Pet Advocacy Community Recognizes Pet Market Leaders | Marketplace News

The Pet Advocacy Network, formerly regarded as the Pet Sector Joint Advisory Council (PIJAC), recognized the achievements of a renowned group of pet care neighborhood industry experts with 7 awards presented for the duration of their 50th anniversary celebration event on March 22 in Orlando, Fla. The awards honored exceptional efforts in advocacy, communications and management.

Marcie Whichard, vice president of specialist & group relations at the North American Veterinary Local community (NAVC), obtained the Pet Advocacy Network Ambassador of the 12 months Award for her work building bridges involving the veterinary local community and the pet trade. Beforehand, as a director of the organization, she was instrumental in codifying standards of treatment and proactively operating to teach the public about responsible pet ownership. 

Pet Advocacy Network’s Chair’s Award of Excellence was provided to Phil Goss, president of the United States Affiliation of Reptile Keepers (USARK), for his attempts to foster positive modify in the pet trade, foremost to notable successes on issues affecting reptile breeders and keepers. Not long ago, he and USARK have been at the forefront of sounding the alarm and serving to kind the coalition doing work to protect against a proposed amendment to the Lacey Act that would have popular adverse implications for the dependable pet trade.

Jeff San Souci, director of marketing and advertising at the Hagen Team, was awarded the President’s Appreciation Award for fantastic assistance to the Pet Advocacy Network. He volunteered major time and branding know-how to the organization’s recent extensive rebranding challenge, and as the Entire world Pet Association’s representative to the board of administrators, he shown unwavering determination to supporting the organization’s get the job done and mission.

The Pet Treatment Local community Leaders of the Calendar year Award acknowledged frontline pet care workers. Pet store clerks, pet food manufacturers, veterinary treatment providers and some others not only continued to do the job even with threats to their individual wellbeing and security, they tailored to changing regulations and adopted new basic safety protocols to be certain that America’s pets continued to receive the treatment they deserved all over the uncertain situations of the pandemic.

Rick Preuss, operator of Preuss Pets in Lansing, Mich., was given the Pet Advocate of the Year Award as a main voice encouraging ongoing development and enhancement in attempts to prioritize the wellness and properly-becoming of animals. For many years, Preuss has hosted educational activities in his retail outlet, taught in classrooms, and engaged with lawmakers in Michigan and Washington—sharing his practical experience and knowledge as they contemplate intricate troubles this kind of as combatting invasive species.

The “Power of Pets” award identified Michelson Uncovered Animal’s Pet Inclusive Housing Initiative for its objective of conquering systemic obstacles to pet ownership. The coalition encourages personal and public condominium structures and other multifamily household properties to undertake pet-helpful insurance policies through instruction, peer-to-peer outreach, and legislative advocacy, fostering improved possibilities for pet possession for thousands and thousands of Americans.

Laura “Peach” Reid, president of Fish Mart, acquired Pet Advocacy Network’s Nancy G. Knutson Lifetime Accomplishment Award for her legacy as one as the most devoted and motivational advocates in the pet treatment community. Her a long time of activism on pet possession challenges in Connecticut and throughout the place drastically greater the success and attain of the Pet Advocacy Network’s work. As the organization’s initial woman board chair, her management helped steer the firm by means of a complicated changeover and into the respected purpose it presently enjoys.