to host tie-in events, with some of the proceeds from sales of participating pet food brands going to local animal shelters.

DOGGLES (Diamond Springs, Calif.) redesigned its Web site, www.doggles.com, with new color photos of its Dogg fashion clothing line. [October 2006 PET AGE]

EXCLUSIVELY PET INC. (Milwaukee) signed distribution agreements with KAMAAINA DISTRIBUTION (Pearl City, Hawaii), LONE STAR PET SUPPLY INC. (Schertz, Texas), SUMMIT PET PRODUCTS DISTRIBUTORS INC. (Greensboro, N.C.) and VETERINARY SERVICE INC. (Riverside, Calif.). [October 2006 PET AGE]

FIRST PET LIFE INC. (Dallas) partnered with STICKYSHEETS UNLIMITED L.L.C. (Castle Rock, Colo.) to offer StickySheets, a product that picks up pet hair from car seats and other upholstered surfaces, through First Pet Life’s online store. [October 2006 PET AGE]

A tractor-trailer owned by HUNTE CORP. (Goodman, Mo.) caught on fire in Lowell, Mass., in August, killing approximately 60 puppies between the ages of 8 weeks and 12 weeks while in transit to pet stores in the Northeast, according to the Massachusetts Department of State Police. At press time, police were investigating the cause of the fire, but believed it may have been linked to a fan in the rear of the trailer. The trailer’s driver and his passenger were uninjured. [October 2006 PET AGE]

JAKKS PACIFIC INC. (Malibu, Calif.) reported net sales of $124 million for the 2006 second quarter, down 2.4 percent from $127.1 million for the year-earlier period. At press time, the company planned to roll out a number of new pet items for the drug, pet specialty, mass and club store channels, and to ship a Meow Mix line to be merchandised with cat food later this year, according to Stephen Berman, president and chief operating officer. [October 2006 PET AGE]

LATKA’S TREATS L.L.C. (New York) signed a distribution agreement with DIAZ ROCK & PET SUPPLIES INC. (Plainfield, Ill.). [October 2006 PET AGE]

MERINO & ASSOCIATES (Sacramento, Calif.), which provides consulting services for inventing, industrial design, engineering and off-shore sourcing to the pet industry, launched a Web site at www.merinopet.com. [October 2006 PET AGE]

MILLION DOLLAR MUTT, a new online dog boutique, prides itself on providing the same attentive customer service that celebrities receive on Rodeo Drive: quick e-mail responses, 24-hour shipping, handwritten thank-you notes for every customer, and hand-selected samples with every order. [October 2006 PET AGE]

NATURE’S EARTH PRODUCTS INC. (West Palm Beach, Fla.) donated 100 40-pound bags of All-Pet Bedding to the 2006 Great Bunny Rescue, organized by Best Friends Animal Society (Kanab, Utah) to find homes for more than 1,600 rabbits rescued from a one-acre yard in Reno, Nev. [October 2006 PET AGE]

NEEPS INC. (Wilkes-Barre, Pa.) launched BuySmallPetSupplies.com, a micro-site offering products for ferrets, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils, rats and chinchillas, and re-launched ActiveK9.com, one of its top-performing Web sites, with a fresh look and added features. [October 2006 PET AGE]

Guide Dogs of America (Sylmar, Calif.) chose orthopedic shoes and apparel by NEO-PAWS INTERNATIONAL (Toronto) to outfit its service dogs. [October 2006 PET AGE]

NEW YORK—Kennel Regulation. Assembly Bill 4253, to provide for the regulation of boarding kennels, passed the Assembly and was sent to the Senate. The bill requires owners to provide proof of vaccinations to boarding kennel staff before dropping off their animals. [October 2006 PET AGE]

NEW YORK—Groomer Licensing. Senate Bill 8279, to provide for the licensing and regulation of pet groomers, would establish standards of care, training and testing. The proposed legislation also requires license applicants to be at least 16 years old and have completed the 10th grade. Current practitioners must become licensed within one year of the effective date of the legislation. [October 2006 PET AGE]

NEW YORK—Ear Cropping and Tail Docking. Assembly Bill 11242, to prohibit ear cropping and tail docking, died when the legislature adjourned. [October 2006 PET AGE]

OHIO—Breeder Licensing. House Bill 606 would amend state law to create a commercial dog kennel control authority to license and inspect dog-breeding facilities. The proposed legislation would require owners of nine or more adult dogs kept for purposes of breeding to apply for a commercial dog breeding kennel license—with applications to include fingerprinting and criminal background checks. [October 2006 PET AGE]

PET AROMATICS (Los Angeles) plans to open a secondary facility in Bridgeport, Conn., by the end of this year, allowing it to make more shipments, ship products more quickly and provide localized marketing and sales support for dealers and distributors. [October 2006 PET AGE]

PETCO ANIMAL SUPPLIES INC. (San Diego) in August received early termination of the waiting period for its pending acquisition by private equity investment firms Texas Pacific Group and Leonard Green & Partners L.P. under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976. Valued at approximately $1.8 billion, or $29 per share in cash, the acquisition was still subject to stockholder approval and customary closing conditions at press time, and was expected to close in the 2006 fourth quarter. [October 2006 PET AGE]

PETCO ANIMAL SUPPLIES INC. (San Diego) appointed M&C Saatchi Los Angeles as its advertising agency, responsible for developing a fully integrated advertising and marketing campaign program for the chain. [October 2006 PET AGE]

PETFINDER.COM (New York) and PETSINCREDIBLE.COM (Tarpon Springs, Fla.) launched PetVideo.com, a broadband Internet portal featuring more than 200 professional training videos for pet adopters as well as entertaining user-supplied videos. [October 2006 PET AGE]

PETLAND INC. (Chillicothe, Ohio) opened stores in the Broadway Place Shopping Center in Tucson, Ariz.; The Forum at Gateways Shopping Center in Sterling Heights, Mich.; and the Village Park Plaza Shopping Center in Carmel, Ind. [October 2006 PET AGE]

PETSMART INC. (Phoenix) reported net sales of $1 billion for the 2006 second quarter, up 11.2 percent from $899.1 million for the year-earlier period. Comparable store sales rose 4.9 percent. Sales associated with pet services were $98.1 million, up 28 percent from the year-earlier period. [October 2006 PET AGE]

The PLANET DOG FOUNDATION, the nonprofit arm of Planet Dog (Portland, Maine), raised more than $30,000 for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and more than $20,000 for the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center to fund prostate cancer research through the sale of specially marked toys by Planet Dog (Portland, Maine).
In addition, the foundation received the 2006 Cleo Award from My Wonderful Dog, a Portland-based service dog training organization, for its outstanding dedication. [October 2006 PET AGE]

PORCELAIN BY ROSALINDE INC. (Rittman, Ohio) purchased the assets, artwork and equipment of CALIFORNIA CREATIVE DESIGNS (Bermuda Dunes, Calif.). Operations will be headquartered in Rittman.
In related news, Rosalinde and Jack Blanton, founders of Porcelain by Rosalinde, retired from the daily company operations will remain as consultants and trade show ambassadors. [October 2006 PET AGE]

PRECISION PET PRODUCTS (Costa Mesa, Calif.) opened a new worldwide distribution center in Redlands, Calif., housing its customer service, order entry, purchasing, logistics and international operations departments. [October 2006 PET AGE]

The PURINA PRO PLAN RALLY ACROSS AMERICA tour continues to raise funds for pet rescue groups across the country. Scheduled to stop in San Diego in October, the tour invites consumers to log mileage on treadmills in exchange for donations. Nestle Purina PetCare Co. (St. Louis) donates $5 for every five minutes that participants walk. [October 2006 PET AGE]

RED DOG HOUSE, a high-end dog boutique, recently opened in Chicago’s Bucktown neighborhood. Steve and Marice Greenberg are the owners. [October 2006 PET AGE]

The Skamper-Ramp water rescue device for animals by SKAMPER INDUSTRIES L.L.C. (Charleston, S.C.) was voted one of the Top 50 Products of 2006 by readers of Pool & Spa News, a trade magazine with more than 16,000 subscribers. [October 2006 PET AGE]

SPECTRUM BRANDS INC. (Atlantic) reported net sales of $698.3 million for the 2006 third quarter, down 1.3 percent from $707.8 million for the year-earlier period. North American net sales were $394.2 million, down 4.5 percent from $412.8 million for the year-earlier period. The company’s global pet segment—including UNITED PET GROUP (Cincinnati), TETRA (Blacksburg, Va.) and JUNGLE LABORATORIES CORP. (Cibolo, Texas)—contributed net sales of $132.4 million for the quarter, up 22.5 percent from $108.1 million for the year-earlier period.
In other news, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia terminated the investigation it initiated last November into Spectrum’s financial results for the 2005 third and fourth quarters, the impact of the results on anticipated earnings for 2006, and the sale of company shares by senior management in advance of negative financial disclosures in 2005. Spectrum continues to cooperate with the Atlanta District Office of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s investigation. [October 2006 PET AGE]

ULTRAPET (Anderson, S.C.) donated a pallet of Cedar Fresh cat litter to the New Braunfels (Texas) Humane Society after vandals damaged the shelter, injuring or killing several animals and contaminating or destroying more than 5,000 pounds of pet food and 1,200 pounds of cat litter. [October 2006 PET AGE]

VIRBAC CORP. (Fort Worth, Texas) and Virbac S.A. (Carros, France) in August signed a tender offer and merger agreement under which Labogroup Holdings Inc., a wholly owned U.S. subsidiary of Virbac S.A., will offer to purchase all outstanding shares of Virbac Corp.’s common stock not already owned by Virbac S.A. or its subsidiaries. Per terms of the agreement, Labogroup will make a cash tender offer for the common stock at $5.25 per share.
For the transaction to take place, shares tendered by Labogroup together with shares owned by Virbac S.A. and its subsidiaries must constitute 90 percent of the outstanding shares of Virbac Corp.’s common stock. If completed, the tender offer will be followed promptly by a merger of Labogroup with Virbac Corp. [October 2006 PET AGE]

VIRBAC CORP. (Fort Worth, Texas) reported net revenue of $24.9 million for the 2006 second quarter, up 13.2 percent from $22 million for the year-earlier period. New products introductions in the veterinary and consumer brand divisions contributed to the company’s improved performance. [October 2006 PET AGE]

WAG PET BOUTIQUE, with two locations in Raleigh, N.C., received the Standing Ovation Award in the pet boutique/salon category in Metro Magazine’s Seventh Annual MetroBravo Awards. More than 3,000 Metro readers submitted ballots naming eastern North Carolina’s “best of” across several categories. [October 2006 PET AGE]