Arthur J. McQuillan is the new national sales manager, pet, for PetMatrix, LLC.
McQuillan has 24 years of experience in the pet industry. Recently, he was the vice president of sales at Three Dogs Bakery. He has also worked at Bio-Pro, Merrick, S&M Nutec and Heinz Specialty Pet.
He will be responsible for PetMatrix’s distributor, independent pet store and leading pet chain businesses.
At Global Pet Expo, America’s VetDogs and Ethical Products presented certificates of appreciation to several customers who have shown tremendous support of the America’s VetDogs product line and mission.
Their continued support of the program helps provide assistance dogs to veterans with disabilities that help them live a life without boundaries. Certificates were presented by Wells Jones of America’s VetDogs and Jonathan Zelinger of Ethical Products.
Certificates were given to Bradley Caldwell, Central Pet, Ahold USA, PetSense and Nexcom.
PetRageous Designs supported a variety of charitable organizations by donating 8,016 holiday-themed pet toys to non-profits large and small across the country.
The total retail value on these items equals $40,000. These toys were given directly to pets in shelters or sold at events to raise money for rescues, shelters and adoption programs.
Additionally, the toys were able to help people in need, as PetRageous Designs contributed to Project Angel Food’s “Divine Design” event in Los Angeles, an annual fundraising event allocates all proceeds to meals for people suffering from serious illness.
Shelters and rescue programs included, Northeast Animal Shelter, Love a Stray Rescue,
Rock & Rawhide and Salem Animal Rescue League. Fundraising events included Santa Paws Drive, Puppapalooza Adoption Event, Project Angel Food, Divine Design Event and Boys & Girls Club.
Dale R. Metz joined Vets Plus, Inc., as the director of companion animal business.
“Metz has demonstrated his success as a leader in the industry,” said Steve Vale, vice president sales and marketing at Vets Plus. “We are pleased to have him leading our rapidly expanding companion animal team.”
Metz will manage the companion animal business unit to significantly grow the sales of the company’s private label and branded products.
Prior to joining Vets Plus, Metz was CEO of FoodScience Corporation in Vermont, a manufacturer of human and animal health supplements. During his 15 year tenure at FoodScience, the company grew significantly and has emerged as an industry leader in the companion animal segment. Earlier in his career, Metz worked as a CPA and was the national partner in charge of corporate recovery for the accounting firm KPMG.
Metz is a founding board member and vice president of the National Animal Supplement Council, an industry organization with a role in regulating the quality of companion animal supplements manufactured and sold in the U.S.
Pet Age will honor Phillips Pet Food & Supplies with their inaugural 2014 Distributor of the Year Award, during a dinner in Las Vegas prior to the start of SuperZoo.
“Pet Age’s Distributor of the Year Award was created to recognize accomplishments in service, technology, innovation and sustainability, and we are thrilled at the opportunity to recognize these successes and what it means to our industry,” said Craig Rexford, vice president and publisher of Pet Age. “Our inaugural and very deserving recipient, Philips Pet Food and Supplies, was nominated by peers of key influencers, retailers, manufacturers and industry representatives, and our awards ceremony during SuperZoo 2014 in Las Vegas will not only provide the opportunity to honor Philips for their achievements, but also highlight the important role that distributors play in our industry to service the needs of independent business.”
This private dinner and awards presentation, to be held July 21, will celebrate Phillips Pet Food & Supplies and their achievements in service excellence to the pet industry.
“We are sincerely honored to be recognized for Pet Age’s Distributor of the Year Award,” said Blaine Phillips, chief executive officer of Phillips Pet Food & Supplies. “Independent retailers symbolize the heart of this industry, as well as the root of Phillips’ early days as an independent feed store in 1938. Because we are family rooted and committed to providing exceptional service to keep the independent pet channel thriving, Phillips is proud of the support and innovation we offer. From our dedicated independent sales team to our own truck fleet, from state of the art technologies to innovative solutions such as our new iT Kit, we want to service the independent with the utmost attention to service excellence.”
For more information about the awards, visit Pet Age’s events page.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Merck Animal Health‘s BRAVECTO, the first chewable tablets for dogs that has been shown to quickly and effectively kill fleas and multiple tick species for 12 weeks in a single dose.
BRAVECTO also is effective for eight weeks against Amblyomma americanum ticks.
“BRAVECTO is a breakthrough innovation that offers pet owners and veterinarians something that no other product does, the longest-lasting oral flea and tick prevention currently available,” said KJ Varma, senior vice president, research and development, Merck Animal Health. “The approval of BRAVECTO is truly a reflection of our 70-year history of innovation, research and commitment to helping shape the future of animal health, as well as our dedication to bringing novel products to market that meet the evolving needs of pet owners, customers and the industry.”
BRAVECTO is available only through veterinarians.
The active substance of BRAVECTO, fluralaner, a new ectoparasiticide belonging to the isoxazoline group, is systemically active against fleas and ticks. BRAVECTO is presented as a flavored chew.
The product can be used as part of a treatment strategy for the control of Flea Allergy Dermatitis as a direct result of eliminating flea infestations. The most common side effects are mild and transient gastrointestinal effects.
The results are in – blogs outrank social media for consumer influence. Pet bloggers spend a lot of time building their online reputation and cultivate an incredibly loyal fan base. Many are highly educated in the pet market and represented some of the most educated consumers of pet products. They also know what are hot topics among readers and will do their research and share their opinions openly on issues that they care about. To learn more about how to connect your pet brand with pet bloggers, we caught up with Yvonne DiVita of BlogPaws, check out our quick video interview below.
Bravo is recalling select lots and products of Bravo Pet Food due to a potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.
Listeria monocytogenes is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people and others with weakened immune systems.
Healthy cats and dogs rarely become sick from Listeria monocytogenes. Animals ill with it will display symptoms common to healthy individuals that include: high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea. 
People who have concerns about whether their pet has Listeria monocytogenes should contact their veterinarian.
The recalled product was distributed nationwide to distributors, retail stores, internet retailers and directly to consumers. The product can be identified by the batch ID code (best used by date) printed on the side of the plastic tube or on a label on the box.
The recalled products are as follows:
1) These products are being recalled because they may have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.
PRODUCT: RAW FOOD DIET BRAVO! BEEF BLEND FOR DOGS AND CATS (Made in New Zealand)
All 2 lb., 5 lb., and 10 lb. tubes
Product Numbers: 52-102, 52-105, 52-110
Best Used By Date: 10/10/15 or earlier
PRODUCT: BRAVO! BALANCE PREMIUM TURKEY FORMULA (Manufactured by: Bravo! Manchester, CT)
3 lb. box with (12) 4oz. burgers
Product Number: 31-401
Best Used By Dates: 1/07/16 and 2/11/16
2) These products are being recalled out of an abundance of caution because while they did not test positive for pathogens, they were manufactured in the same manufacturing facility or on the same day as products that did test positive.
PRODUCT: RAW FOOD DIET BRAVO! LAMB BLEND FOR DOGS AND CATS (Made in New Zealand)
All 2 lb., 5 lb., and 10 lb. tubes
Product Numbers: 42-102, 42-105, 42-110
Best Used By Date: 10/10/15 or earlier
PRODUCT: RAW FOOD DIET BRAVO! LAMB BASIC FOR DOGS AND CATS (Made in New Zealand)
2 lb. tubes
Product Number: 42-202
Best Used By Date: 10/10/15 or earlier
PRODUCT: RAW FOOD DIET BRAVO! BEEF & BEEF HEART FOR DOGS AND CATS (Made in New Zealand)
5 lb. tubes
Product Number: 53-130
Best Used By Date: 10/10/15 or earlier
PRODUCT: RAW FOOD DIET BRAVO! 100% PURE & NATURAL PREMIUM GRASS-FED BUFFALO FOR DOGS AND CATS (Manufactured by: Bravo! Manchester, CT)
NET WT 2 lb. (32 oz.) .91 kg. (tubes)
Product Number: 72-222
Best Used By Date: 1/07/16
PRODUCT: BRAVO! TURKEY BALANCE FORMULA (Manufactured by: Bravo! Manchester, CT)
NET WT 2 lb. (32 oz.) .91 kg., Chub (tube)
Product Number: 31-402
Best Used By Dates: 1/07/16 and 2/11/16
NET WT 5 lb. (80 oz.) 2.3 kg., Chub (tube)
Product Number: 31-405
Best Used By Dates: 1/07/16 and 2/11/16
PRODUCT: RAW FOOD DIET BRAVO! LAMB BLEND FOR DOGS AND CATS (Manufactured by: Bravo! Manchester, CT)
5 lb. (80 oz.) 2.3 kg., Chub (tube)
Product Number: 42-105
Best Used By Date: 2/11/16
This voluntary recall has been issued because the FDA has reported an independent lab detected the bacteria in a sample during a recent review. The company has received a limited number of reports of dogs experiencing nausea and diarrhea that may be associated with these specific products. The company has received no reports of human illness as a result of these products.
Bravo discontinued all manufacturing in New Zealand on October 10, 2013. Bravo will immediately start working with distributors and retailers to properly dispose of any affected product left on freezer shelves. The company will also be announcing the recall to pet owners to ensure they dispose of any affected product that has been purchased.
Bravo is issuing this action out of an abundance of caution and sincerely regrets any inconvenience to pet owners as a result of this announcement.
The recalled product should not be sold or fed to pets. Pet owners who have the affected product at home should dispose of this product in a safe manner (example, a securely covered trash receptacle). They can return to the store where purchased and submit the Product Recall Claim Form available on the Bravo website www.bravopetfoods.com for a full refund or store credit. More information on the Bravo recall can also be found at www.bravopetfoods.com, or call toll free (866) 922-9222.
Last week I attended BlogPaws, a social media conference for the pet industry. The event, being held for the sixth time in 5 years, brings together manufacturers and pet-specific bloggers to not only learn about social media, but also interact, meet and learn from each other.
It also featured key-note addresses to help educate attendees on trends and issues facing the pet industry. One such address was from veterinarian Kate Hodgson. Sponsored by the Human Animal Bond Research Initiative Foundation, Hodgson’s speech, Pets in the Family: Impact on Human Health – Zooeyia, focused on the importance pets play in the lives of humans.
They can make them healthier, provide companionship and overall give people a better quality 
of life. Zooeyia, as she explained, is the term used to describes the health benefits that pets provide to their human companions. This companionship, makes them part of a family, which she described as, a group of intimates with both a history and a future.
Pets can, and have to, be included into the family cycle framework. Both she and Steven Feldman, executive director of HABRI, made this point very clear when it comes to a person’s health.
“Why aren’t cardiologists prescribing dogs,” Feldman questioned while introducing Hodgson.
Their point, backed up by scientific evidence presented during the speech, showed that pets make people healthier, both physically and mentally.
While everyone got a laugh out of the statistics, including one where someone was less likely to smoke around their pet than other humans, they would all experience first-hand an example of the human animal bond just a few short hours.
Owned by Ron Davis, Tillman, a 60-pound skateboarding English bulldog, is part of the Natural Balance Pet Foods Canine Sports Team. He also had a TV show, “Who Let the Dogs Out” on the Hallmark Channel.
The crowd at BlogPaws lined the street next to the hotel, cameras in hand, to watch Tillman do a skateboarding demonstration with his trainers. And, rightly so, it’s not every day a dog is skateboarding down a street.
As the trainers, including Davis, interacted with Tillman, the bond between them was evident. They were completely connected by just simple commands and movements. Tillman was attentive and didn’t pay any attention to the hundreds of people snapping photos of him. His only focus was his owner and trainers, and of course the skateboard.
Beyond that, just the idea of skateboard with a dog, makes him more of a companion and member of the family. It humanizes the animal, gets their owner to be more active with them and builds, a close relationship between the dog and his owner.
That relationship is a prime example of Hodgson’s definition, and benefit, of Zooeyia.
BlogPaws, a social media conference for the pet industry, kicked off Thursday at The Westin in Lake Las Vegas by welcoming hundreds of pet professionals, including bloggers, manufacturers, retailers and journalists for three days of learning, networking and education. 
The conference, being held for the sixth time in 5 years, brings together manufacturers and pet-specific bloggers to not only learn about social media, but also interact, meet and learn from each other.
For companies like Merrick, the chance to meet such a large, concentrated group of pet consumers is a great opportunity.
“It is a great learning experience,” said Betsy Berger, communications manager for Merrick. “We hear about the issues and questions consumers have, and because they [bloggers] have a vast social network, they are able to share information with people.”
PHOTOS: BLOGPAWS WELCOMES PET INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS
Many of the manufacturers, or sponsors, at BlogPaws, agree that the work they do reaching out to influential bloggers at events like this, is just one part of their larger marketing plan that, in the end, will benefit retailers.
“It’s grassroots marketing,” said Jim Carney, sales manager at Weruva. “It brings it to a personal level. You get the personal edge that you get at massive trade shows. You can meet bloggers who care about what they feed their pets and they can influence other pet owners.”
And, Carney would know. He spent 10 years as the manager/buyer at Treat Your Pet, a retail store in New York.
“The independent retailer has to compete with the big money [of big box stores],” he said. “This allows people to direct them to the independent retailer.”
Weruva has been working with BlogPaws, who also executes blogger outreach campaigns, since earlier this year on a successful program that allows bloggers to try their products and write about them.
“We had people who truly care about their pets and want to feed them the best,” he said, explaining that the bloggers were able to sample and review their product prior to the campaign and then got to meet them in person to answer any additional questions they might have.
Berger, like many of the manufacturers, concurred.
“We want people coming into the store and asking for our food,” she said.
Jones Natural Chews was one company that early on embraced the blogger community as a way to move their brand forward and introduce themselves to a new audience. In fact, they hired a blogger to write for them, and basically become the public face of the company.
“She is always educating people and getting our name out there,” said Suzanne Madenis, of Jones Natural Chews. “We started to branch out. Blogging [and social media] isn’t everything for the future, but a lot of people are looking at it.”
PHOTOS: PETSAFE HOSTS YAPPY HOUR AT BLOGPAWS
In terms of attending BlogPaws, and connecting directly with consumers who use their blogs as a platform of information, it is a smart business investment.
“As far as brand recognition goes, it is awesome,” Madenis said. “Then, they will start looking for our product in the stores.”
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