The American Kennel Club (New York) raised more than $1 million for its Companion Animal Recovery Canine Support and Relief Fund via the Help a Hero search-and-rescue dog toy program, created by The Hartz Mountain Corp. (Secaucus, N.J.). [November 2004 PET AGE]

Anitech Enterprises Inc. (Toronto) agreed to complete a reverse takeover of Amtag ID Inc. At press time, the takeover was scheduled to occur in September. Anitech operates Canada’s largest radio frequency identification pet recovery service under the PetNet brand. [November 2004 PET AGE]

Applica Inc. (Miami Lakes, Fla.) reported sales of $159 million for the second quarter of 2004, up 16.2 percent from $136.8 million for the year-earlier period. Applica and its subsidiaries market and distribute a broad range of branded small electric consumer goods, including the LitterMaid self-cleaning cat litter box. [November 2004 PET AGE]

Aspen Pet Products Holdings Inc. (Denver) implemented Logility Voyager Solutions supply chain software by Logility Inc. (Atlanta) to improve fill rates with lower inventory levels, increase turns, improve on-time deliveries and reduce air freight expenses. [November 2004 PET AGE]

Central Garden & Pet Co. (Walnut Creek, Calif.) acquired Energy Savers Unlimited Inc. (Carson, Calif.) in August for $34 million. The acquisition adds a third aquarium products supplier to Central’s portfolio, which includes All-Glass Aquarium Co. Inc. (Franklin, Wis.) and Oceanic Systems Inc. (Dallas), and Kent Marine Inc. (Acworth, Ga.). [November 2004 PET AGE]

Central Garden & Pet Co. on Oct. 1 relocated from Lafayette, Calif., to a 34,500-square-foot facility at 1340 Treat Blvd., Walnut Creek, CA 94597. [November 2004 PET AGE]

The Clorox Co. (Oakland, Calif.) reported sales of $1.24 billion for the fourth quarter of 2004, up 8 percent from $1.15 billion for the year-earlier period. Results represented the largest year-over-year increase in more than two years. Clorox manufactures and markets consumer products, including Fresh Step and Scoop Away cat litters. [November 2004 PET AGE]

Companion Habitats Inc. (Colorado Springs, Colo.) recently published “The Pet Retailer’s Companion,” a booklet designed to give retailers insights about the pet industry, pet care and general retail science. It covers animal habitats, displays and care; manufacturers’ reps; advertising; merchandising and store layout; and more. For more information, call 888-831-1226. [November 2004 PET AGE]

The pet products division of Del Monte Foods Co. (San Francisco) reported net sales of $179 million for the first quarter of 2004, up 10.4 percent from $162.2 million for the year-earlier period. [November 2004 PET AGE]

Digital Angel Corp. (South St. Paul, Minn.) signed a 10-year agreement allowing Schering-Plough Animal Health Corp. (Union, N.J.) to continue exclusive distribution of Digital Angel microchips and scanners for companion animals in the United States. Schering-Plough markets the microchips and scanners under the brand name HomeAgain. [November 2004 PET AGE]

Doane Pet Care Co. (Brentwood, Tenn.) reported net sales of $258.3 million for the second quarter of 2004, up 10.2 percent from $234.5 million for the year-earlier period. [November 2004 PET AGE]

Doolittle’s Chateau-Animaux, a Capitol Hill fixture since 1994, recently broke ground for its future home at 524 Eighth St., S.E., in Washington. The pet supply and grooming shop will greatly expand its offerings when it moves into its new, 5,000-square-foot, two-floor space. After the expansion, it will be the largest independent pet retailer in the city, according to owner and president Dennis Bourgault. [November 2004 PET AGE]

Global Pet Products Inc. recently moved its headquarters to larger quarters at 2550 Viceroy Drive, Stratford Industrial Park, Winston-Salem, NC 27103. [November 2004 PET AGE]

GPC Pet Products (Muscatine, Iowa), maker of World’s Best Cat Litter, added Advanced Marketing Group (Barrington, Ill.) to its team of manufacturers’ representatives. Five AMG sales reps will work with GPC regional sales managers to cover Midwest distributors and retailers. [November 2004 PET AGE]

Fifteen elementary school classrooms across the country will win pets in an essay contest sponsored by The Hartz Mountain Corp. (Secaucus, N.J.). The contest, which was open through Oct. 1 to students in first through fifth grades, encouraged children to use their imaginations and creative writing skills to explain “What a Pet Means to Me.” Winners will receive a $25 gift certificate from Toys ‘R’ Us and a Hartz Pet Starter Kit with a year’s supply of Hartz bird, fish or small animal food and a cage or aquarium for their classroom. Winners that do not have a pet will be able to adopt a pet at no cost from Creative Acres, a no-kill animal sanctuary in Colorado. [November 2004 PET AGE]

International Absorbents Inc. (Ferndale, Wash.) reported sales of $5.5 million for the second quarter of 2004, up 14 percent from $4.8 million for the year-earlier period. A company spokesman cited robust sales and strengthened product placement of CareFresh litter. [November 2004 PET AGE]

The Kaytee Avian Foundation (Chilton, Wis.) raised $16,000 for local, national and international conservation and research projects with its 2004 Rainforest Run. Supported by 22 corporate sponsors, the 5-kilometer run started and ended at the Kaytee Education Center, which was open to the public for the occasion. [November 2004 PET AGE]

Lil’ Pals Pet Photography (Memphis, Tenn.) is building a network of mobile pet photography studios in assigned territories across the country. Investors choose a fully equipped van or trailer, and receive training from one of the country’s best-known pet photographers. For more information, call 800-358-9101 or (901) 682-9566. [November 2004 PET AGE]

An advertising campaign created by Matrix Partners Ltd. (Chicago) for Swheat Scoop Natural Wheat Litter won a Gold Effie Award in the pet care category from American Marketing Association. Swheat Scoop is made by Pet Care Systems Inc. (Detroit Lakes, Minn.). [November 2004 PET AGE]

MeToo Pet Products Inc. (Scottsdale, Ariz.) will donate a portion of proceeds of sales from its new CDs, “DogGone Songs—Music to Soothe the Animal Spirit” and “DogGone Songs—Traveling Tunes for You and Your Pet,” to Guide Dogs for the Blind, a nonprofit organization in San Rafael, Calif. MeToo is a division of Carice International Products Ltd. (Hong Kong). [November 2004 PET AGE]

Old Mother Hubbard (Lowell, Mass.) implemented business software by IFS Applications (Chicago) at its administrative offices, its warehouse and its manufacturing plant to streamline operations, automate manual processes and improve inventory controls. The company plans to add quality management, workforce management and maintenance applications in the future. [November 2004 PET AGE]

OurPet’s Co. (Fairport Harbor, Ohio) reported net sales $1.24 million for the second quarter of 2004, up 7 percent from $1.15 million for the year-earlier period. [November 2004 PET AGE]

Pet Care Systems Inc. (Detroit Lakes, Minn.) will make a contribution for every bag of Swheat Scoop Natural Wheat Litter sold at the P.D. Pitchford Companion Animal Village & Education Center in Long Beach, the Santa Monica Pet Adoption Center and the Topanga Pet Adoption Center to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals of Los Angeles. [November 2004 PET AGE]

Pet Chic, an upscale pet boutique in Pikesville, Md., celebrated its grand opening in September. The pet boutique offers luxury pet accessories, including apparel, furniture, jewelry, collars, leashes and dining accessories. [November 2004 PET AGE]

Petco Animal Supplies Inc. (San Diego) reached a milestone in September with the opening of its 700th store, in Boardman, Ohio. Openings in Canton and Mentor were soon to follow, as the company finished conversions of former Kids ‘R’ Us sites. All three Ohio stores will feature the company’s new Pisces store design, centered around an exciting aquatics section and a circular racetrack walkway that showcases all animal care and product departments. [November 2004 PET AGE]

Petco Animal Supplies Inc. (San Diego) reported net sales of $438.5 million for the second quarter of 2004, up 12.9 percent from $388.2 million for the year-earlier period. [November 2004 PET AGE]

Petco Animal Supplies Inc. (San Diego) raised $817,080 through its annual Round-Up/Spay Today fundraiser for Spay/USA, the largest spay/neuter advocacy and referral program in the world, and more than 500 animal welfare organizations that support spay/neuter programs nationwide. Round-Up/Spay Today, which ran July 25-Aug. 15, encouraged customers to “round up” their purchases to the next highest dollar to promote spay/neuter efforts.
Total contributions exceeded last year’s total by 30.6 percent. [November 2004 PET AGE]

Petland Inc. (Chillicothe, Ohio) will expand into Korea under a new agreement with Doosan Corp., a diversified company based in Seoul. The new store, scheduled to open next spring as part of a 21,000-square-foot pet care complex in Seoul, will carry the Topet name (“together with pets”). It will be the first of up to 40 retail locations slated to open in the next five years.
Petland has more than 160 full-service franchise outlets in the United States, Canada, Japan, Chile and South Africa. [November 2004 PET AGE]

At press time, the law firms of Baron & Budd P.C. (Dallas) and Schatz & Nobel P.C. (Hartford, Conn.) had filed class-action lawsuits in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida on behalf of people who purchased publicly traded securities for PetMed Express Inc. (Pompano Beach, Fla.) between June 18, 2003, and July 26, 2004. The lawsuits allege that PetMed misrepresented or failed to disclose serious flaws in its business model, as well as its ability to guarantee the quality, safety or efficacy of the drugs it sells. At the same time, company executives allegedly sold $65 million of personal holdings in PetMed stock while the stock performed at artificially inflated levels. [November 2004 PET AGE]

Pets Plus, a regional chain with locations in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, recently opened a new store in Delran, N.J. The 20,000-square-foot store, the company’s first in South Jersey, sells a full line of products and live animals. [November 2004 PET AGE]

PetsMart Inc. (Phoenix) reported net sales of $806 million for the second quarter of 2004, up 11.2 percent from $724.9 million for the year-earlier period. Notably, pet services sales for the quarter were $62.1 million, up 23.4 percent from $50.3 million for the year-earlier period. [November 2004 PET AGE]

A designer and importer of ceramic aquarium decor, Underwater Galleries (Portland, Ore.) chose Wilson Pet Supply Inc. (Hanover Park, Ill.) as distributor of its Cichlid Stone, Golden Rainbow City Gate, Golden Princess Castle and Fairytale Fishbowlers lines. [November 2004 PET AGE]

Underwater Galleries (Portland, Ore.) added Wilson Pet Supply Inc. (Hanover Park, Ill.) as a distributor. [November 2004 PET AGE]

United Industries Corp. (St. Louis), which operates predominantly as Spectrum Brands, has aligned its existing businesses and recently acquired companies into three distinct operating divisions. John Heil, the former chief executive officer of the recently acquired United Pet Group (Cincinnati), is president of the new pet division. Stephen L. Tooker is president of the new home and garden division. John Hill is president of the Canada division. Bob Caulk is chairman and chief executive officer of the unified company.
The pet division includes brand names such as Eight in One, Nature’s Miracle, Dingo, Lazy Pet, Marineland, Perfecto, Aquarium Systems and Jungle Talk. [November 2004 PET AGE]