Wellness launches new website, Facebook app

The new Wellness website links to the Naturally Well Pet Community, the Wellness Blog, an ingredients dictionary and a store locator.
Wellness is also launching a new Facebook application, Pet Posts by Wellness, that lets fans create custom, interactive profiles for their pets.

Top phone apps for pet lovers

There are a number of apps (applications) that can be of benefit to people with pets, according to the Star Press.

*Touch to Give (Free -- Greater Good Network): Allows users to make a daily free donation to animal rescue, breast cancer research and hunger relief.

* Dogbook (Free -- Poolhouse Enterprises) A community of more than 2 million dog lovers on facebook.

*DogYears (Free -- Charles Treece) A fun app that lets owners calculate how old their best friend really is.

*Pet Safe ($2.99 -- Treviso Media Group in cooperation with ASPCA): Provides a searchable database including images of plants that can be toxic to pets.

* Off Leash (Free -- Eukanuba Pet Foods): Lists the five dog parks closest to your location (or any Zip code) and provides directions.

* Pet Notebook ($1.99 -- BarnacleJive Software): The ultimate organizer for your pet info. Stores photos, stats (breed, birthday, name, tag or microchip numbers, etc) and medical data (vaccination dates, medications and doses).

*Pets Info Lite (Free -- BHI Technologies): A slimmed-down but free organizer for all your pets photos, registration, license and medical data.

*Petfinder.com (Free -- Phunware, Inc): A mobile version of the popular website allowing you to search for adoptable pets locally or nationwide from their database of more than 200,000 available pets.

*All Pets Radio (Free -- Quick Bridge Solutions): Your source for pages or online-streaming of info on pet care news and topics.

*Cat Piano ($0.99 -- Talusan): Supplies 14 notes in 10 varieties of cat voices to allow you to compose your own feline symphony.

*TouchPets (Free -- ngmoco, Inc.): A fun game for kids (or kid-like adults) wherein you visit a virtual animal shelter and adopt and raise a puppy of your choice. Although the game is free, when the food is gone, you're forced to pay to continue playing.

*iSqueek ($1.99 -- Harry Apps): Gives you a selection of virtual squeak toys, ... just don't let your pet chew on these!

Oklahoma couple honors pets killed by melamine

A grieving pet owner and her husband have donated five acres of land in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA, as a sanctuary to honor the pets that died or became seriously ill during the 2007 melamine-tainted petfood recall, according to a recent article. The couple lost six pets in the recall.
The memorial is scheduled to open on June 12.

Article: ‘Commercial petfood is bad’ a myth

Mike Grant, the nutritional science director for SeniorPetProducts.com, recently debunked the myth that commercial dog foods are allegedly bad in a San Francisco Chronicle article.
Grant explained that research has shown that the quality of commercial dog foods is more than adequate to meet proper nutritional requirements for most if not all breeds of dogs.

Cargill expands YouTube food campaign

After launching a campaign featuring a YouTube video about families struggling to feed their pets, Cargill achieved its initial goal of 10,000 views and as a result, will deliver a truckload of its Loyall petfood to the Second Harvest Heartland food bank.
To continue to raise awareness about hunger, Cargill will make a cash donation of US$25,000 to hunger-relief agency Feeding America if the same video generates a total of 50,000 views by April 30.

AFP: Processed petfood killing pets

Allergies and obesity are reducing the life expectancy of pets fed industrial food, said Gerard Lippert, a Belgian acupuncturist for animals who recently completed a study on the diets of 600 dead dogs, according to an Associated French Press article. Of the 600 corpses he examined, he alleged that “those fed on processed foods died three years earlier than those fed on food made in the home.” Scientific data to support his statement were not found in the article.

Global Pet Expo sees record attendance

After compiling final show numbers, the American Pet Products Association and Pet Industry Distributors Association announced that Global Pet Expo 2010 exceeded attendance expectations.
The show featured 803 exhibitors, 2,250 booths and more than 3,000 new product launches. Approximately 4,495 pet product buyers from around the world attended, up from last year’s 4,100 buyers.

Natura goes green with initiatives

Natura Pet Products challenged pet owners to go green this upcoming Earth Day on April 22 by supporting petfood manufacturers that are involved in environmental practices.
Natura’s own green initiatives include the construction of its new eco-friendly office, switching to hybrid cars for the company’s corporate and sales teams, adding a videoconferencing system to minimize air travel between its offices and reducing paper consumption by moving much of its communications online.

Purina brands raise awareness about recycling cans

To demonstrate the recyclability of petfood cans to consumers and celebrate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day on April 22, Purina’s Friskies and Fancy Feast brands created the “Together We Can” campaign.
The program brought together artists nationwide to create artwork out of used Friskies and Fancy Feast cat food cans and other materials.

Katie Couric reports on petfood banks

CBS news anchor Katie Couric recently reported that the Petco Foundation and other organizations are building a nationwide network of petfood banks and Meals on Wheels now provides food for the pets of people it serves.

German petfood sales down, total money spent up

Germans spent more money on their pets with a turnover on petfood increasing by 2.7% to €2.97 billion (US$4 billion), according to a recent article.
Since petfood sales in Germany dropped 1.4%, the increase is contributed to higher pricing and shifts in assortment

Company recalls its canine joint medication

Response Products is voluntarily recalling Cetyl M for Dogs, lot numbers 1210903 and 0128010, due to a possible Salmonella contamination from the hydrolyzed vegetable protein component provided by Basic Foods.
Tests conducted by Basic Foods to detect Salmonella produced negative results; however, Response Products has determined to recall the above-referenced lots.

Print magazines will be delayed due to the Icelandic volcano

International delivery of print issues of Petfood Industry, Poultry International, Feed International, Industria Avicola, Egg Industry and Pig International will be delayed due to air cargo restrictions resulting from the Icelandic volcano. According to Greg Watt, WATT president and international publisher, “April issues are likely to be delayed and even May issues could be affected as air cargo companies focus on shipments with greater priority.”
You can get your news without delay by viewing the April issue of Petfood Industry online. To view current issues, go to PetfoodIndustry.com and click on Recent Issues near the bottom right of the page.
With digital delivery, you will get an email notice when each issue is available for online access. Digital issues are easy to use and make it convenient to forward articles to colleagues. In addition, digital issues provide many active links to additional information for each article and from advertisers.
To sign up for digital delivery, use the subscribe links within the publication. If you are a registered user on PetfoodIndustry.com, sign in and get instant access to your subscription information.

NOP proposes stricter organic petfood qualifications

The United States Department of Agriculture's National Organic Program recently released a recommendation that petfood should not be called organic if it contains vitamins and minerals that are not organic, even if all other ingredients are organic, according to an article.

Samuel Jones, a representative from the NOP, said the issue is on the agenda for the National Organic Standards Board’s April 26-29 meeting.

Blog: What to look for in senior pet diets

A blog from Dream Dogs recently stressed the importance of senior dogs getting proper petfood nutrition. It recommended looking for petfood that has high quality meat protein, low fat and salt content, and less calories.

The Pet Chef wins Life Enriching Discoveries award

Brother International Philippines awarded Naomi Charmaine Quimpo with Life Enriching Discoveries with her business concept, The Pet Chef – Gourmet Home Cooked Dog Food.
According to Quimpo, the inspiration was to provide her dog a tasteful, healthy and nutritional food option.

Book provides pet owners, vets info for home-made meals

Recently released Home-Prepared Dog and Cat Diets, Second Edition by Patricia Schenck provides an introduction to dog and cat nutrition, pet diets listed together in a cookbook style, and recipes that are adjustable for any size dog or cat.

Canidae to attend pet expo, make donation to shelter

Canidae Pet Foods Inc. will attend the 5th Annual West Michigan Pet Expo on April 24-25 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA.
Canidae sales manager James Brown has arranged for one of the show's animal shelter attendees, Golden Years Alaskan Malamute Rescue, to receive a donation of Canidae Platinum formula dog food.

Vets support canned petfood over raw diet

Despite the popularity of raw petfood diets, many vets are not comfortable recommending a raw food diet to their clients, according to NY Daily News.
Veterinarian Philip Raclyn's concerns about raw diets include the risk of contamination from Salmonella, E. coli and other bacteria, not to mention potential dietary imbalances and internal injuries from sharp bones.

Mars to only use sustainably sourced fish

Mars Petcare has committed to using only sustainably sourced fish by 2020 in its petfood products.
Dwindling global fish stocks prompted Mars to work with the World Wildlife Fund to develop its fish sustainability commitment.

Rachel Ray launches new dog treat

Daytime host, author and pet lover Rachael Ray announced the launch of a new line of superpremium crunchy dog treats called Rachael Ray Nutrish Just 6, which was unveiled at the recent Global Pet Expo.
The dog treats will be available in beef, chicken and lamb varieties and are made with only six natural ingredients.

Kemin to present at Petfood Forum

Kemin Industries Inc. will present the latest research on several topics impacting the petfood industry during the 2010 Petfood Forum April 12-14 in Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Presentations by Kemin experts include the impact of prebiotic and probiotic supplements on pets’ immunity and how to ensure freshness in petfood ingredients by managing biogenic amines.

Power and Bulk offers mixing, blending lecture series

Power and Bulk now is offering a new batch mixing class through the company’s Online Training Center.
In this first session of a three-part lecture series, “Mixing and Blending Fundamentals”, Eric Maynard, Senior Engineering Consultant with Jenike & Johanson, covers the basics of batch mixing.
Maynard discusses petfood batch mixing processes are described for common industrial applications. The differences between mixing and blending are presented, including the three basic mechanisms of mixing.

Latest trends seen at Global Pet Expo

More than 3,000 new products were presented by 779 exhibitors at the recent Global Pet Expo in Orlando, Florida, USA.
Among the new products, “We're seeing more and more of the same trends in pet health, wellness and fun that we see in our own lifestyles,” said Don Tomala, managing partner of Matrix Partners, an advertising and PR firm specializing in pet products. "These days, we are constantly looking for newer and better ways to stay healthy, fit and happy. These trends are just as important for pet parents and the products they buy for them.”

Greyhound wins Petrodex photo contest

Comet, a seven-year-old Greyhound, won the Superstar Smiles Photo Contest sponsored by Petrodex, a dental brand from Sergeant’s Pet Care Products Inc.
Radio personality and pet enthusiast Steve Dale served as the celebrity judge of the nationwide contest, which received nearly 2,000 photo entries in four weeks.

Zuke’s goes green

Zuke’s announced it is helping protect the environment by using eco-friendly petfood packages, alternative energies for its offices and offering eco-incentives to its employees.

FDA releases guidance document

The FDA announced the availability of the guidance document, Submitting a Report for Multiple Facilities to the Reportable Food Electronic Portal as Established by the Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act of 2007, which addresses the circumstance where reportable food is located at more than one of a company's facilities.

The 10 worst commercial dog food ingredients

The ingredients of dog food remain a mystery, with most of us not really wanting to know the truth about what our beloved pet is feasting on.
But just as it’s important to read the labels on the food you bring into your kitchen, the same goes for your dog’s food. When it comes to properly reading the labels on most commercial dog food packages, youneed to know the inside scoop on what is actually meant by terms like“meat and bone meal,” and “poultry by-products.”
Here is your guide to decoding ten of the worst commercial dog food ingredients. ...Read the full blog on www.petfood-connection.com.

SmartPak launches canine nutrition program

SmartPak, which until now has only been involved in human food and pet medications, recently launched the Proportions Whole Food Nutrition Program, a new canine nutrition brand. The program works by reducing carbs and starches by feeding a reduced portion of high quality dry food; increasing healthy, natural proteins and vegetables via a “stew” portion; and increasing the amount of fruits and vegetables in the diet with a “harvest mix” portion.

Three Dog Bakery expands with new product line

Three Dog Bakery announced the launch of a new product line at the recent Global Pet Expo.
Beginning in June 2010, the “Bake to Nature” line of dry kibble food will be sold in pet specialty and independent pet stores throughout the US. This product will include all-natural ingredients formulated to enhance a pet’s life and then baked using Three Dog Bakery’s baking process.

Dr. Edward Moser shares pet nutrition advice

Wellness Natural Pet Food’s veterinary nutritionist Dr. Edward Moser shared his advice for finding a proper diet for a dog or cat in honor of National Nutrition Month.
Dr. Moser counseled owners to carefully consider what’s in their pets’ food bowls, making sure the petfood is nutritionally balanced and every ingredient has a purpose. He recommended feeding petfood made with natural ingredients that owners can identify.

AFIA pushes for CFTC proposal

The American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) recently urged the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to implement a proposal that would uniformly enforce speculative position limits, enhance transparency and improve the regulation of all individuals who trade certain energy commodities.
AFIA, representing the makers of livestock feed, petfood and related ingredients, expressed its members’ views on the matter in formal comments submitted to the agency, characterizing the CFTC proposal as a “very positive step forward for the specified energy contracts.”

Bil-Jac to produce dog treats for Veteran’s K-9 Corps

America’s VetDogs Veteran’s K-9 Corps has licensed Bil-Jac Foods Inc. for dog treats.
America’s VetDogs Dog Treats launched at the 2010 Global Pet Expo in Orlando, Florida, USA. VetDogs Veteran's K-9 Corps trains and provides assistance dogs for US veterans and active duty personnel wtih disabilities.

Nature's Variety presents research, new logo at expo

Nature's Variety, a manufacturer of raw frozen petfood, presented research on raw diets for dogs and unveiled a new look for its brand at the 2010 Global Pet Expo in Orlando, Florida, USA.
The research was conducted independently by Kelly Swanson, PhD, associate professor of nutrition and animal sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, with his team. Preliminary results of the study, which Swanson and Nature's Variety said was the first conducted on raw dog foods, showed high palatability and digestibility for the diets tested.
Beginning with a new, more contemporary brand logo, Nature's Variety has also reworked its product packaging and overall brand identity to reflect its new company purpose, “Empowering people to transform the lives of pets.”

Mars Veterinary to conduct US mutt census

Mars announced that this year, mixed breed dogs in the US will have the chance to be counted with the nation’s first ever Mars Veterinary National Mutt Census.
Mixed breed dogs account for 53% of all pet dogs in the US, according to Mars. The National Mutt Census, to be conducted by Mars Veterinary, is expected to provide insights into the background of the nation’s mixed breed dog population.

RSPCA label receives approval

The Australian Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals’ (RSPCA) label received approval from consumer watchdog Choice as part of its review of food labels.
A Choice panel scrutinized the claims behind 10 of Australia's most recognized health and sustainability logos. RSPCA’s Approved Farming sticker, which indicates that the food product was responsibly and ethically sourced from sustainable outlets, was among those reviewed and was considered positively received by the panel.