Pet Industry News
The deals, launches, and strategic moves behind the brands and operators shaping the industry.
Escalade Buys ASL Solutions, Betting on Pet Hard Goods
Escalade, the public sporting goods company behind Goalrilla and STIGA, has acquired ASL Solutions, a founder-owned manufacturer of insulated dog and cat houses. The deal, terms undisclosed, hands Escalade a rotational molding capability it didn't have before and marks its first move into pet hard goods.
IDEXX Beats Q2 2026, Raises Guidance Again
IDEXX reported Q2 2026 revenue up 10% to $1.217 billion and raised full-year guidance for the second consecutive quarter, even as organic growth decelerated from 11% in Q1 to 9%. CAG Diagnostics recurring revenue remains the steadiest growth line, with menu expansion doing more work than instrument placement.
A Kitchen Brand Just Entered the Pet Aisle
OXO, owned by Helen of Troy, launched its first pet care collection on August 3rd, marking the housewares brand's first move into a new category since baby gear in 2009. Neither company disclosed pricing or sales targets for the launch.
Petco Adds an Outside CFO to Its Board Mid-Refinancing
Petco added Jeffrey Naylor, a former TJX chief financial officer with no ties to the private equity firms that control its board, as Audit Committee Chair effective August 1st. The appointment lands while Petco works through a $1.5 billion debt refinancing and trades near its lowest price since its 2021 IPO.
Adequan Recall Strips Vets of Their Only FDA-Approved Joint Drug
American Regent Animal Health recalled two lots each of Adequan Canine and Adequan i.m. after finding glass fiber material during internal testing. It's the only FDA-approved disease-modifying joint drug for dogs, and the second glass-contamination recall from the manufacturer's network in seven days.
FTC Opens a Deeper Look at Covetrus-MWI, and Vet Distribution's Math Gets Worse
The FTC has begun issuing civil investigative demands in its review of the proposed $3.5 billion Covetrus-MWI Animal Health merger. The deal would cut major national veterinary distributors from three to two, a concentration shift that touches pricing and supply reliability for nearly every US veterinary practice.
Memorial Tree Gifting Gets a Verification Layer, and a $12 Entry Price
Love, Baxter launched a pet memorial tree service that gives buyers the exact GPS coordinates of the tree planted in their pet's name, verified by Veritree and monitored by satellite for three years. The audit trail, not the $12 price, is the real differentiator in a category that has run on certificates and promises.