(PRESS RELEASE) ALEXANDRIA, VA — The Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council announces the 50th anniversary of our founding on December 7, 1971. For five decades, as the legislative and regulatory voice of the responsible pet care community, PIJAC has worked to improve animal care, foster environmental stewardship, promote and protect opportunities to benefit from the human-animal bond through pet ownership, and much more.
“This is an important moment in history not only for PIJAC, but for the responsible pet care community as a whole,” said Mike Bober, PIJAC president and CEO. “This organization’s work over the past 50 years has made an immeasurable impact in so many ways, from positively influencing pet-related policy, to establishing critical productive relationships with domestic and international governing bodies, to collecting and sharing the expertise of animal health and care experts across disciplines and industries for the betterment of animal well-being, and so much more.”
PIJAC is kicking off a yearlong celebration this month, beginning with a series of social media posts depicting 50 memorable moments from PIJAC’s history of positive pet and pet care advancements. There will be commemoration events at two trade shows in 2022, the American Pet Products Association’s Global Pet Expo in Orlando March 23-25, and the World Pet Association’s SuperZoo in Las Vegas August 22-25. PIJAC will also be making a momentous announcement in Orlando on March 22, as we look to the next 50 years of protecting and advancing the power of pets.
“It is an honor to be serving as PIJAC’s chair of the board of directors during this significant milestone,” said John Mack III, PIJAC board chair and CEO of Reptiles by Mack in Xenia, Ohio. “The incredible accomplishments of this organization over the past 50 years are due entirely to the dedicated and hardworking members and staff past and present, and to the generous support of individuals and organizations who share our commitment to promoting opportunities for families to enjoy the incredible benefits of pet ownership with the well-treated pet of their choice.”
The future is bright for pets, pet owners and the businesses that provide the products and services to care for them, with the percentage of U.S. households containing at least one pet growing to 70 percent, according to the APPA 2021-2022 National Pet Owners Survey. However, legislative and regulatory challenges that seek to restrict opportunities for pet ownership or impede access to pet care products and services have also intensified, so PIJAC’s future work is critical.
“As we continue to monitor and engage on legislation and regulations at the local, state and federal levels, we at PIJAC remain steadfast in our goal of improving pet well-being and supporting opportunities to experience the human-animal bond throughout the next 50 years,” said Bober.
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