Eukanuba and Canine Companions Extend 30+ Year Legacy; Expanded Partnership Includes VCA Animal Hospitals

Summary:

• Three-year renewal preserves Eukanuba™ as the exclusive dog nutrition partner for Canine Companions^® service dogs.
• VCA Animal Hospitals will join partnership as the preferred veterinary hospital network.

ST. CHARLES, Mo., May 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- EUKANUBA™, a division of Mars, Incorporated and leader in premium performance nutrition for sporting, working and service dogs, announced today a renewal of its strategic partnership with national nonprofit Canine Companions^®, building on 30+ years dedicated to improving people's lives with the support of service dogs.

Canine Companions is the first and largest service dog organization in the U.S. matching children, adults and veterans with a service dog specifically trained to meet their needs and disabilities. The expanded partnership will now include VCA Animal Hospitals, the global leader of comprehensive veterinary services and proudly part of Mars Veterinary Health.

Since 1991, Canine Companions has trusted Eukanuba premium formulas to support all stages of development of the dogs in their program. From gestational support in utero, through puppy growth, development and training, and as expertly trained adult service dogs, Eukanuba nutrition is continuing to support the unique physical and mental performance of these service dogs that are critical to their successful daily performance.

For service dogs, performance is a lifelong endeavor, and Eukanuba knows nutrition is critical from start of life, which is why the Premium Performance line delivers a tailored nutrition profile for service dog needs. Working dogs and those in training can both benefit from DHA and antioxidants to support brain health and development.

"We are proud to continue our partnership with Canine Companions to play an important role in fueling these service dogs throughout their critical stages of growth," said Brad Wadler, Vice President Marketing, Eukanuba. "Each dog alters the story of someone's life in ways that are beyond comprehension to many, and we are honored to play a part in providing the opportunity to create more independence for each recipient. We are also thrilled to bring our partners at VCA Animal Hospitals into the partnership to provide optimal care to these service dogs."

Additionally, VCA Animal Hospitals will expertly serve as a pet care network for Canine Companions, providing the world-class medicine and hometown care that many pet owners know and expect from the organization.

"We carry a strong sense of pride for our legacy of dedicated support to the canine community at the local level across various groups such as police dogs, military dogs, DEA dogs, search and rescue dogs and service dogs." said VCA's Chief Operating Officer Aaron Frazier. "Through this partnership, we have the opportunity to scale nationally and extend the level of care to prioritize well-being and deliver a complete preventive health solution for Canine Companions service dogs and the people that care for them."

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 64 million people in the United States live with a disability. ¹ Canine Companions serves clients in all 50 states and provides support for more than 65 disabilities, free of charge. The organization maintains a 99 percent satisfaction rate, with nearly 100 percent of clients reporting their service or facility dog's skills meet their needs.

"We're delighted to continue our long-standing, 33-year partnership with Eukanuba," said Paige Mazzoni, CEO of Canine Companions. "Not only has Eukanuba provided financial support for our mission year after year, but they are also furthering our ability to advance nutrition and optimal healthcare for our service dogs at all stages of their lives. As we expand further into the Mars pet ecosystem with the inclusion of VCA Animal Hospitals, we look forward to continuing to grow the partnership in multiple strategic ways in the months and years to come."

Mars is a leader in pet care products and services, confectionery, snacking and food, and the maker of some of the world's most-loved brands, including ROYAL CANIN^®, PEDIGREE^®, M&M'S^®, SNICKERS^®, BEN'S ORIGINAL and pet care across Mars' VCA veterinary clinic chain.

To learn more about Canine Companions visit, https://canine.org/. To learn more about the nutritional needs of service dogs, visit https://www.eukanuba.com/us/articles/nutritional-needs-of-service-dogs.

References

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Disability and Health Data System (DHDS) [Internet]. Available from: http://dhds.cdc.gov

Eukanuba™
With over 50 years of research, Eukanuba™ offers a complete food lineup, and delivers exceptional, customized nutrition. Eukanuba's products cater to all types of dogs and are categorized according to life-stage, size and health-and-performance requirements. For more information visit www.eukanubasportingdog.com or www.eukanuba.com.

About VCA Animal Hospitals
A leader in veterinary care, VCA Animal Hospitals is committed to taking care of the future of veterinary medicine. We are a family of hometown animal hospitals determined to positively impact pets, people, and our communities. From general practice to emergency and specialty care, VCA delivers world-class medicine and hometown care to more than four million pets each year. We invest in cutting-edge tools, training and technology that enables our Associates across our network of hospitals to lead the industry today and into tomorrow. Among our talented 35,000 Associates are nearly 7,000 veterinarians – including 430 who are board-certified specialists – nearly 4,000 credentialed veterinary technicians and more than 10,000 veterinary assistants – all dedicated to giving pets the very best in medical care.  

As part of the Mars Veterinary Health family of brands, VCA is taking care of the future of veterinary medicine to help achieve the Mars Petcare Purpose – A Better World for Pets^™. To learn more about VCA, visit www.vca.com.

Canine Companions^®
As the leader of the service dog industry, Canine Companions transforms the lives of children, adults and veterans with disabilities by providing expertly trained service dogs that assist with practical tasks, as well as provide unconditional love and acceptance—free of charge. This powerful relationship leads to increased independence, self-esteem and inclusion for a person with a disability. Established in 1975, Canine Companions is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) and has six training centers across the country serving all 50 states. Learn more at https://canine.org/ or call 1-800-572-BARK.  

SOURCE Eukanuba