NEW YORK — It was relatively a quiet week for the pet industry in terms of the market place, but it did bring the announcement of a new president for a newly formed group, the filing of a Form 8-K for a stock sale and a little insight into the industry’s growth — driven by the dawning age of “pet parents.”
Welcome, Madame President
On Thursday, Sept. 24, Henry Schein Inc. (Nasdaq: HSIC) announced the appointment of Lonnie Shoff as president of Henry Schein Global Healthcare Specialties Group.
Henry Schein is primarily in the dental products business but also distributes animal health products, in addition to software systems to dentists, medical doctors and animal health clinics.
Within Global Healthcare Specialties Group — a newly formed division — Shoff will be responsible for the dental specialties and global exclusive brands. Previously, Shoff was at Roche Diagnostics for more than 20 years, where she was senior vice president and general manager of the Applied Science group, as well as in charge of U.S. commercial operations for the $350 million group.
Henry Schein’s stock price has been steadily increasing for the past six months with a 52-week low of $32per share but has remained above $50 per share in the past month. As of press time, the announcement of Shoff’s appointment appears to have no significant effect on the stock price.
8-K Filed for Sale of Stock
On Friday, Sept. 18, MWI Veterinary Supply Inc. (Nasdaq: MWIV), which distributes pharmaceuticals, vaccines, diagnostics, capital equipment, supplies, veterinary pet food, and nutritional products to veterinarians, filed a Form 8-K with the SEC concerning a trading plan created by its parent company, Agri Beef Co.
Sold to the beef producer in 1981, the form disclosed “that Agri Beef Co. has entered into a pre-arranged stock trading plan to sell a limited number of their shares of the [MWI’s] common stock. The 10b5-1 Plan entered into by Agri Beef Co. allows for the sale of a maximum of 227,346 shares of the company’s common stock through August 31, 2010.”
Following the announcement last Friday, the company’s stock saw a slight jump Monday and Tuesday reaching more than $42 per share but generally appears to be remaining in its previous range for the past month between $38 and $40 per share. The 52-week range for the company’s stock is $20.16 to $42.21 per share.
Why PetMed Express Could Grow & Grow
Last Thursday, Sept. 17, the Motley Fool’s Matt Koppenheffer named seven stocks he predicted would surely grow over the next several years and PetMed Express (Nasdaq: PETS) was one of the lucky seven.
But, his reasoning appeared to have nothing to do with luck but rather healthy financials — citing almost no debt, positive cash flow and doubling of revenue in four years — as well as pet owners.
As Koppenheffer puts it: “Gone are the days when Fido was relegated to the backyard and treated like, well, an animal. Pet owners increasingly see their pets as a part of the family, and in many cases are as concerned about the well-being of their dog or cat as they would be about a child.”
PetMed’s stock has fluctuated in the past year, at times below $13 per share but has remained steadily above $17 per share for the past two months.
That’s the latest business news in the pet industry. Stay tuned for another round-up at the end of next week.
By: Jennifer Fernicola – business correspondent for Zootoo Pet News.
More than 1 million dogs and cats are at risk for becoming homeless, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) believes.
In response to a request from DVM Newsmagazine, ASPCA officials estimate that 500,000 to 1 million cats and dogs in the country could be given up by their owners for economic reasons.
Why the huge disparity? Many shelters are not equipped to accurately report numbers and reasons for relinquishments, says Alison M. Zaccone, manager of media and communications at ASPCA.
“Economic issues aside, it is estimated that 5 million companion animals enter shelters each year,” Zawistowski adds.
“If you factor in the animals merely in danger of becoming homeless, it could result in an extra 10 percent to 20 percent increase in relinquishments to shelters. This has the potential to grow into a serious animal-welfare issue, and some regions of the United States, like Nevada — where the foreclosure rates are three times the national average could be hit much harder than others.”
Source: Dr. Mercola – Healthy Pets
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Up to 1 million pets at risk during economic crisis
New York– More than 1 million dogs and cats are at risk for becoming homeless, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) believes.
In response to a request from DVM Newsmagazine, ASPCA officials estimate that 500,000 to 1 million cats and dogs in the country could be given up by their owners for economic reasons.
Why the huge disparity? Many shelters are not equipped to accurately report numbers and reasons for relinquishments, says Alison M. Zaccone, manager of media and communications at ASPCA.
“According to national financial estimates, approximately one in 171 homes in the United States is in danger of foreclosure due to the subprime mortgage crisis,” adds Dr. Stephen Zawistowski, executive vice president of ASPCA programs and its science advisor, in a prepared statement. “Considering that approximately 63 percent of U.S. households have at least one or more pets, hundreds of thousands of animals are in danger of being abandoned or relinquished to animal shelters.
“Economic issues aside, it is estimated that 5 million companion animals enter shelters each year,” Zawistowski adds. “If you factor in the animals merely in danger of becoming homeless, it could result in an extra 10 percent to 20 percent increase in relinquishments to shelters. This has the potential to grow into a serious animal-welfare issue, and some regions of the United States, like Nevada – where the foreclosure rates are three times the national average – could be hit much harder than others.”
Originally Posted: Feb 5, 2009
By: Daniel R. Verdon – DVM NEWSMAGAZINE
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In October 2008, an article appeared in The Denver Post about a woman who tried to poison her dog with an overdose of anti-anxiety pills. When it didn’t die, she shot it four times with a .22 caliber handgun.
Animal cruelty?
Yes, but at its roots, sheer desperation…
Paula Harding, age 33, told police she couldn’t afford a veterinarian due to financial problems, nor could she afford euthanasia for her sick 15-year-old terrier/poodle mix. She called her dog a “good friend” and felt she had no other option. Now, on top of her financial difficulties, she faces animal cruelty charges.
The Grim Reality
Sad cases like this are turning up all over the country. On May 28 a big semi pulled into my veterinary practice after-hours and begged the last remaining staff person to please take their ill cat. They were passing through the area and felt we may be compassionate enough to euthanize their sick cat for free. Otherwise, they told my employee, they would be forced to dump her paralyzed body along a busy street, hoping someone would find her and be able to afford a humane euthanasia.
Pets are the voiceless victims of the tanking economy and are frequently abandoned at shelters or even left behind in foreclosed homes.
Some of these abandoned and starving animals aren’t being discovered until real estate agents come to show the property, many days or weeks later. There are tales of dogs being found in state parks, cats left on doorsteps in cat carriers, and animals simply abandoned on the street.
People are having to choose between feeding their children and feeding their pets, and pets are losing. As the cost of food and healthcare rises, so does pet food and veterinary care.
So many people are feeling forced to abandon their animals that a new term is being used: “foreclosure pets.” The number of foreclosure pets is increasing while the donations and offers for housing are decreasing.
According to the New Haven Register, shelter and rescue operations are up by 15 or 20 percent, in some cases more. The number of people adopting is dropping in some areas, but increasing in others…a small bright spot in the story.
Donna Miles of Bella Vista Animal Shelter reported she receives two or three calls per day from pet owners who are no longer capable of caring for them. These calls used to come from folks who had been through divorce and could not keep their pets, but lately, the foreclosure crisis is the cause, although owners are often reluctant and embarrassed to talk about it.
Another shelter owner said the animals she used to receive were scruffy and underfed, but of late, she is receiving animals that are obviously well loved and well cared for. These pets are arriving shelters, complete with cat trees, litter boxes, favorite toys and photo albums.
This is such a heart-breaking testament to the anguish people must face in having to part with their devoted companions.
Big Hearts Are Stepping Up
Many shelters are seeing an increase in donations and adoptions. Instead of taking a vacation, some animal lovers are rescuing an abandoned pet instead.
Organizations are popping up everywhere to help with the pet crisis. An organization called No Paws Left Behind helps people find new lodging for their animals, trying to work with pet owners before the foreclosure takes place.
One of their main goals is to educate people about the types of shelters they’re selecting. Many have a No Kill policy in place. However, shelters without a No Kill policy are responsible for euthanizing more than 12 million dogs and cats each year.
The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) created a grant program in March 2008 to help with the foreclosure pets. Grants ranged from $500 to 2,000 per organization.
However, due to financial constraints, they had to temporarily close the Foreclosure Pets Fund as of May 4, 2009. Unfortunately, there are more dogs than dollars.
What You Can Do
The Humane Society website has some excellent suggestions for pet owners who are facing economic hardship. Here are some of their suggestions, and a few additional thoughts:
Plan ahead. There are folks who can help you find animal friendly housing, but you must not wait until you are homeless to get your ducks in a row (or your cats and dogs). Check ads and contact real estate agents at least six weeks before you have to move. Contact your local Humane Society office, which sometimes keeps a list of pet-friendly apartments. Gather proof that you’re responsible. Once you have permission from a landlord, get it in writing.
Be proactive. It is unlikely you’ll be able to rent a small apartment with 6 animals in tow. Try to find homes for your animals yourself. What about friends and family? What about a local shelter? People at church?
Don’t be shy—ask for help. Reach out to fellow dog and cat owners. Put the word out. Ask your neighbors to help. Even contact a news organization!
Let your vet know. He or she might be able to help by offering a discount, and by prescribing only the most vital vaccination (the only vaccine required by law is rabies vaccine) to keep your pet healthy. And vets are usually knowledgeable about local community resources.
Keep the faith. There are a lot of good people out there who are looking for ways to help. Once you are on your feet again, you may be able to retrieve your pet.
DON’T leave your pet behind, no matter what. No matter how hard it is to cope or how overwhelmed you are, please don’t leave your pets in your house when you move out. It can be weeks before the lender or a realtor comes to the house and finds Fluffy slowly starving inside.
If you are considering adding a pet to your life, please consider rescuing a homeless pet from a shelter, instead of buying a puppymill pet from a store. Or, if you want a slightly different experience, you might be interested in becoming a foster care volunteer for a homeless dog or cat.
The bottom line is, our pets are in need of bailout, far more than our banks. You can make a difference, and the first step is getting educated on the issues.
Our pets, who bring us many years of happiness and devotion and good health, are completely dependent on us. Don’t let them suffer in silence any longer.
Good Animal Welfare Organizations
The following is a list of animal welfare organizations that are actively involved in lessening the impact of this economic crisis on our furry friends.
Pet Air, an all pet in cabin airline, launched service from Los Angeles today. They will ship pets and animal types from A to Z, to and from 150 airports, at this point.
They scheduled New York, Washington D.C., Chicago, Denver, and Los Angeles as the first cities, and have a “treat” for your pet when it comes to prices, for the introductory cost of $149 to all destinations.
At Pet Airways, it costs $149+ to fly your pet in the main cabin with a trained and loving Pet Attendant to care for your loved one. No cargo ! Only First Class for your pet! Do you have cat scratch fever and want to travel this summer? Visit the website: www.petairways.com/content/reservations
This is a great alternative to flying your pet in cargo!!!!
Pet Air has been shipping animals for over twenty-eight years. We provide services to breeders, hobbyist, zoos, rescue organizations, individuals relocating or vacationing, and many other groups. We offer several types of services; our most popular are listed below.
The current U.S. financial crisis has the potential to grow into a serious animal welfare issue, warns Executive Vice President of ASPCA Programs, Dr. Stephen Zawistowski. As households across the country are caught in the economic downturn, an estimated 500,000 to one million cats and dogs are at risk of becoming homeless.
“According to national financial estimates, approximately one in 171 homes in the U.S. is in danger of foreclosure due to the subprime mortgage crisis,” Zawistowski observes. “Considering that approximately 63 percent of U.S. households have at least one pet, hundreds of thousands are in danger of being abandoned or relinquished to animal shelters.”
To avoid or ease the heartbreak of losing an animal companion due to economic hardship, the ASPCA urges pet owners who are faced with foreclosure to think of alternatives ahead of time:
See if friends, family or neighbors can provide temporary foster care for their pet until they get back on their feet.
If they are moving into a rental property, get written permission in advance that pets are allowed.
“Everyone is being affected by the current economic crisis in some way,” says ASPCA President & CEO Ed Sayres. “Community animal shelters and rescue groups across the country may soon be seeing an increase in homeless pets or a decrease in the donations they rely on.”
We urge ASPCA News Alert readers to help in any way that you can:
Adopt a homeless pet.
Donate used blankets, towels or even tennis balls to your local animal shelter.
Foster adoptable animals until they find their forever homes.
Help community members who may be struggling to take care of their pets.
For more information on pets in the economic crisis, please visit our pressroom.
Believe it or not, your pet knows the secrets to achieving a successful relationship. Here are five love lessons that man’s best friend can share with you.
Though dogs have been labeled man’s best friend, when it comes down to it, Fido is probably more the type of buddy you’d seek out for a game of catch, not love advice. According to Harrison Forbes, professional dog trainer and author ofHeart of a Dog: What Challenging Dogs Have Taught Me About Love, Trust and Second Chances, however, you might want to reconsider the notion that your canine knows nothing about matters of the heart. “Dogs do the types of things we should do more often, and the things they don’t get involved in — well, we should really skip them, too, if we’re looking for love,” he asserts. Puzzled by the notion that you may actually be able to get some romance pointers from your Pointer? Read on for five love lessons you can learn from dogs.
1. The reassurance of forgiveness
In order to have a successful partnership, letting bygones be bygones is crucial. An inability to get over issues and move ahead is a key roadblock to happiness. Dogs, Forbes notes, are always in the moment and therefore don’t hold grudges or hang onto resentment. “Dogs wipe the slate clean many times a day,” he explains. “If you are grumpy and yell at your dog, but then wait a minute and act like you never did, he will forgive you — many times over. If humans could let the little things go as easily as dogs do, their relationships would be better for it.”
2. The security of unconditional love
Forbes says that as a rule, when a dog loves his owner, that bond is lasting and real. “It’s interesting to note that celebrities are over-the-top pet lovers,” he says. “This is because their dogs really love them for who they are, not their A-list status; a dog will always treat you the same. Dogs offer truly substantive relationships in a way most people don’t,” he notes. When it comes to romantic relationships, humans should strive to emulate a dog’s focus on what a person really offers in terms of love, kindness and warmth, he advises.
3. The comfort of consistency
In a romantic relationship, consistency can be quite comforting. What’s not to love about a partner who is never moody or capricious? “We as humans understand there are different types of behavior, yet we crave consistency,” Forbes says. “With dogs, regardless of your animal’s personality, you pretty much get the same behavior unless he’s ill. A lot of people take comfort in that aspect of pet ownership, so you can only imagine how much similar behavior could add to a romantic relationship.”
4. The need to be playful
Forbes notes that most dogs want to have a good time, keeping things light and not so serious all of the time. “The easiest way to burn out a working dog is to work him all the time — that pretty much goes for relationships as well,” he says. In police-dog training, Forbes explains, training is balanced with play and fun. “The harder you go at it in a training phase, the more you have to counterbalance it,” he says. “It’s the same with a relationship — you have to relieve the pressure through play and good times.”
5. The importance of effective communication
While communicating with your partner is important in a relationship, it’s not merely the act of communicating that will ensure your relationship’s success, but finding the way to do so that best matches your partner’s needs. This is a skill that you can easily learn from working with dogs, Forbes says. “The different ways in which I communicate with my three dogs are suited to what works best for them … and for me with them,” he explains. You have to be willing to experiment and find the best way to communicate with dogs, and the same goes for your romantic interests, he says: “Just as a hot-tempered dog won’t respond to yelling and lots of commands, neither will a hot-tempered person. At the same time, some more sensitive types may need a gentler approach. Essentially, no one person or dog communicates the same way — each individual has a unique style, and taking the time to learn about your partner’s needs is the key to a strong bond.”
If you have room in your home and in your heart please adopt just one more pet in 2009 and help stop unnecessary pet and animal euthenization. And please be an animal advocate by supporting the humane treatment of all animals and reporting even suspected abuse and cruelty.
Another great way to help is to become a foster parent for pets (and all animals if you have the room) in need or waiting for homes or placement.
Below are some some photos of our gang… our four (a chihuahua and three chiweenies) and our daughter’s two ( a papillion and a chorkie) taken on Christmas Eve. We also do some temporary emergency fostering.
Any home is made better with the special love of a pet!! And all animals are God’s creatures and deserve fair and humane treatment, so help spread the love.
Sure, you’d like Fifi to share in the joys of the holiday table, but resist the urge to be generous. Foods and drinks you digest easily, like the following, can cause trouble for your pooch:
Dinner rolls — Dough expands in the stomach, creating distressing gas.
Onions and garlic — These flavor enhancers contain a compound that could damage a dog’s red blood cells, causing anemia.
Rich sauces — Gravy upsets the stomach and may lead to pancreatitis.
Bones — Sharp pieces of bone can choke a dog or pierce or block her gastrointestinal tract.
Alcohol — Even slightly spiked eggnog can be toxic, so don’t leave any drinks unattended.
In addition to avoiding the “no-nos”… how much people food you share at the holidays should be gaged by whether you normally cook for your pets and their main diet is so-called people food, whether they eat only traditional dog food, whether they eat raw food, or whether they normally eat dog food with a little cooked or people food or get some scraps here and there. But sharing a little of your holiday food is certainly not a bad thing!!
At a special legislative session held earlier this month to address the state’s budget crisis, Governor Schwarzenegger proposed new taxes on certain services—including an approximate nine-percent tax on veterinary services. If this should happen, it will have a negative impact on the health and welfare of California’s pets.
During this economic downturn, animal owners are already being forced to make tough choices. Animal shelters are at capacity, but the number of homeless pets continues to rise as people lose their homes to foreclosure and unemployment rates climb. A tax on veterinary services will lead to a decline in routine wellness visits—even by responsible owners—which are vital for catching health problems in the early, treatable stages. It will also lead to an increase in pet abandonment, putting more financial strain on California’s state-funded animal shelters. Taxing veterinary services is a quick-fix, shortsighted solution that will hurt animals and could cost the State more in the long run.
Everyday we read or hear another story about pets and other animals being abandoned in record numbers while at the same time we regularly hear about crazy new rules and laws being passed limiting the amount of pets that people may have, even down to one or two… or worse yet, none.
Nobody is promoting hoarding pets or animals, but at a time when there are more pets and animals of all types being abandoned or being taken to shelters already bursting at the seams, there is nothing crazier than legislating away the ability of willing adoptive families to take in just one more pet!!
Our goal is to raise awareness and help find homes for all pets and animals that need one by helping to match them with loving families and positive situations. Our goal is also to help fight the trend of unfavorable legislation and rules in an attempt to stop unnecessary Euthenization!!
“All over the world, major universities are researching the therapeutic value of pets in our society and the number of hospitals, nursing homes, prisons and mental institutions which are employing full-time pet therapists and animals is increasing daily.” ~ Betty White, American Actress, Animal Activist, and Author of Pet Love
So if you have the room in your home and the love in your heart… Adopt Just One More Pet or consider becoming a Foster parent for pets… Also check out: Little Critter: Just One More Pet
There is always room for Just One More Pet. So if you have room in your home and room in your heart… Adopt Just One More! If you live in an area that promotes unreasonable limitations on pets… fight the good fight and help change the rules and legislation…
Save the Life of Just One More…Animal!
Recent and Seasonal Shots
As I have been fighting Cancer… A battle I am gratefully winning, my furkids have not left my side. They have been a large part of my recovery!! Ask Marion
Photos by the UCLA Shutterbug are protected by copyright, Please email at JustOneMorePet@gmail.com or find us on twitter @JustOneMorePet for permission to duplicate for commerical purposes or to purchase photos.
If you can adopt or foster just one more pet, you could be saving a life, while adding joy to your own! Our shelters are over-flowing… Please join the fight to make them all ‘NO-Kill’ facilities.
Great Book for Children and Pet Lovers… And a Perfect Holiday Gift
One More Pet
Emily loves animals so much that she can’t resist bringing them home. When a local farmer feels under the weather, she is only too eager to “feed the lambs, milk the cows and brush the rams.” The farmer is so grateful for Emily’s help that he gives her a giant egg... Can you guess what happens after that? The rhythmic verse begs to be read aloud, and the lively pictures will delight children as they watch Emily’s collection of pets get bigger and bigger.
A recent national survey revealed just how much Americans love their companion animals. When respondents were asked whether they’d like to spend life stranded on a deserted island with either their spouse or their pet, over 60% said they would prefer their dog or cat for companionship!
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