American Humane, a national humane organization and certifier of animal welfare, has awarded Petco Health and Wellness Co. the American Humane Certified seal of approval. The seal was awarded after a careful assessment of the welfare, well-being and overall condition of all small mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates and aquatic life at Petco pet care centers, officials for American Humane reported.
Petco proactively invited American Humane to conduct independent on-site audits and observations of the behavior of, as well as the veterinary care, habitats, nutrition and safety provided to, the pets in its care. Following core principles, American Humane developed a thorough independent evaluation process that ultimately revealed pets at Petco pet care centers and animal supplier facilities are not only in good physical condition, but also enjoy excellent overall welfare, officials stated.
“Petco is to be commended for proactively taking the next step to help ensure animals in their care are treated humanely and ethically,” said Dr. Robin Ganzert, president and CEO of American Humane. “Pet parents can rest assured that when they see the American Humane Certified seal of approval, they know the pets they are welcoming into their homes have received the highest level of care and attention from a team of pet lovers. We applaud Petco for being a progressive industry leader committed to independent third-party audits, a first in the industry.”
American Humane convened an unmatched, independent scientific advisory committee comprised of highly respected experts in animal welfare, science, behavior and ethics that outlined and directed a comprehensive audit at Petco’s pet care centers and vendor locations, officials said. The assessment was specifically tailored to Petco’s operations in order to verify the humane treatment of pets in Petco’s care. American Humane was then granted full access to conduct independent audits of Petco’s pet care centers and animal supplier facilities. Following “rigorous” examinations administered by American Humane inspectors over the course of several months, American Humane awarded Petco the American Humane Certified seal of approval.
“We are proud to be the first pet retailer in history to receive American Humane’s certified seal of approval,” said Petco CEO Ron Coughlin. “This independent certification validates the industry-leading animal care standards that guide our operations, while at the same time raising the bar for the entire industry and recognizing our steadfast commitment to improving the lives of pets.”
American Humane’s independent review joins Petco’s already established roster of stringent animal care policies, procedures and guidelines designed to help ensure animals feel loved, happy, comfortable and secure at all times, developed under the supervision of the company’s own veterinary staff, along with counsel from an independent panel of experts in animal care, behavior, ethics and welfare, officials reported.
American Humane’s ongoing review and future independent recertifications of Petco will be in addition to Petco’s own animal care standards, including the Petco Vendor Certification and Standards of Excellence Program, which guides vendor operations. As part of this program, all vendors are inspected and must pass Petco’s certification process, which includes annual announced and unannounced onsite audits.
“Petco has taken significant leaps throughout its history to develop an intentional approach to ensuring the welfare of animals comes first and foremost,” said Dr. Lori Teller DVM, DABVP, CVJ, a member of the Petco Pet Wellness Council. “The company’s commitment to continuously seeking and responding to science-based consultation, now paired with American Humane’s expert support, will help ensure Petco remains ahead of the industry standard.”
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