Petland Launches Breeder Incentive Program, Supports Canine Care Certified

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Press release: Petland

For more than 53 years, Petland has been dedicated to introducing the human-animal bond experience which, for many families, is made possible by trusted pet breeders.  In recognition of our obligation to do even more to support responsible pet breeding, Petland is proud to announce the launch of Petland’s Breeder Incentive Program.

To complement Petland Charities’ support of the Canine Care Certified program, Petland has created a Breeder Incentive Program to help support professional breeders and their efforts to improve and upgrade their facilities.

Petland will designate $10,000 in 2021 for the Petland Breeder Incentive Program. The annual program will award five breeders each $2,000 to encourage and acknowledge their efforts to become a Canine Care Certified breeder.

“We believe the Canine Care Certified program is the next logical step and are committed to helping grow the number of Canine Care Certified breeders,” said Brian Winslow, Petland’s vice president of animal welfare. “Our goal is to eventually have all breeders supplying puppies to Petland stores fully compliant with and certified by the program.”

 After multiple years of evaluating the welfare of breeding dogs, Dr. Candace Croney, director of Purdue University’s Center for Animal Welfare Science, and her team developed comprehensive canine welfare standards that are outcome-based and focused on achieving healthy dogs whose behavioral needs have been prioritized to set them up for success in homes. The program establishes rigorous standards of care to be followed by professional dog breeders and is combined with regular, third-party, independent audits of breeder operations.

The Canine Care Certified program was created in 2013.  The standards go far above and beyond existing canine care standards. This nationwide, voluntary program not only addresses the health and overall welfare of dogs in the care of breeders in the United States, it is the only program that also strongly emphasizes their behavioral well-being. The program’s standards were developed, peer-reviewed, and are updated in collaboration with renowned scientists and veterinarians with diverse expertise in canine health and welfare sciences, as well as ethics.

Breeders seeking to be certified must commit to meet or exceed the rigorous, expert-reviewed Five Pillars of Care for Physical Health, Behavioral Health, Environment, Breeding Life and Retirement and Caretaker Expectation. They must also agree to the independent audit to confirm compliance with all of the standards.