Weekly companion animal news: January 15, 2024

Purina announces 2024 Pet Care Innovation Prize winners

Pet care startups have been named finalists for the eighth annual Pet Care Innovation Prize powered by Purina, each receiving $25,000. This year’s class represents innovation across the spectrum of pet care products and services, including pet enrichment toys, a toothbrush designed specifically for a cat’s anatomy, allergy-friendly pet treats and food, a microchip that monitors pet health from the inside, and a platform to help organizations provide foster care for pets. Finalists include Melbourne, Florida-based SwiftPaws; Kansas City, Missouri-based BestyBnB; Chicago, Illinois-based Arch Pet Food; Vancouver, Canada-based RYERCAT; and Perth, Australia-based VetChip. The five finalists will present their businesses in March at the Global Pet Expo trade show to an audience of Purina executives, industry influencers and investors. A grand prize winner will be chosen at the event to receive an additional $25,000 in cash from Purina.

What’s behind the rise in animal shelter intakes?

As 2023 came to a close, there were 250,000 more animals in the shelter system than the year before, Shelter Animals Count executive director Stephanie Filer told CBS News. “Families relinquish their pets for various, often heartbreaking reasons, including escalating costs of care, insufficient housing options for pet owners and limited access to veterinary care,” said Dr. Gary Weitzman, president and CEO of San Diego Humane Society. According to Mike Keiley, vice president of the animal protection division at MSPCA-Angell, “We believe a pause in spay/neuter surgery accessibility during the pandemic has also increased the number of animals in our shelters. The economy and inflation especially are bringing up the cost of everything, from dog food to medical care.”  In times of economic hardship, dogs and horses are the species affected the most, as larger animals are costlier to take care of, Keiley added.

Rise in kennel cough keeps dog owners away from groomers, boarders and veterinarians

A rise in kennel cough has left many dog owners wary of bringing their animals to groomers, boarders and even the veterinarian, CBS Los Angeles reports. “We’ve noticed a significant decline, anywhere from 25% to 35% of our normal every day,” said Diane Cuniff, owner of the dog daycare The Bone Adventure. “Clients have elected to stay away. The good news is that 65% to 75% of them are still coming.” However, employees have been affected, with their hours getting cut. Owners have also refrained from bringing their dogs to veterinarians, including the Newport Mesa Animal Hospital. “We’ve had people with sick animals not come in here because they’re worried about the virus,” medical director Dr. Tom Irwin said, noting that kennel cough is not a new disease. “It’s endemic which means it’s part of the dog population.”

Dog Aging Project at risk of losing funding

Scientists who study aging are concerned about the possible demise of one of the field’s biggest studies, the Dog Aging Project. The effort has been probing cognitive and physical aspects of aging in about 50,000 dogs and is running a clinical trial to test a drug that may boost the animals’ longevity. But organizers say the project will probably lose funding this year from the National Institute on Aging, which has provided at least 90% of its annual budget, now about $7 million. Organizers are pessimistic about continued funding because the project received marginal scores on its grant renewal application late last year. They are striving to raise money from other sources and have launched a petition drive to convince the director of the National Institutes of Health to intervene to restore funding, Science reports.

Rochester veterinarians organize after-hours care following emergency hospital closure

When the owners of the only emergency veterinary hospital in Rochester, New York, announced the practice would shut down, it was a blow for local pet owners and employees. Now, a trio of local practitioners has coalesced in the breach. Drs. Brenda Buck, Bruce Ingersoll and Dori Marion are leading a plan to get Rochester the overnight emergency veterinary care it needs by February 1. Under the auspices of a new nonprofit organization they formed called Rochester Emergency Veterinary Services, they plan to accept patients after hours on weekdays and continuously over the weekend at the Animal Hospital of Rochester, which is Buck’s practice. The three doctors hope to eventually open a standalone emergency hospital, the VIN News Service reports.

Pilot program aims to create pet-friendly spaces at homeless shelters

RedRover announced the launch of its 2024 Safe Housing Homeless Shelter Pilot Program following the support of an anonymous donor. A 1995 study found that 93% of men and 96% of women said they wouldn’t stay at a homeless shelter if pets weren’t allowed. The pilot program will offer Safe Housing grants of up to $100,000 for U.S. homeless shelters to start a pet-friendly program at their shelter. The funds can be used for building, renovations and pet care supplies, with limited funds available for veterinary care, transportation and more.

American Kennel Club launches online pet pharmacy with Allivet

The American Kennel Club has launched its online pet pharmacy, AKCRx. The nonprofit is working with pet pharmacy Allivet to deliver the service. According to the announcement, “AKCRx will offer a full complement of FDA and EPA prescription and over-the-counter selections for a wide range of animals, including dogs, cats, horses, livestock and birds.” Allivet processes and fills all orders placed on AKCRx.com. Customers don’t have to have dogs registered with the American Kennel Club.

Hound and NAVC partner to bring veterinary hiring software to practices

Hound, a developer of veterinary talent software, announced a partnership with Veterinary Advantage publisher NAVC to leverage Hound’s HR technology and the NAVC’s global veterinary network. The partnership aims to benefit veterinary workers and employers across the country by transforming veterinary recruiting, relief and retention with cutting-edge software. According to the announcement, the partnership will introduce a range of innovative tools and platforms designed to streamline the job search and hiring process, locum and per diem relief support, and employee retention initiatives. “Hound’s vision of ‘A pet care collective of happy, hardworking humans’ is a natural fit with NAVC’s vision of ‘A world in which the veterinary healthcare team thrives,’” said NAVC CEO Gene O’Neill. “We are thrilled to partner with Hound and offer these tools to our community.”