Pet News Roundup, April 25

Happy Friday!

This week brought a raft of interesting news: PawCo is teaming up with Harvard Data Analytics Group on an AI-powered pet food platform, South Korea is simplifying pet insurance and Pets At Home is expanding its subscription services.

Bonus unexpected news: Jonathan Davis, of nu metal band Korn, has created a luxury pet collection.

Meanwhile, don’t miss our spotlight on new online pet retailer, My Pet Supply Warehouse. Founder Joy Kashner shares how she’s keeping tariff troubles at bay with a smart launch strategy.

IN TODAY’S EDITION

🇺🇸 PawCo Foods and Harvard collaborate on AI-optimised pet food platform ● PawCo Foods has partnered with the Harvard Data Analytics Group (HDAG) to enhance its AI-powered pet food platform.  

🇺🇸 AAFCO and K-State launch new animal food ingredient review process ● The Association of American Feed Control Officials and Kansas State University Olathe Innovation Campus are launching a new review process (Scientific Review of Ingredient Submissions). This will enable rapid and accurate scientific assessment of new animal food ingredients that will be accepted by U.S. state regulators.  

🇺🇸 One-third of Americans live in an area where veterinary care is scarce ● A new report has found that 129 million Americans live in a “vet desert,” or an area with extremely limited access to veterinary care. 

🇺🇸🇨🇭 Seven-week strike at Nestlé Purina PetCare plant ends ● Workers with the local Teamsters Union went on strike at Nestlé Purina Petcare’s South Whitehall Township, Pennsylvania plant over wages and benefits. 

🇬🇧 CVS Group to sell crematorium business ● CVS Group plans to sell its pet crematorium business, and reinvest some of the proceeds in Australia, amid increasing regulatory pressure in the UK. Britain's veterinary sector has been under investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority amid concerns pet owners are being overcharged.

🇰🇷 South Korea standardises pet disease names to enhance insurance products and claims ● South Korea has systemised the naming and procedures for diseases and treatments for pets.  

🇺🇸 K9 Resorts signs 13-unit agreement in Florida ● K9 Resorts Luxury Pet Hotel has signed a multi-unit agreement with the brand's largest group of franchisees, Luxury Pet Hotel Investments, LLC to bring 13 locations to Florida. K9 Resorts has over 190 resorts across 28 U.S. states currently operating or in various stages of development.

🇺🇸 Nu metal band Korn’s Jonathan Davis launches luxury pet collection ● Korn’s Jonathan Davis and designer Ashton Michael have launched a luxury pet collection. A portion of proceeds will support non profit dog rescue Pup Culture Rescue.

🇬🇧 Pets at Home expands in-store subscription service ● Pets at Home expansion of its Easy Repeat subscription service across the UK. Easy Repeat, which allows customers to receive regular orders of pet products, currently exists as an online subscription service for essential items.

SPOTLIGHT: MY PET SUPPLY WAREHOUSE

Launching Into Headwinds 

Kashner describes the business as a community-minded “online corner store,” which serves groups often overlooked by larger suppliers, such as mobile groomers and small pet spas.

“I've had pets all my life, and our entire family loves pets,” she said. “So it seemed like a fit to move into that, even though it is very different from nursing.”

Kashner spent years planning the leap, funding the business herself through side hustles and a long-standing interest in e-commerce. 

TRADE HEADWINDS

Launching now, however, comes with a twist: new U.S. and Chinese tariffs. Here’s how Kashner adapted: 

• She prioritises U.S.-made products and suppliers.  

• Her customer base is almost entirely U.S.-based.  

• She’s building tighter planning cycles and contingency plans to stay agile.

In today’s tense trade environment, sourcing and selling domestically as much as possible will likely be an increasing trend among smaller U.S. pet retailers. 

GROWTH PROSPECTS

Looking ahead, Kashner has identified three key focus areas for her business (her scientific background proved invaluable in analysing mountains of market data):

• Outdoor & Mobility Gear

• Luxury Pet Lifestyle products

• B2B solutions. 

The first two segments, in particular, are poised for continued expansion, driven by the growing trend of pets being treated as cherished family members.

“People are doing a lot more with their pets,” Kashner said. “They're making them really part of their family, part of their adventures.”

For more information, visit: https://mypetsupplywarehouse.com.

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