March 20, 2024 • 29 mins
Join us for a special edition of the Pets Add Life Podcast live from Global Pet Expo! Hosted by Kristen Levine and Dr. Courtney Campbell, veterinary surgeon and media personality live from the trade show floor, we’re unpacking all the excitement and innovation at the premier pet industry event showcasing the latest pet products and brands. Dive in with us as we explore groundbreaking products, talk with industry pioneers and share heartwarming moments from the show.
Hosts:
- Kristen Levine, Pet Living Expert
- Dr. Courtney Campbell, Veterinary Surgeon & Media Personality
Special Guests:
- Mary Helen Horn (President & Executive Director) & Jessica Krueger (Senior Marketing Manager) of ZIWI
- Xiomara Gonzales (Animal/Pet and Human Interest Feature Correspondent) with Univision Communications Inc.
Discount Code:
Get 20% off a one-time purchase at us.ziwipets.com with code PALPOD20
Related Links:
- ZIWI
Social Channels:
- Follow Dr. Courtney Campbell on Instagram, Facebook, X & LinkedIn
- Follow Xiomara Gonzales on LinkedIn
- Follow Global Pet Expo on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, X & LinkedIn
- Follow Pets Add Life on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok & X
Submit a question to the podcast
Presented by: American Pet Products Association (APPA) & DOGTV
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Music.
(00:07):
Your guide to the latest in pet trends, products, and the joy of the human-animal bond.
With Kristen Levine and Chris Bonifati. Powered by the American Pet Products Association and Dog TV.
Live from Orlando, Florida, this is the Pets Add Life podcast at Global Pet Expo.
And I have a very special guest today, Dr.
(00:28):
Courtney Campbell. Welcome! Well, thank you. I don't even know if I'm that special,
but I feel energized to be here. This is something I've been looking forward
to all day long. So thank you for having me. Oh, absolutely.
I love working with you. And I, you know, I think you told me this is your first Global Pet Expo.
This is my first Global Pet Expo on the exhibition floor.
(00:53):
And when somebody started to give me an inclination on what it would be like,
I talked to Pete Scott and he said, this is the size of six Home Depots.
Now, I've been in a Home Depot and it's huge.
He said six of them. I said, good Lord. So I put on different shoes.
I had to put on my walking shoes.
Those are really nice looking, comfortable walking shoes. I got to say.
(01:14):
Well, thanks. I appreciate it.
I was like, you know, comfort rules the day, particularly if you have to walk
six Home Depots. But you know what?
The reality is, Kristen, it doesn't feel like it because you see so many innovations.
You see, you know, progressive movements in terms of pet tech,
accessibility, eco-friendly products that you're so busy looking at everything.
You don't even realize how far you've walked. Yeah.
(01:36):
Well, I love that we're able to do the podcast live from the show because it
gives us access to all this innovation.
Face-to-face interviews, and you're getting to meet a lot of folks on this side
of the pet world because you're typically attending veterinary conferences.
And what's kind of neat is that this is really the first show under Pete Scott where we're.
(01:57):
Connecting the dots between the veterinary world and the pet products world.
And you are just the perfect person.
Well, I appreciate you saying that, but you hit the nail on the head.
It's like you're, you're like speaking my language when you say that,
because you're exactly right.
The pet world and the vet world have been so siloed for so long and it doesn't have to be that way.
(02:17):
There's so much interconnectivity and sort of seamless, seamless interaction
and synergy that we can can generate from the pet world and the vet world.
And I think it's about time. This has been a long time in the making and it's
happening right in front of our eyes. Absolutely.
I want to call us history makers, but I don't want, that's a little bit too much.
Well, okay. So the audience hasn't met you yet. I'm sure they,
(02:39):
many of them probably already know who you are, but you are a veterinary surgeon
and you work out of Santa Monica, California, Santa Barbara, California.
There's a lot of Santas out in Santa Ana. There's a lot of Santas.
Yeah. Santa Barbara. Santa Santa Barbara. Yeah.
And tell us about your typical week. Yeah. So, you know, as a veterinary surgeon,
a lot of people like, well, what's the point of a veterinary surgeon? What do they do?
(03:01):
And veterinary surgeons do go through, you know, extensive extra training.
They graduate from veterinary school and then they do something called an internship,
which is one year period of your life where it is on the grind. Long hours, low pay.
I did three one year internships and then I did a three year residency on top
of that. And so there's at least six years of extra training.
(03:23):
And then you take this ridiculously hard test. And once you pass it,
you're what's classified as a board certified veterinary surgeon.
And you say, well, what's the big deal about that?
You know, my veterinarian in my community, he enjoys surgery,
he or she enjoys surgery, and they do an excellent job at it.
And the reality is veterinary surgeons are there for the more challenging cases,
(03:44):
more technically demanding cases, or maybe they have specialty equipment that
your primary care practitioner may not have.
So that's what our role is there for. We are there to sort of tackle issues.
The most difficult and the most head-scratching cases that you can imagine.
And listen, it gives me a lot of headache, but at the end of the day,
it's so fulfilling. I bet it is. And that's what we're there for.
(04:06):
And it's awesome that our pets can have the same level of care that we as humans
can have. It's the same reason why we would go to a specialist.
When I had ankle surgery, I went to an ankle surgeon. That was his area of focus.
Yeah. You know what's fascinating about that parallel that you just drew about
ankle surgery surgery is that sometimes we will have pet parents who come in
(04:29):
and they will have their personal experience with surgery.
They'll have their knee reconstructed, or they have had a hip replacement,
or maybe even an ankle replacement.
And one of the questions that's really popular is, hey, doc,
how many of these have you done?
And so it reminds me of a question that I'll get sometimes from veterinary nurses
and veterinary technicians, where they say to me, doc, don't you get bored of
(04:53):
doing a lot of the same surgery?
And I say to them, if you are going to get an ankle replacement or knee replacement,
would you want the surgeon who's done maybe one of a hundred different surgeries
or a hundred of the same surgery?
And they're like, I get it. You know what I mean? So yes, there are times in
which the repetition in surgery, it just helps you get better and better and better.
(05:18):
And so when I'm encountered with a very popular surgery, which is like dog knee
surgery. That's very common.
If you can get your quote reps in, then that's going to help a lot more dogs. Absolutely.
Do you have a favorite surgery? Probably dog knee surgery.
But I will say certainly, certainly when you think about a dog who's young and
(05:38):
healthy and has the unfortunate event to be hit by a car and ends up with a
very complicated fracture of a bone and you can put those bones back together
and that dog has an excellent prognosis,
it's such a heartwarming feeling because you know that that dog has its entire
life ahead of them and can run and play and that's species diverse family member
(06:00):
because that's really what they are. Now they can enjoy time together.
I like that. Species diverse family member. Yes.
The product of the week. This show has to be a lot of fun for you because it's all pet products.
And you were on the floor all day today just checking out different booths and things like that.
Do you have a favorite or do you want to share a little bit about what you saw?
(06:21):
You know, there is a word that pops in my head and that word is accessibility.
I love where we can bring pet care, pet wellness, veterinary medicine to more
people and more families. And there was one thing on the floor that really,
I think, underscores that word of accessibility.
And that was a mobile pet grooming truck. And this van is outfitted with a tub,
(06:46):
a shower. It has cabinets.
I mean, there was a program on MTV and excuse the title, but it was called Pimp My Ride. right?
This is Pimp My Ride in the best possible way. Pimp My Groom.
Pimp My Grooming, Chuck, right? This is the best possible way to modify,
adjust this van to give more access to pet grooming to more people.
(07:11):
Now, this not only gives the access to the pets, but it also gives people opportunity
to be their own entrepreneurs, right?
It gives an opportunity for people to achieve their dreams of being an entrepreneur.
So I just think for the pets, the families, and just business in general,
I think accessibility is the key word.
Now, I hate to do this to you because you're the host, but I got to flip it
(07:33):
back on you. Do you have a favorite, Kristen?
I do. I do. I actually sat on a panel today that was all about addressing the
barriers to pet ownership. Yes.
And we had a veterinarian on the panel and gentlemen from the pet products industry.
So we talked about it from a lot of different angles, like from pet-friendly
(07:54):
housing to affordable care and that sort of thing.
And obviously, things have gotten really expensive lately with inflation.
And one of the biggest challenges that pet parents are facing are the cost of care.
And of course, veterinary care always comes up. And I was curious to know,
I thought about this while we were having the conversation. I thought,
(08:15):
how in the world of specialty care.
How, what's being done, if anything, to help people who maybe can't afford a
specialist to actually get that specialty care when they need it?
Sure. Certainly there is an organization.
And that was, I'm sorry, I threw that question back at you, but that was- No,
absolutely. There's an organization that pops into my head that I have the pleasure
(08:39):
of helping and doing everything I can to help promote their mission.
It's called the Compassion Animal Animal Project. And their sole mission or
CAP, their sole mission is to help those who are seeking specialty care who
run into financial hardship and financial difficulties.
And that financial barrier is probably one of the largest hurdles or the strongest
(09:00):
and most powerful economic hurdle that a lot of pet parents have to contend with.
And so Compassionate Animal Project, Please look them up if you can.
It's an excellent philanthropic organization and they're doing great work.
And I think that there's room to tackle any of the other hurdles.
(09:21):
So if you're thinking about, well, how can I help?
Well, certainly there's donations, both in time and finances.
There's the ability to help those with transportation because that's another
limitation. And then you would mention pet-friendly housing.
If you can lobby your local municipalities or your local politicians to increase
(09:42):
and make room for pet-friendly housing, right?
There's so many ways to help increase access to care. And then finally,
this access you talk about, it has a disproportionate impact on those who are
already having financial hardship, right?
It has a disproportionate access impact on some in socioeconomically disadvantaged communities.
(10:04):
So for me, I think you hit the nail on the head.
Increasing access to pet ownership is gonna be key, yeah.
Yeah, and one of the things we talked about is how our industry,
the pet products industry, has spent the last 20 years.
Promoting premiumization of pet products and pet foods, humanization.
And now we have the most incredibly wonderful diets and great nutrition for
(10:28):
our pets and these great toys that address all types of different behavior issues and things like that.
However, I think it's time that we kind of turn back and focus on making the
great care, the great nutrition,
the great products available available for those who, you know,
who can't afford it because every
pet and every person deserves to have a happy, healthy life together.
(10:49):
Yeah. And that I think is, you know, I'm kind of following your hand motions
here and I couldn't help but notice that you did a course correction because you're right.
Sometimes when we have this pendulum, right, where humanization and premiumization
is that can we swing the pendulum in the other way to get more balance, right?
Exactly. That's what it is. It's really just finding the balance.
It really is finding the balance.
(11:10):
And to be honest with you, that's what global is all about, right?
It is finding what undergirds global and what I think is the common motif is
that human-animal bond, right?
And that's what we're trying to get stronger is that human-animal bond. Absolutely.
Beyond the Leash, exploring the untold stories of pet passion and professionalism.
So Courtney, I did a great interview today. I think it was great.
(11:32):
Why not? Yes, yes. No, I had two great guests. It was Mary Helen Horn and Jessica Kruger from Zeewee.
Ooh, Zeewee. Definitely want to learn more.
Yeah. I bet you don't know what, do you know what Zeewee is?
Tell me. You don't have a dog or a cat, right? I do not. I know you have a hamster. Yes.
Yep. I don't think they make hamster food, but they are a New Zealand based
company and they make air dried pet food, which basically locks in the nutrition.
(11:58):
And it's, My dog Tulip eats Ziwi and she loves it.
And they also have this new product that they're coming out with at the show.
But I'm not going to tell you what it is. You're going to have to listen.
All right. I'm going to check it out. But when you say New Zealand,
I'm thinking lamb and I can't wait to find out.
Pets Add Life.
We are back and this is our special Global Pet Expo series.
(12:21):
And I've got two guests with me this time. I'm two longtime friends in the industry,
Mary Helen Horn and Jessica Kruger from Zeewee. Thank you, ladies, for joining me.
Thank you for having us. We're so excited to be back here at Global Pet Expo.
Gosh, we've been intending for quite some time, Mary Helen being in the industry as long as she is.
It's been great having her show me the ropes and get to know and understand,
(12:43):
meet our distributors, retailers, you know, everyone face to face.
And it's been an awesome experience so far. And being here with a new product
has been very exciting for us.
You guys are like such great innovators in pet food.
I'm so excited to talk about this and to educate our pet parents that are listening
about, well, let's just dive right into Zeewee.
(13:03):
You guys have been, since 2002, I think, in the market making air dried food.
New Zealand based. Yes. So tell us a little overview about Ziwi for pet parents.
Well, I think we know pet parents have so many different decisions to make.
What does my cat need? What does my dog need? Which one's really going to be a great food?
And at the heart of Ziwi, it was set out to say, how can we make the very best
(13:25):
food possible and what consumers need and what our pets need? Yeah. Right.
But still in a shelf stable bag that's easy to buy and you can just scoop and
serve like your standard kibble. And that's really how AirDried was born.
So we created process way back in 2002 that took about five years in the making.
And because nobody had ever said, how can you put the highest amount of meat
(13:46):
into a product without carbs and fillers and anything else and put it out into
a finished product that's going to feed really well, but still be incredibly nutritious.
And that's really how the brand was created. And that's how AirDried was first born.
So over this last journey since 2002, it's been about perfecting the process
and about creating a category.
Because for years and years and years, there was only Ziwi making air dried.
(14:10):
Now today, we're still the leader of the air dried market. And why a consumer
would want to buy air dried is because they're looking for something that has
more meat in it and less fillers.
They're looking for health benefits from feeding a nutritious meal.
So we know that they're worried about weight management. They're worried about dental hygiene.
They're worried about skin and coat. And when you have a product that's high
(14:32):
in meat and cater to the dog and cat, they can feed something every day that's
going to help them have a happier, healthier, longer life, which is really what
everybody wants for their babies at home.
Not to mention the way you source your ingredients, which is really unique.
You want to talk about that, Jessica? Yeah, absolutely.
I mean, we are so lucky that we are born out of New Zealand.
Their farming practices are just light years beyond what we really could imagine.
(14:56):
If I come back in another life, I would love to be a free-ranging grass-fed
animal in New Zealand. But the best thing about Ziwi is, you know,
quality is number one. Ethical sourcing is just what we've been born out of.
So our grass fed, grass finished, free ranging beef, lamb, chickens.
I mean, you really can't get better than that. Our pets who feed Ziwi,
(15:16):
you know, they're eating better than most humans are. And that's the thing that's
so great about that air drying process is that it preserves the nutrients from
those high quality ingredients.
So there wouldn't be much sense if you were sourcing the quality of ingredients
that we do out of New Zealand if they were just being baked into a kibble or something like that.
Which is also how that air dry technology was born is just we have such great
agriculture. We have such great ingredients.
(15:38):
What can we do to preserve that and get those final nutrients into our pet's
bowl as best as we really can?
And I've seen firsthand the results. my dog Tulip eats Ziwi.
And I also love the versatility that you can feed it as the main meal.
You can feed it as a topper. Correct.
And you can feed it as a treat. And I use it for all three.
(15:59):
I do as well. And we talk about that all the time because.
A crowded space and how do you make a decision? And sometimes they feel like
you almost need a prescription. You need to say, hey, this is what I feed for this.
And so sometimes it's a bit of a jump when you're going to say,
hey, here's a new product.
This product is actually going to be able to do a lot of things for you.
You can choose how much you're going to feed.
And we know that not every pet parent is going to feed 100% a product like a TV Peak Air Dry.
(16:23):
But we have many that train with it. We have many that talk with it.
We have lots that mix it into their products.
And the bowl. And so we just want to help educate them wherever they are in
their journey and say a little is better than nothing.
And anytime you put at least 25% of the product into your pet's diet,
(16:44):
you'll start seeing the benefits of feeding Ziwi air dry, which is that weight
maintenance, skin and coat, dental hygiene.
Right. And I want to talk about what's new, but something else you said.
Oh, do you find that a lot of your customers start using Ziwi as a topper or
a treat and then move into feeding it as a full meal? The number one reason
somebody buys Ziwi is actually because they've had a health issue.
(17:06):
Their pet is struggling with something.
They could be really picky and they don't like to eat things.
And every time they take something home, they're like, oh, mom,
I don't like this food anymore.
Like, make me something new to eat. Ah, that's interesting. Or they're having
some other issue, like they've got weight issues or they've got digestive issues
because their bodies can't maybe digest allergens that are in the food or fillers.
So that is the number one path for us to get consumers into our space.
(17:30):
And then we also get a lot that want to just talk.
And treat with it and say, hey, I know I want something better,
but I can't go all the way there.
How can I start bringing some of that into my bowl? So they kind of come in those two paths.
Yeah. And I think one of the coolest things is that we've been exposed to a
new network of pet parents through our trainers.
And we do have a trainer program that is absolutely incredible.
(17:52):
We work with a handful of different trainers, supply them with Zeewees so they
can get it into the hands.
You know, they're all actively using it in their own day-to-day lives.
So to watch them, you know, forge that bond with new pet parents.
The best thing about it is that, I mean, you take it out of the bag and the dog goes crazy.
We all know you open that ZW bag and their nose dives in immediately.
(18:12):
It's true. So a lot of people who are exposed to ZW the first time at a training
session think, oh my gosh, what is that?
Could it be good for them? And the good thing is, you know, not only is your
pet going to go crazy for it, it's really good for them. Right. Breaks apart easily.
So in that way, you know, people are able to step into it because if the product
solves a problem, even better.
And if that's helping you correct negative behavior, it creates just such a
(18:34):
loyal customer, which is great for us.
I mean, that's how it's worked for myself, you know, being able to use it with
my two own pets and being able to grow the bowl, see those direct benefits.
And, you know, I came into the pet industry two years ago and something for
me is I had no idea what the baseline was and getting to learn about and really
look at the back of my kibble bag.
I was like, oh, and I've been a pet owner my whole life. Yeah.
(18:57):
But learning, you know, we say 96% meat, organs, bones, New Zealand green lip
muscles, but I didn't understand how much farther above and beyond that was
than what your average day-to-day feed would be.
Most people don't know that to be a pet food, you only have to have 3% meat.
So like, you know, the starting point is low. It's very low, very low bar.
Very low bar. And in most pet food companies, you don't find out how much meat is in the food.
(19:20):
And that is one of the challenges because there's so much messaging,
you know, as a pet parent.
I spent years of my life thinking I was doing the best thing for my pet.
And then I do think the benefit is that once you learn, you get so excited about
what you learned. And then it's just about sharing it. Right. Exactly.
Like sharing that there's this whole market out there that says put more meat
in our food. Treat the pets the way they're supposed to be treated.
(19:40):
And you're going to feel better about feeding your pet. And the pet's going
to be really excited about it because they're going to love the food.
And then we all know when our pets are happy, we're happy. Everybody's happier and healthier.
That's fantastic. You know, every pet and every pet parent deserves to be able
to feed their pet the very best quality. And I love that you guys have addressed this new market.
There's a lot of talk about, you know, the cost of care these days with inflation and things like that.
(20:03):
So, but it's always possible, you know, to find a way to feed the best that you can.
And I love what you guys are doing. So thank you so much for having us.
And oh, by the way, where can people find Zwi or Steam and Dried?
Where would they look for that? Absolutely. So look soon for Steam and Dried
coming to an independent pet partner near you.
You can find our store locator at us.zwipets.com.
(20:24):
We also sell through there, Amazon and Chewy. and we're just excited to get
out on the market and hear what people think.
So love to know the feedback and excited to know that it's going to make a lot of dogs and cats happy.
Awesome. Thank you, Mary Helen and Jessica. And by the way, Tulip said to say hello.
Okay, have a great show. Yes, you as well. Thank you.
(20:46):
Well, thank you, Kristen, for that suggestion. That was outstanding.
I want to let you know, I had an outstanding interview with Xiomara Gonzalez-Govia.
She is a pet journalist and we got a chance to talk about accessibility and
we got a chance to talk about pet news and she speaks with the Latin American community.
And this is a little teaser, a little spoiler alert. You get to hear a little
(21:08):
bit of my horrible Spanish.
Well, I was going to ask if you did the interview in Spanish because I know
you're that bilingual. Not completely, but stay tuned.
Buckle up because it gets pretty exciting.
Andale! Andale! Beyond the Leash. Exploring the untold stories of pet passion
and professionalism. Welcome to the Paexpo 2024.
I'm here with an outstanding guest. Please let everybody know what your name is and who you're with.
(21:31):
Okay, so first of all, my English is not very good looking, so get ready for me.
Si puede, podemos cambiar la entrevista en español.
¿Tú hablas español? Yo no hablo español, pero me defiendo. Entonces vamos a cambiar a inglés.
Okay, hablas español demasiado bien. Muchas gracias.
(21:55):
So my name is Xiomara González. Can you repeat my name? Xiomara. Wow. Xiomara.
For me, it's one of my favorite first names. I love Xiomara.
Everybody's like, Xiomara, what is that? And I'm like, think of see you tomorrow
and say it fast. See you tomorrow.
See you tomorrow. I love it. I love it. Okay. So, and I'm a journalist.
So thank you for having me. First and most important, when you say journalist,
(22:19):
everybody wants to know, okay, What do you report on and where's your reach?
Who do you reach? So I work for Hispanic media.
I provide content for Hispanic media, mainly Univision News.
That's national television for Hispanics targeting Hispanos en los estados.
So that's what I do, and I mainly report on animals.
(22:42):
I love that. So I'm a pet lover. Look at this. Let me see. This is my...
Oh, I don't have any body art, but I might get that.
Just a little paw print. You can promise that. On my lower back? No, I'm kidding.
No, but I love it. So you obviously report on pet news. news,
how important is it for you to make sure that pet news reaches the Latin American
(23:05):
community and the Hispanic community and Spanish-speaking community in Los Angeles and nationally?
Nationally. So I typically try to find out and understand through research.
That's what journalists do, right? What's the main concerns that our audience
has when it comes to animals, right?
And one of them is, for example, we like to eat a lot and we give that food
(23:27):
to our pets. So diabetes is a huge problem.
Obesity is a huge problem in the Hispanic community, for example.
So that's one of the topics that I like to talk about.
I love that. It really underscores the nature of that human-animal bond.
But not only just the human-animal bond, generally speaking,
specific human-animal bond issues within certain communities.
(23:50):
How long have you been doing this and what inspired you to get into this pet
industry and pet news? If I tell you how long I've been doing this,
Corny, people will know that I'm old and I don't want them to know.
Oh, my goodness. You couldn't have started maybe five years ago when you were 18? Yeah.
I've been doing this for 30 years. Oh, my goodness. So she started when she
(24:12):
was one year old. I started with entertainment.
Unbelievable. When I was one year old. Unbelievable. That's so nice. That's true.
I believe it. I come from a media family. Okay. So you started in entertainment.
But generally speaking entertainment celebrities music
movies everything i used
to interview junkets in los angeles and yeah hardest and fingers absolutely
(24:37):
so at certain point you said i'm doing a lot of entertainment news how am i
going to branch into the pet news community and when was that pivotal moment
okay so that moment happened when we used to receive in this in In satellite,
right, we used to receive, in this department, when you receive all the videos
and you need to choose as a producer, right?
(24:57):
And I would see a lot of information about animals and nobody was showcasing them.
So I'm like, okay, let me use this at the end of my segment.
Right. So I started by doing bloopers and some info there and here.
And I noticed that people love animals. Sure. And that's what they teach you in the university.
They're like animals and kids, they sell. Right.
(25:21):
Sell with heart. They do. I've also heard animals and kids, you only get one
take, right? Because they're not going to keep still.
You have done so much news.
You've worked with so many families, so many pets, but there's got to be a few
instances that really rise to the top, that really rise to the top of your memory
and say, wow, that was memorable.
Is there one instance that out of all the years where you're like,
(25:44):
wow, that was a really heartwarming story? Yes, and because of that, I became vegetarian.
Okay, well, let's hear it. Yeah, because I used to go, it's not only dogs and cats.
I used to go to farms where they truly, truly mistreat animals,
and you get to know where this meat and where this meal come from.
(26:05):
So I truly believe that that was one of the hardest thing for me,
and that truly changed the way I even tell the stories.
Of course. So that's one of them. And the other one is many,
many animals in Latin America that I've needed to cover abandonment and all that.
That's really important to understand the importance of, how do you call it?
(26:28):
Esterilizar y castrar. Yes, sterilization, castration.
Wow, I was testing you. Yes.
I got that one. That's the only one I got. But you're so right that the need
to control the pet population, the need for animal welfare, particularly in
the food production space. That's so critical.
I'd love to know about the future, right, Xiomara? I'd love to know about the future.
(26:50):
You're here at Global Pet Expo. What are you most excited about, Sherry?
About Global Pet Expo, what I've learned, I see that there's a lot of need for
more practical things, right?
And when it comes to practical technology, it's amazing what they're doing.
And I was looking at many GPSs and things like that. I'm sorry.
(27:11):
Things like that to help find our pets that get lost at Halloween during New Year's Eve.
Number one day of the year for lost pets, Halloween.
We know so much. Yes, of course. Right.
Actually, I believe it's Fourth of July. Bottom line is Halloween,
all the holidays are potential risk factors for losing your pet.
(27:33):
And so I think microchipping is so important.
It is. We could do an entire segment just on microchipping and finding your
pet. But listen, I just want to thank you for your time.
The work you're doing and speaking to certain communities and just to the entire
nation, in my opinion, is so worth it and so commendable.
And I just want to thank you for that. And most importantly,
thank you for your time today at Global Pet Expo. You're fantastic.
(27:56):
Thank you. And thank you for inviting me. And thank you for what you do.
I appreciate it. Thank you. Gracias por su paciencia con mi mal español. No, no, no.
Buenísimo. Y gracias por entretenerme a mí con Doc TV. Claro que sí.
¿Qué dije? What did I say? Mucho de nada.
Pets add life. Awesome. Yes. Well, I am so glad that you were here with me today.
(28:19):
And you've got two more days on the floor. So you're going to- I do have two
more days on the floor, right? I mean, it's 12 more Home Depots.
Yeah, 12 more Home Depots, right?
We multiply it. Yeah, this has been outstanding.
And I'm just so appreciative and grateful to have the chance to speak with you about this.
Important conversation. The feeling's mutual. I'm glad we're bringing you over
to the pet side. I got to ask you one favor, though. Yeah, sure. Sure.
(28:41):
At some point, can we do a round two? Can you have me back and do a round two?
Of course. I don't mean to invite myself back to a party. But you get to. I get to.
All right, cool. Because see, we're saying it live right here.
You're going to come back. I'm going to hold you to that, right?
I'm going to hold you to accountability. So everybody who's in charge,
they're cursing us right now. There we go, right? We got to do a round two.
Thank you so much, Christy. All right, Courtney. Thanks so much. Perfect.
(29:02):
Pets Add Life, your guide to the latest in pet trends, products,
and the joy of the human-animal bond.
Music.
(00:07):
Your guide to the latest in pet trends, products, and the joy of the human-animal bond.
With Kristen Levine and Chris Bonifati. Powered by the American Pet Products Association and Dog TV.
Live from Orlando, Florida, this is the Pets Add Life podcast at Global Pet Expo.
And I have a very special guest today, Dr.
(00:28):
Courtney Campbell. Welcome! Well, thank you. I don't even know if I'm that special,
but I feel energized to be here. This is something I've been looking forward
to all day long. So thank you for having me. Oh, absolutely.
I love working with you. And I, you know, I think you told me this is your first Global Pet Expo.
This is my first Global Pet Expo on the exhibition floor.
(00:53):
And when somebody started to give me an inclination on what it would be like,
I talked to Pete Scott and he said, this is the size of six Home Depots.
Now, I've been in a Home Depot and it's huge.
He said six of them. I said, good Lord. So I put on different shoes.
I had to put on my walking shoes.
Those are really nice looking, comfortable walking shoes. I got to say.
(01:14):
Well, thanks. I appreciate it.
I was like, you know, comfort rules the day, particularly if you have to walk
six Home Depots. But you know what?
The reality is, Kristen, it doesn't feel like it because you see so many innovations.
You see, you know, progressive movements in terms of pet tech,
accessibility, eco-friendly products that you're so busy looking at everything.
You don't even realize how far you've walked. Yeah.
(01:36):
Well, I love that we're able to do the podcast live from the show because it
gives us access to all this innovation.
Face-to-face interviews, and you're getting to meet a lot of folks on this side
of the pet world because you're typically attending veterinary conferences.
And what's kind of neat is that this is really the first show under Pete Scott where we're.
(01:57):
Connecting the dots between the veterinary world and the pet products world.
And you are just the perfect person.
Well, I appreciate you saying that, but you hit the nail on the head.
It's like you're, you're like speaking my language when you say that,
because you're exactly right.
The pet world and the vet world have been so siloed for so long and it doesn't have to be that way.
(02:17):
There's so much interconnectivity and sort of seamless, seamless interaction
and synergy that we can can generate from the pet world and the vet world.
And I think it's about time. This has been a long time in the making and it's
happening right in front of our eyes. Absolutely.
I want to call us history makers, but I don't want, that's a little bit too much.
Well, okay. So the audience hasn't met you yet. I'm sure they,
(02:39):
many of them probably already know who you are, but you are a veterinary surgeon
and you work out of Santa Monica, California, Santa Barbara, California.
There's a lot of Santas out in Santa Ana. There's a lot of Santas.
Yeah. Santa Barbara. Santa Santa Barbara. Yeah.
And tell us about your typical week. Yeah. So, you know, as a veterinary surgeon,
a lot of people like, well, what's the point of a veterinary surgeon? What do they do?
(03:01):
And veterinary surgeons do go through, you know, extensive extra training.
They graduate from veterinary school and then they do something called an internship,
which is one year period of your life where it is on the grind. Long hours, low pay.
I did three one year internships and then I did a three year residency on top
of that. And so there's at least six years of extra training.
(03:23):
And then you take this ridiculously hard test. And once you pass it,
you're what's classified as a board certified veterinary surgeon.
And you say, well, what's the big deal about that?
You know, my veterinarian in my community, he enjoys surgery,
he or she enjoys surgery, and they do an excellent job at it.
And the reality is veterinary surgeons are there for the more challenging cases,
(03:44):
more technically demanding cases, or maybe they have specialty equipment that
your primary care practitioner may not have.
So that's what our role is there for. We are there to sort of tackle issues.
The most difficult and the most head-scratching cases that you can imagine.
And listen, it gives me a lot of headache, but at the end of the day,
it's so fulfilling. I bet it is. And that's what we're there for.
(04:06):
And it's awesome that our pets can have the same level of care that we as humans
can have. It's the same reason why we would go to a specialist.
When I had ankle surgery, I went to an ankle surgeon. That was his area of focus.
Yeah. You know what's fascinating about that parallel that you just drew about
ankle surgery surgery is that sometimes we will have pet parents who come in
(04:29):
and they will have their personal experience with surgery.
They'll have their knee reconstructed, or they have had a hip replacement,
or maybe even an ankle replacement.
And one of the questions that's really popular is, hey, doc,
how many of these have you done?
And so it reminds me of a question that I'll get sometimes from veterinary nurses
and veterinary technicians, where they say to me, doc, don't you get bored of
(04:53):
doing a lot of the same surgery?
And I say to them, if you are going to get an ankle replacement or knee replacement,
would you want the surgeon who's done maybe one of a hundred different surgeries
or a hundred of the same surgery?
And they're like, I get it. You know what I mean? So yes, there are times in
which the repetition in surgery, it just helps you get better and better and better.
(05:18):
And so when I'm encountered with a very popular surgery, which is like dog knee
surgery. That's very common.
If you can get your quote reps in, then that's going to help a lot more dogs. Absolutely.
Do you have a favorite surgery? Probably dog knee surgery.
But I will say certainly, certainly when you think about a dog who's young and
(05:38):
healthy and has the unfortunate event to be hit by a car and ends up with a
very complicated fracture of a bone and you can put those bones back together
and that dog has an excellent prognosis,
it's such a heartwarming feeling because you know that that dog has its entire
life ahead of them and can run and play and that's species diverse family member
(06:00):
because that's really what they are. Now they can enjoy time together.
I like that. Species diverse family member. Yes.
The product of the week. This show has to be a lot of fun for you because it's all pet products.
And you were on the floor all day today just checking out different booths and things like that.
Do you have a favorite or do you want to share a little bit about what you saw?
(06:21):
You know, there is a word that pops in my head and that word is accessibility.
I love where we can bring pet care, pet wellness, veterinary medicine to more
people and more families. And there was one thing on the floor that really,
I think, underscores that word of accessibility.
And that was a mobile pet grooming truck. And this van is outfitted with a tub,
(06:46):
a shower. It has cabinets.
I mean, there was a program on MTV and excuse the title, but it was called Pimp My Ride. right?
This is Pimp My Ride in the best possible way. Pimp My Groom.
Pimp My Grooming, Chuck, right? This is the best possible way to modify,
adjust this van to give more access to pet grooming to more people.
(07:11):
Now, this not only gives the access to the pets, but it also gives people opportunity
to be their own entrepreneurs, right?
It gives an opportunity for people to achieve their dreams of being an entrepreneur.
So I just think for the pets, the families, and just business in general,
I think accessibility is the key word.
Now, I hate to do this to you because you're the host, but I got to flip it
(07:33):
back on you. Do you have a favorite, Kristen?
I do. I do. I actually sat on a panel today that was all about addressing the
barriers to pet ownership. Yes.
And we had a veterinarian on the panel and gentlemen from the pet products industry.
So we talked about it from a lot of different angles, like from pet-friendly
(07:54):
housing to affordable care and that sort of thing.
And obviously, things have gotten really expensive lately with inflation.
And one of the biggest challenges that pet parents are facing are the cost of care.
And of course, veterinary care always comes up. And I was curious to know,
I thought about this while we were having the conversation. I thought,
(08:15):
how in the world of specialty care.
How, what's being done, if anything, to help people who maybe can't afford a
specialist to actually get that specialty care when they need it?
Sure. Certainly there is an organization.
And that was, I'm sorry, I threw that question back at you, but that was- No,
absolutely. There's an organization that pops into my head that I have the pleasure
(08:39):
of helping and doing everything I can to help promote their mission.
It's called the Compassion Animal Animal Project. And their sole mission or
CAP, their sole mission is to help those who are seeking specialty care who
run into financial hardship and financial difficulties.
And that financial barrier is probably one of the largest hurdles or the strongest
(09:00):
and most powerful economic hurdle that a lot of pet parents have to contend with.
And so Compassionate Animal Project, Please look them up if you can.
It's an excellent philanthropic organization and they're doing great work.
And I think that there's room to tackle any of the other hurdles.
(09:21):
So if you're thinking about, well, how can I help?
Well, certainly there's donations, both in time and finances.
There's the ability to help those with transportation because that's another
limitation. And then you would mention pet-friendly housing.
If you can lobby your local municipalities or your local politicians to increase
(09:42):
and make room for pet-friendly housing, right?
There's so many ways to help increase access to care. And then finally,
this access you talk about, it has a disproportionate impact on those who are
already having financial hardship, right?
It has a disproportionate access impact on some in socioeconomically disadvantaged communities.
(10:04):
So for me, I think you hit the nail on the head.
Increasing access to pet ownership is gonna be key, yeah.
Yeah, and one of the things we talked about is how our industry,
the pet products industry, has spent the last 20 years.
Promoting premiumization of pet products and pet foods, humanization.
And now we have the most incredibly wonderful diets and great nutrition for
(10:28):
our pets and these great toys that address all types of different behavior issues and things like that.
However, I think it's time that we kind of turn back and focus on making the
great care, the great nutrition,
the great products available available for those who, you know,
who can't afford it because every
pet and every person deserves to have a happy, healthy life together.
(10:49):
Yeah. And that I think is, you know, I'm kind of following your hand motions
here and I couldn't help but notice that you did a course correction because you're right.
Sometimes when we have this pendulum, right, where humanization and premiumization
is that can we swing the pendulum in the other way to get more balance, right?
Exactly. That's what it is. It's really just finding the balance.
It really is finding the balance.
(11:10):
And to be honest with you, that's what global is all about, right?
It is finding what undergirds global and what I think is the common motif is
that human-animal bond, right?
And that's what we're trying to get stronger is that human-animal bond. Absolutely.
Beyond the Leash, exploring the untold stories of pet passion and professionalism.
So Courtney, I did a great interview today. I think it was great.
(11:32):
Why not? Yes, yes. No, I had two great guests. It was Mary Helen Horn and Jessica Kruger from Zeewee.
Ooh, Zeewee. Definitely want to learn more.
Yeah. I bet you don't know what, do you know what Zeewee is?
Tell me. You don't have a dog or a cat, right? I do not. I know you have a hamster. Yes.
Yep. I don't think they make hamster food, but they are a New Zealand based
company and they make air dried pet food, which basically locks in the nutrition.
(11:58):
And it's, My dog Tulip eats Ziwi and she loves it.
And they also have this new product that they're coming out with at the show.
But I'm not going to tell you what it is. You're going to have to listen.
All right. I'm going to check it out. But when you say New Zealand,
I'm thinking lamb and I can't wait to find out.
Pets Add Life.
We are back and this is our special Global Pet Expo series.
(12:21):
And I've got two guests with me this time. I'm two longtime friends in the industry,
Mary Helen Horn and Jessica Kruger from Zeewee. Thank you, ladies, for joining me.
Thank you for having us. We're so excited to be back here at Global Pet Expo.
Gosh, we've been intending for quite some time, Mary Helen being in the industry as long as she is.
It's been great having her show me the ropes and get to know and understand,
(12:43):
meet our distributors, retailers, you know, everyone face to face.
And it's been an awesome experience so far. And being here with a new product
has been very exciting for us.
You guys are like such great innovators in pet food.
I'm so excited to talk about this and to educate our pet parents that are listening
about, well, let's just dive right into Zeewee.
(13:03):
You guys have been, since 2002, I think, in the market making air dried food.
New Zealand based. Yes. So tell us a little overview about Ziwi for pet parents.
Well, I think we know pet parents have so many different decisions to make.
What does my cat need? What does my dog need? Which one's really going to be a great food?
And at the heart of Ziwi, it was set out to say, how can we make the very best
(13:25):
food possible and what consumers need and what our pets need? Yeah. Right.
But still in a shelf stable bag that's easy to buy and you can just scoop and
serve like your standard kibble. And that's really how AirDried was born.
So we created process way back in 2002 that took about five years in the making.
And because nobody had ever said, how can you put the highest amount of meat
(13:46):
into a product without carbs and fillers and anything else and put it out into
a finished product that's going to feed really well, but still be incredibly nutritious.
And that's really how the brand was created. And that's how AirDried was first born.
So over this last journey since 2002, it's been about perfecting the process
and about creating a category.
Because for years and years and years, there was only Ziwi making air dried.
(14:10):
Now today, we're still the leader of the air dried market. And why a consumer
would want to buy air dried is because they're looking for something that has
more meat in it and less fillers.
They're looking for health benefits from feeding a nutritious meal.
So we know that they're worried about weight management. They're worried about dental hygiene.
They're worried about skin and coat. And when you have a product that's high
(14:32):
in meat and cater to the dog and cat, they can feed something every day that's
going to help them have a happier, healthier, longer life, which is really what
everybody wants for their babies at home.
Not to mention the way you source your ingredients, which is really unique.
You want to talk about that, Jessica? Yeah, absolutely.
I mean, we are so lucky that we are born out of New Zealand.
Their farming practices are just light years beyond what we really could imagine.
(14:56):
If I come back in another life, I would love to be a free-ranging grass-fed
animal in New Zealand. But the best thing about Ziwi is, you know,
quality is number one. Ethical sourcing is just what we've been born out of.
So our grass fed, grass finished, free ranging beef, lamb, chickens.
I mean, you really can't get better than that. Our pets who feed Ziwi,
(15:16):
you know, they're eating better than most humans are. And that's the thing that's
so great about that air drying process is that it preserves the nutrients from
those high quality ingredients.
So there wouldn't be much sense if you were sourcing the quality of ingredients
that we do out of New Zealand if they were just being baked into a kibble or something like that.
Which is also how that air dry technology was born is just we have such great
agriculture. We have such great ingredients.
(15:38):
What can we do to preserve that and get those final nutrients into our pet's
bowl as best as we really can?
And I've seen firsthand the results. my dog Tulip eats Ziwi.
And I also love the versatility that you can feed it as the main meal.
You can feed it as a topper. Correct.
And you can feed it as a treat. And I use it for all three.
(15:59):
I do as well. And we talk about that all the time because.
A crowded space and how do you make a decision? And sometimes they feel like
you almost need a prescription. You need to say, hey, this is what I feed for this.
And so sometimes it's a bit of a jump when you're going to say,
hey, here's a new product.
This product is actually going to be able to do a lot of things for you.
You can choose how much you're going to feed.
And we know that not every pet parent is going to feed 100% a product like a TV Peak Air Dry.
(16:23):
But we have many that train with it. We have many that talk with it.
We have lots that mix it into their products.
And the bowl. And so we just want to help educate them wherever they are in
their journey and say a little is better than nothing.
And anytime you put at least 25% of the product into your pet's diet,
(16:44):
you'll start seeing the benefits of feeding Ziwi air dry, which is that weight
maintenance, skin and coat, dental hygiene.
Right. And I want to talk about what's new, but something else you said.
Oh, do you find that a lot of your customers start using Ziwi as a topper or
a treat and then move into feeding it as a full meal? The number one reason
somebody buys Ziwi is actually because they've had a health issue.
(17:06):
Their pet is struggling with something.
They could be really picky and they don't like to eat things.
And every time they take something home, they're like, oh, mom,
I don't like this food anymore.
Like, make me something new to eat. Ah, that's interesting. Or they're having
some other issue, like they've got weight issues or they've got digestive issues
because their bodies can't maybe digest allergens that are in the food or fillers.
So that is the number one path for us to get consumers into our space.
(17:30):
And then we also get a lot that want to just talk.
And treat with it and say, hey, I know I want something better,
but I can't go all the way there.
How can I start bringing some of that into my bowl? So they kind of come in those two paths.
Yeah. And I think one of the coolest things is that we've been exposed to a
new network of pet parents through our trainers.
And we do have a trainer program that is absolutely incredible.
(17:52):
We work with a handful of different trainers, supply them with Zeewees so they
can get it into the hands.
You know, they're all actively using it in their own day-to-day lives.
So to watch them, you know, forge that bond with new pet parents.
The best thing about it is that, I mean, you take it out of the bag and the dog goes crazy.
We all know you open that ZW bag and their nose dives in immediately.
(18:12):
It's true. So a lot of people who are exposed to ZW the first time at a training
session think, oh my gosh, what is that?
Could it be good for them? And the good thing is, you know, not only is your
pet going to go crazy for it, it's really good for them. Right. Breaks apart easily.
So in that way, you know, people are able to step into it because if the product
solves a problem, even better.
And if that's helping you correct negative behavior, it creates just such a
(18:34):
loyal customer, which is great for us.
I mean, that's how it's worked for myself, you know, being able to use it with
my two own pets and being able to grow the bowl, see those direct benefits.
And, you know, I came into the pet industry two years ago and something for
me is I had no idea what the baseline was and getting to learn about and really
look at the back of my kibble bag.
I was like, oh, and I've been a pet owner my whole life. Yeah.
(18:57):
But learning, you know, we say 96% meat, organs, bones, New Zealand green lip
muscles, but I didn't understand how much farther above and beyond that was
than what your average day-to-day feed would be.
Most people don't know that to be a pet food, you only have to have 3% meat.
So like, you know, the starting point is low. It's very low, very low bar.
Very low bar. And in most pet food companies, you don't find out how much meat is in the food.
(19:20):
And that is one of the challenges because there's so much messaging,
you know, as a pet parent.
I spent years of my life thinking I was doing the best thing for my pet.
And then I do think the benefit is that once you learn, you get so excited about
what you learned. And then it's just about sharing it. Right. Exactly.
Like sharing that there's this whole market out there that says put more meat
in our food. Treat the pets the way they're supposed to be treated.
(19:40):
And you're going to feel better about feeding your pet. And the pet's going
to be really excited about it because they're going to love the food.
And then we all know when our pets are happy, we're happy. Everybody's happier and healthier.
That's fantastic. You know, every pet and every pet parent deserves to be able
to feed their pet the very best quality. And I love that you guys have addressed this new market.
There's a lot of talk about, you know, the cost of care these days with inflation and things like that.
(20:03):
So, but it's always possible, you know, to find a way to feed the best that you can.
And I love what you guys are doing. So thank you so much for having us.
And oh, by the way, where can people find Zwi or Steam and Dried?
Where would they look for that? Absolutely. So look soon for Steam and Dried
coming to an independent pet partner near you.
You can find our store locator at us.zwipets.com.
(20:24):
We also sell through there, Amazon and Chewy. and we're just excited to get
out on the market and hear what people think.
So love to know the feedback and excited to know that it's going to make a lot of dogs and cats happy.
Awesome. Thank you, Mary Helen and Jessica. And by the way, Tulip said to say hello.
Okay, have a great show. Yes, you as well. Thank you.
(20:46):
Well, thank you, Kristen, for that suggestion. That was outstanding.
I want to let you know, I had an outstanding interview with Xiomara Gonzalez-Govia.
She is a pet journalist and we got a chance to talk about accessibility and
we got a chance to talk about pet news and she speaks with the Latin American community.
And this is a little teaser, a little spoiler alert. You get to hear a little
(21:08):
bit of my horrible Spanish.
Well, I was going to ask if you did the interview in Spanish because I know
you're that bilingual. Not completely, but stay tuned.
Buckle up because it gets pretty exciting.
Andale! Andale! Beyond the Leash. Exploring the untold stories of pet passion
and professionalism. Welcome to the Paexpo 2024.
I'm here with an outstanding guest. Please let everybody know what your name is and who you're with.
(21:31):
Okay, so first of all, my English is not very good looking, so get ready for me.
Si puede, podemos cambiar la entrevista en español.
¿Tú hablas español? Yo no hablo español, pero me defiendo. Entonces vamos a cambiar a inglés.
Okay, hablas español demasiado bien. Muchas gracias.
(21:55):
So my name is Xiomara González. Can you repeat my name? Xiomara. Wow. Xiomara.
For me, it's one of my favorite first names. I love Xiomara.
Everybody's like, Xiomara, what is that? And I'm like, think of see you tomorrow
and say it fast. See you tomorrow.
See you tomorrow. I love it. I love it. Okay. So, and I'm a journalist.
So thank you for having me. First and most important, when you say journalist,
(22:19):
everybody wants to know, okay, What do you report on and where's your reach?
Who do you reach? So I work for Hispanic media.
I provide content for Hispanic media, mainly Univision News.
That's national television for Hispanics targeting Hispanos en los estados.
So that's what I do, and I mainly report on animals.
(22:42):
I love that. So I'm a pet lover. Look at this. Let me see. This is my...
Oh, I don't have any body art, but I might get that.
Just a little paw print. You can promise that. On my lower back? No, I'm kidding.
No, but I love it. So you obviously report on pet news. news,
how important is it for you to make sure that pet news reaches the Latin American
(23:05):
community and the Hispanic community and Spanish-speaking community in Los Angeles and nationally?
Nationally. So I typically try to find out and understand through research.
That's what journalists do, right? What's the main concerns that our audience
has when it comes to animals, right?
And one of them is, for example, we like to eat a lot and we give that food
(23:27):
to our pets. So diabetes is a huge problem.
Obesity is a huge problem in the Hispanic community, for example.
So that's one of the topics that I like to talk about.
I love that. It really underscores the nature of that human-animal bond.
But not only just the human-animal bond, generally speaking,
specific human-animal bond issues within certain communities.
(23:50):
How long have you been doing this and what inspired you to get into this pet
industry and pet news? If I tell you how long I've been doing this,
Corny, people will know that I'm old and I don't want them to know.
Oh, my goodness. You couldn't have started maybe five years ago when you were 18? Yeah.
I've been doing this for 30 years. Oh, my goodness. So she started when she
(24:12):
was one year old. I started with entertainment.
Unbelievable. When I was one year old. Unbelievable. That's so nice. That's true.
I believe it. I come from a media family. Okay. So you started in entertainment.
But generally speaking entertainment celebrities music
movies everything i used
to interview junkets in los angeles and yeah hardest and fingers absolutely
(24:37):
so at certain point you said i'm doing a lot of entertainment news how am i
going to branch into the pet news community and when was that pivotal moment
okay so that moment happened when we used to receive in this in In satellite,
right, we used to receive, in this department, when you receive all the videos
and you need to choose as a producer, right?
(24:57):
And I would see a lot of information about animals and nobody was showcasing them.
So I'm like, okay, let me use this at the end of my segment.
Right. So I started by doing bloopers and some info there and here.
And I noticed that people love animals. Sure. And that's what they teach you in the university.
They're like animals and kids, they sell. Right.
(25:21):
Sell with heart. They do. I've also heard animals and kids, you only get one
take, right? Because they're not going to keep still.
You have done so much news.
You've worked with so many families, so many pets, but there's got to be a few
instances that really rise to the top, that really rise to the top of your memory
and say, wow, that was memorable.
Is there one instance that out of all the years where you're like,
(25:44):
wow, that was a really heartwarming story? Yes, and because of that, I became vegetarian.
Okay, well, let's hear it. Yeah, because I used to go, it's not only dogs and cats.
I used to go to farms where they truly, truly mistreat animals,
and you get to know where this meat and where this meal come from.
(26:05):
So I truly believe that that was one of the hardest thing for me,
and that truly changed the way I even tell the stories.
Of course. So that's one of them. And the other one is many,
many animals in Latin America that I've needed to cover abandonment and all that.
That's really important to understand the importance of, how do you call it?
(26:28):
Esterilizar y castrar. Yes, sterilization, castration.
Wow, I was testing you. Yes.
I got that one. That's the only one I got. But you're so right that the need
to control the pet population, the need for animal welfare, particularly in
the food production space. That's so critical.
I'd love to know about the future, right, Xiomara? I'd love to know about the future.
(26:50):
You're here at Global Pet Expo. What are you most excited about, Sherry?
About Global Pet Expo, what I've learned, I see that there's a lot of need for
more practical things, right?
And when it comes to practical technology, it's amazing what they're doing.
And I was looking at many GPSs and things like that. I'm sorry.
(27:11):
Things like that to help find our pets that get lost at Halloween during New Year's Eve.
Number one day of the year for lost pets, Halloween.
We know so much. Yes, of course. Right.
Actually, I believe it's Fourth of July. Bottom line is Halloween,
all the holidays are potential risk factors for losing your pet.
(27:33):
And so I think microchipping is so important.
It is. We could do an entire segment just on microchipping and finding your
pet. But listen, I just want to thank you for your time.
The work you're doing and speaking to certain communities and just to the entire
nation, in my opinion, is so worth it and so commendable.
And I just want to thank you for that. And most importantly,
thank you for your time today at Global Pet Expo. You're fantastic.
(27:56):
Thank you. And thank you for inviting me. And thank you for what you do.
I appreciate it. Thank you. Gracias por su paciencia con mi mal español. No, no, no.
Buenísimo. Y gracias por entretenerme a mí con Doc TV. Claro que sí.
¿Qué dije? What did I say? Mucho de nada.
Pets add life. Awesome. Yes. Well, I am so glad that you were here with me today.
(28:19):
And you've got two more days on the floor. So you're going to- I do have two
more days on the floor, right? I mean, it's 12 more Home Depots.
Yeah, 12 more Home Depots, right?
We multiply it. Yeah, this has been outstanding.
And I'm just so appreciative and grateful to have the chance to speak with you about this.
Important conversation. The feeling's mutual. I'm glad we're bringing you over
to the pet side. I got to ask you one favor, though. Yeah, sure. Sure.
(28:41):
At some point, can we do a round two? Can you have me back and do a round two?
Of course. I don't mean to invite myself back to a party. But you get to. I get to.
All right, cool. Because see, we're saying it live right here.
You're going to come back. I'm going to hold you to that, right?
I'm going to hold you to accountability. So everybody who's in charge,
they're cursing us right now. There we go, right? We got to do a round two.
Thank you so much, Christy. All right, Courtney. Thanks so much. Perfect.
(29:02):
Pets Add Life, your guide to the latest in pet trends, products,
and the joy of the human-animal bond.
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