The GREENIES® Brand and PetSmart® Bring Awareness of Pet Dental Health

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Feb. 17, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- During the month of February, two of the biggest names in the pet industry are teaming up to promote the importance of good oral health.  As a part of National Pet Dental Health Month and the PetSmart® "Healthy Teeth. Healthier Life." initiative, the GREENIES® brand team and PetSmart will be encouraging pet parents to take care of their pets' teeth in PetSmart stores throughout the U.S.

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Oral care continues to be one of the most overlooked areas of pet health. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, up to 80 percent of dogs develop oral health issues before the age of three. The GREENIES® brand team and PetSmart will be promoting ways to maintain good oral and overall health in pets.

Through this initiative, pet parents will be encouraged to seek professional preventive care through veterinary oral exams and teeth cleanings. They will also be encouraged to administer daily at-home care through teeth brushing or dental chews or treats with the Veterinary Oral Health Council Seal of Acceptance, like GREENIES® Canine Dental Chews and FELINE GREENIES® Dental Treats.  

"We are taking advantage of the opportunity to educate pet parents on how preventive oral care helps keep their pets healthy," said Dr. Simon Starkey, education veterinarian at PetSmart. "That's why we celebrate National Pet Dental Health Month and team up with brands like the GREENIES® brand that are dedicated to the specific and extremely important area of oral health."

Part of the brands' collaboration for National Pet Dental Health Month is a Pet Dental Day on Saturday, February 22. PetSmart associates will be giving coupons to their first 50 customers for a free individually wrapped GREENIES® Canine Dental Chew. PetSmart Grooming Salon associates will also give oral care tips and information from the GREENIES® brand team with additional coupons for a free GREENIES® Canine Dental Chew. Quantities of coupons are limited at each store. The week leading up to the Pet Dental Day, Dr. Starkey will take to the airwaves, offering interviews to discuss pet oral health.  

For more information on Pet Dental Day, pet parents can stop by their local PetSmart store or find the closest location by visiting stores.petsmart.com.

For more information on the "Healthy Teeth. Healthier Life." initiative, visit pets.petsmart.com/promotions/dental-solutions/.

About The Nutro Company 
The Nutro Company is a leading manufacturer of natural^* pet food products sold exclusively at pet specialty stores. The company has been making "The World's Best Pet Food" for more than 87 years and is dedicated to quality, excellence and innovation in dog and cat nutrition offering healthful formulas for every pet's life stage, activity level and size. The Nutro Company's family of brands includes NUTRO^® MAX^®, NUTRO^® NATURAL CHOICE^® and NUTRO^® ULTRA^™ natural pet food brands in addition to the GREENIES^® brands, which include the #1 vet-recommended pet-specialty canine dental chews and feline dental treats**, PILL POCKETS^® Treats and Hip & Joint Care Treats. For more information, please visit www.nutro.com and www.greenies.com.

^*Natural with added vitamins, minerals and other nutrients.
^**Among U.S. veterinarians that recommend Dental Chews/Treats for at-home oral care.

About PetSmart 
PetSmart, Inc. is the largest specialty pet retailer of services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets and is a leading online provider of pet supplies and pet care information (http://www.petsmart.com). The company employs approximately 54,000 associates and operates more than 1,314 pet stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, and over 196 in-store PetSmart® PetsHotel® dog and cat boarding facilities. PetSmart provides a broad range of competitively priced pet food and pet products; and offers dog training, pet grooming, pet boarding, PetSmart Doggie Day Camp^SM day care services and pet adoption services. Through its in-store pet adoption partnership with PetSmart Charities®, PetSmart has helped save the lives of more than 5 million pets since 1994. PetSmart Charities, Inc. and PetSmart Charities of Canada, Inc. ("PetSmart Charities") are independent, nonprofit organizations that save the lives of homeless pets and reduce shelter intake through spay/neuter efforts. In 2012, nearly 450,000 dogs and cats found homes through PetSmart Charities' adoption centers in all PetSmart stores and by sponsoring community adoption events. PetSmart Charities is the leader in granting money to help pets in need, with more than $28 million given in 2012 throughout North America.

Follow PetSmart on Twitter: @PetSmart
Find PetSmart on Facebook: www.facebook.com/PetSmart
See PetSmart on YouTube: www.YouTube.com/PetSmart

®/™ Trademarks © The Nutro Company 2014. U.S. Pat. Nos. D578,727 and D587,428.  PETSMART® and PETSMART PETSHOTEL® are trademarks of PetSmart, Inc.

SOURCE The Nutro Company