Celebrating its fifth year, the American Kennel Club/Eukanuba National Championship will be broadcast live by Animal Planet and the Discovery Channel on Jan. 14-15, 2006. Hundreds of dogs representing more than 150 dog breeds will compete to win $50,000.

Aquascape Designs Inc. (Batavia, Ill.) launched its Water Garden Excellence Program for retailers and contractors. The program includes 10 new seminars, marketing and training materials, personalized training sessions, product exchange programs and buying incentives. For more information, call 866-877-6637, Ext. 1585 in the United States, or 866-766-3426 in Canada.

Atomic Products L.L.C. (Bridgeport, Conn.) chose Weblicht Verlichting (Volendam, Netherlands) as its exclusive distributor in the Benelux region. At press time, the company also planned to expand distribution into Italy and Spain.

Bark Avenue Pet Boutique (Fernandina Beach, Fla.) added a new-puppy gift registry to its Web site at www.barkavenuepetboutique.com. The concept of owner Stacy Cruikshank, the online registry has received coverage in USA Today, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and ABC and NBC television broadcasts.

Bone-Jour Dog Boutique and Bakery (Sanford, Fla.) in August raised funds to buy specialized equipment and supplies and collected donated items for U.S. military dogs and handlers in Iraq and Afghanistan.

CALIFORNIA--Breed-Specific Legislation. Legislators approved Senate Bill 861, to allow local governments to regulate “potentially dangerous breeds.” The bill authorizes cities and counties to pass breed-specific legislation to address public safety and welfare concerns in their communities, short of an outright ban. The bill awaits Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s signature.

To mark its 25th anniversary, Canine Commissary (Dallas) held anniversary sales in September at all its locations to benefit the Richardson Humane Society.

The Canny Co. Ltd. (Cheshire, United Kingdom) launched www.cannyco.com with videos, fitting instructions for the Canny Collar, business news and testimonials from around the world.

A New Jersey jury ruled on Sept. 1 in favor of Central Garden & Pet Co. (Walnut Creek, Calif.) in litigation against Herbert and Evelyn Axelrod, and awarded Central $10.34 million for its claims that the Axelrods committed breach of warranty and fraud during the sale of T.F.H. Publications Inc. (Neptune City, N.J.) in 1997. The jury also awarded the Axelrods an aggregate of $3.7 million for their claims that Central mismanaged T.F.H. after acquiring the company, thus denying them additional profits. At press time, a final judgment had not been rendered.

Church & Dwight Co. Inc. (Princeton, N.J.) reported net income of $34.4 million for the 2005 second quarter, up 75.5 percent from $19.6 million for the year-earlier period. Second-quarter sales were $441.8 million, up 29.6 percent from $340.8 million for the year-earlier period, due primarily to the acquisition of Armkel L.L.C. Household products sales were 6 percent higher due in part to strong growth for the company’s pet care products, including Arm & Hammer brand cat litters.

Clever Pet Products L.L.C. (Rochester, N.Y.) partnered with Invisible Fence of Upstate NY (Pittsford, N.Y.) in a promotional plan to expand their customer bases in western New York. Clever Pet will include a $100 Invisible Fence gift card in every Poopsadaisy dog pack sold in the region. Invisible Fence of Upstate NY will include promotional materials about Poopsadaisy in its monthly battery plan mailers. In addition, Clever Pet will promote Invisible Fence products via its Web site and e-mail marketing campaigns.

Design North Inc. (Racine, Wis.) won the Logo 2005-Year of the Business Card Competition for its redesigned corporate identity. With a client list that includes All-Glass Aquarium Co. Inc. (Franklin, Wis.), the company specializes in brand strategy and design for the retail environment.

Doane Pet Care Co. (Brentwood, Tenn.) reported unaudited net sales of $243.9 million for the second quarter, down 5.6 percent from $258.3 million for the year-earlier period. Its net loss was $7.6 million for the quarter, compared with $17.7 million for the year-earlier period.

Doggles (Diamond Springs, Calif.) is donating net proceeds from sales of its matching silicon bracelets for pets and people to no-kill animal shelters across the country. The blue and purple bracelets are embossed with the word “Speak!” to encourage Americans to take a stand against the killing of animals due to overpopulation.

Doggone Safe (New York), an organization dedicated to dog-bite prevention education and victim support, is now incorporated as a nonprofit in the United States and Canada. Dog behavior specialist Jennifer Shyrock of Family Paw (Cary, N.C.) was appointed vice president of U.S. operations. For more information, including details on obtaining free educational bookmarks, visit www.doggonesafe.com.

Doggy Style Designs (Providence, R.I.) announced its Sample Doggy Tee Program, allowing retailers to sample its dog T-shirts before ordering them. For more information, call 800-421-6646, or visit www.doggystyledesigns.com.

DogToys.com Inc. (West Chester, Pa.) is now using the scientific sizing system established by ShopByBreed (www.shopbybreed.com) to make it easier for owners to choose the correct size toy for their dog’s weight and activity level.

First Choice Pet Products (Miami), a distributor serving Florida, Georgia and southern Alabama, recently added Free Range Dog Chews, Homeopet, Ruff Dawg, Sam’s Yams Sweet Potato Chewz, Tripett and Zuke’s brands to its catalog. The company also launched a Web site at www.firstchoicepet.com.

Four Preppy Paws (Lynn, Mass.) is donating 10 percent of sales from its Paws for a Cause Collection of collars, leashes, harnesses, key chains and belts to various breast cancer programs.

Haute Dog, a Long Beach, Calif.-based organization for canine enthusiasts, will hold its annual Operation Santa Paws drive to help more than 4,000 dogs and cats in California shelters Dec. 1-22. Residents, businesses and organizations will collect pet food, grooming products and chew toys for abused and abandoned animals in Los Angeles, Long Beach, Orange County, the Valley and Santa Barbara. For more information, visit www.santapaws.info.

ILLINOIS--Dog and Cat Registration Fees. Gov. Rod Blagojevich signed House Bill 315 into law. The law requires municipalities to impose dog and cat registration fees with a minimum differential of $10 for intact animals, with $10 of the differential applied to animal population control. The law also imposes several new public safety fines, ranging from $25 to $100, for allowing a dog to run at large or bite. Portions of these fines also must be donated to the state's pet population control programs. The measure also creates a “Pet Population Control Fund” check-off on state income tax forms.

KANSAS--Breed-Specific Legislation. The City of Hesston enacted a vicious dog ordinance that bars residents from acquiring Staffordshire bull terriers, American terriers, American pit bull terriers and Rottweilers. A grandfather clause allows residents who already own these breeds to keep them, provided owners keep the dogs indoors or in a pen, and keep them muzzled and on a leash when off their owner’s property.

KENTUCKY--Exotic Animals. The Department of Fish and Wildlife approved regulations that make it illegal to keep tigers, lions, monkeys, bears, venomous reptiles and other “dangerous wildlife” as pets. Current owners of legally obtained exotic and wild animals are permitted to keep them, provided they maintain records proving they acquired the animals before the ban was enacted.

Chuck Latham Associates Inc. (Parker, Colo.) selected CRM OnDemand by Siebel Systems Inc. (San Mateo, Calif.) to improve sales, marketing and customer service.

The Lazy Dog Cookie Co. L.L.C. (Alto, Mich.) in August applied for a U.S. patent for its Pup-Pie pie- and pie slice-shaped dog treats.

MASSACHUSETTS--Commercial Breeders. House Bill 1346, which would have defined a commercial breeder as anyone who breeds more than one litter per year, has been set aside for study.

NexPet Retailer Group (New York), a co-op group for independent pet retailers in the Northeast, Midwest and South, introduced a window decal to help member emphasize that their store is locally owned.

OurPet’s (Fairport Harbor, Ohio) appointed Chuck Latham Associates Inc. (Parker, Colo.) as its exclusive representative for PetSmart.

Paw Palace, formerly an online-only business, opened a store at 19 W. Front St. in downtown Red Bank, N.J., specializing in fashionable dog apparel.

PawsUpPetSupply.com (Ames, Iowa) partnered with Shop.com (Monterey, Calif.) to sell pet products through the online marketplace. Under the arrangement, Shop.com presents offers and takes orders, and PawsUpPetSupply.com handles customer service and product fulfillment.

Penn-Plax Inc. (Garden City, N.Y.) donated more than $8,000 to Animal Haven, a rescue and adoption organization in Flushing, N.Y. Penn-Plax raised the money during its fifth annual charity golf outing, held in August.

Pet Supermarket (Sunrise, Fla.) opened three stores in Florida—17730 N.W. 57th Ave. in Hialeah, 4316 Commercial Way in Springhill and 1185 W. Granada Blvd. in Ormond Beach—and one store at 3370 Sugarloaf Parkway in Atlanta. The nation’s largest independently owned pet specialty store, it has more than 100 locations.

Pet Supplies “Plus” stores in Irwin and Bridgeville, Pa., partnered with All-Pet Animal Hospital in Gibsonia, Pa., to microchip more than 50 pets during Pet ID days in July and August.

Pet Valu Canada Inc. (Markham, Ontario) reported revenue of $31.6 million for the second quarter, up 6.8 percent from $29.6 million for the year-earlier period. Sales were $8.2 million, up 2.5 percent from $8 million for the year-earlier period. Comparable store sales increased 3.2 percent in the United States.

Petco Animal Supplies Inc. (San Diego) reported net sales of $482.7 million for the 2005 second quarter, up 10.1 percent from $438.5 million for the year-earlier period Pet services sales were up 22 percent from the year-earlier period. Comparable store net sales increased 2.5 percent from the year-earlier period. However, chief executive officer James M. Myers said weaker customer traffic led to second-quarter sales and results that did not meet the company’s expectations. The company opened 16 new stores in the second quarter and remodeled 14 in its Pisces format.

PetCompare.com, a new Web site, offers side-by-side comparisons of the latest prices on pet products, including tax and shipping, from a variety of sellers and stores. It also offers information about sellers.

Pets International Magazine (Amersfoort, Netherlands) updated its Web site, www.petsinfo.net, to include PetsPortals, with information about the international pet trade by region, country or category.

PetSmart Inc. (Phoenix) reported net sales of $899.1 million for the 2005 second quarter, up 11.6 percent from $806 million for the year-earlier period. Comparable store sales rose 4.2 percent in the quarter, versus 5.4 percent in the year-earlier period. Pet services sales were $75.1 million, up 20.8 percent from the year-earlier period. The company opened 20 new stores and closed three locations to operate 757 stores at the end of the second quarter.

PetSmart Inc. (Phoenix) at press time was looking at sites for a new distribution warehouse, according to Industrial Information Resources Inc. (Houston).

Planet Dog Philanthropy, the nonprofit grant-making arm of Planet Dog (Portland, Maine), gave a $5,000 environmental grant to Communities Getting Involved (Turner, Maine) for its River & Lake Cleanup Program; a $5,000 animal welfare/educational grant to Youth Alternatives (Portland, Maine) for its Linkage Project, which increases community awareness of the link between human violence and animal cruelty; a $5,000 environmental/educational grant to the Maine Organic Farmers Association for its Journeyperson/Apprenticeship Program, which trains good farmers to be good business people; and a $5,000 animal welfare grant to Ethos (Boston) to create the Planet Dog Emergency Petcare Fund for homebound, low-income elders with pets.

Royal Pet Meals Inc. (Sausalito, Calif.), a specialty pet food and products development and management company, in September signed a letter of intent to acquire Thirsty Pooch.com Inc. (Herndon, Va.), a marketer of flavored pet water fortified with vitamins and minerals. The acquisition will expand Royal Pet’s line of 100 percent organic and health-oriented pet products.

Spectrum Brands Inc. (Atlanta) acquired Jungle Laboratories Corp. (Cibolo, Texas) for $29 million. Jungle, which manufactures plant and fish foods, water conditioners, fish medications and other products for aquariums and ponds, generates annual revenues of approximately $14 million.

Teacher’s Private Capital (Toronto), the private investment arm of the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, agreed to purchase Doane Pet Care Co., the largest maker of private-label pet food in the United States, for $840 million. The transaction is expected to close by the middle of this month, after which Doane will continue to operate from its headquarters in Brentwood, Tenn.

TeaCups Boutique (Miami) donated 1 percent of every dollar made between Aug. 29 and Sept. 4 to Journey’s End Animal Sanctuary in DeLand, Fla.