Petco Love Investing Additional $1 Million in the Fight Against Pet Cancer

Petco Love and Blue Buffalo continue 14-year commitment to annual May Pet Cancer Campaign with more than $19 million invested in the fight against pet cancer

SAN ANTONIO, May 2, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Petco Love knows pets are love. Today the national nonprofit, in partnership with Blue Buffalo, is returning the love by continuing to raise awareness about pet cancer and supporting pets fighting the disease. Pet cancer impacts millions of pets every year as the number one disease-related cause of death for dogs and cats in the U.S., afflicting one in four dogs and one in five cats.

Petco Love and Blue Buffalo are partnering for the 14^th annual May Pet Cancer Campaign and recognizing the $19 million impact made together in the fight against pet cancer, furthering pet cancer research, and supporting treatment for pets in need.

"This was a difficult situation, and I was heartbroken for Blake," recalled Mike, whose retired disaster search dog was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in his leg which required amputation, then chemotherapy. Thanks to the Petco Love Canine Cancer Fund through the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation, the Chocolate Labrador made a full recovery. "The Petco Love Canine Cancer Grant alleviated a lot of stress and let me focus on my partner's health instead of the hospital bill," said Mike. The fund helps working canines, active or retired, who are diagnosed with various types of cancer.

"We know pets are family, and too many pet parents are facing the challenges a cancer diagnosis brings," said Susanne Kogut, President of Petco Love. "We are proud to support treatment for pets with cancer and pet cancer research to save pets lives and to further Petco Love's mission of making pet families closer, stronger, and healthier."

Petco Love works with 12 university veterinary oncology partners. Funded partners include Colorado State University Foundation; Cornell Veterinary College; LSU Foundation (Louisiana State University — LSU); North Carolina Veterinary Medical Foundation; The Ohio State University Foundation; Texas A&M Foundation; University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine; University of Florida Foundation; University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine; University of Tennessee Foundation; University of Wisconsin Foundation; and, the Virginia Tech Foundation.

Jubal, who is also featured in this year's campaign, was treated for thymoma thanks to the Petco Love and Blue Buffalo Pet Cancer Treatment Fund through the University of Wisconsin Foundation. The fund supported Jubal's surgery and now the cat is back to feeling like his healthy self again.

Throughout May, Petco Love and Blue Buffalo are driving awareness of pet cancer and the need for early detection, including sharing the ten warning signs of cancer in dogs and cats. Pet parents facing the challenges of pet cancer and struggling to cover the costs of veterinary treatment can also find resources here.

"Raising awareness for pet cancer and helping to fight this terrible disease is central to Blue Buffalo's mission," said Haley Perry, senior manager of consumer activation at Blue Buffalo. "We celebrate the treatment advances made to date, brought to life in the stories of Blake and Jubal, while working towards a day when cancer will no longer devastate the lives of our furry family members."

From May 1, 2023, through May 28, 2023, Blue Buffalo is making a $1 donation to Petco Love for every purchase of Blue Buffalo dry food for dogs or cats made on petco.com, up to $75,000. Anyone can also join the fight against pet cancer with Petco Love and help improve access to pet cancer treatment for pets and their families by donating at petcolove.org/pca.

About Petco Love
Petco Love is a life-changing nonprofit organization that makes communities and pet families closer, stronger, and healthier. Since our founding in 1999 as the Petco Foundation, we've empowered animal welfare organizations by investing $350 million in adoption and other lifesaving efforts. We've helped find loving homes for more than 6.7 million pets in partnership with Petco and organizations nationwide.

Our love for pets drives us to lead with innovation, creating tools animal lovers need to reunite lost pets, and lead with passion, inspiring and mobilizing communities and our more than 4,000 animal welfare partners to drive lifesaving change alongside us.  Join us. Visit petcolove.org or follow on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn to be part of the lifesaving work we lead every day.

About Blue Buffalo
Blue Buffalo, the country's #1 wholesome natural pet food, started with a promise made to a lovable Airedale named Blue who struggled with cancer, the leading cause of death in dogs. His family, the Bishops, wanted to feed him the best food possible, so they searched for food with high-quality ingredients, but decided to create something even better – natural pet food for dogs and cats with nutritious ingredients, real meat first, and some of the highest standards in the industry. Since Day 1, BLUE's team of veterinarians and animal nutritionists have carefully selected high-quality, natural ingredients and upheld its True Promise to dog and cat pet parents – real meat as the first ingredient with NO chicken (or poultry) by-product meals, NO corn, wheat or soy, and NO artificial flavors or preservatives. The result is a portfolio of high-quality, natural food and treats that both dogs and cats love. This simple idea: "Love them like family. Feed them like family." lives on today in every Blue Buffalo recipe.

Media Contact:
Crystal Bugary, Petco Love, [email protected]

SOURCE Petco Love