Pet Industry News
The deals, launches, and strategic moves behind the brands and operators shaping the industry.
Jane Lauder's TAW Ventures Buys Polkadog, Builds a Pet Wellness Portfolio
TAW Ventures, the pet health and wellness investment firm founded by Jane Lauder, has acquired Boston-based Polkadog from co-founders Rob Van Sickle and Deb Suchman. Terms were not disclosed. The deal is TAW's first announced acquisition and brings a founder-led, long-horizon ownership model to a premium pet category that has been shaped largely by private equity roll-ups.
145% Tariffs on China Just Rewired the Pet Industry's Cost Structure
Trump's April 2 tariffs put 145% duties on Chinese imports, rewiring the pet industry cost basis for toys, accessories, and packaging.
Chewy Is Buying Modern Animal — and Betting That Owning the Vet Is the Moat
Chewy has agreed to acquire Modern Animal, the tech-forward veterinary platform with 29 clinics and over 100,000 member families, adding $125 million in run-rate revenue and scaling Chewy Vet Care to 47 locations. The deal connects Chewy's commerce engine with Modern Animal's proprietary clinical tech and membership model, creating a closed-loop healthcare ecosystem that pressures every major veterinary consolidator.
Chase Sapphire Now Treats Pet Spending Like Travel and Dining
Chase Sapphire Reserve added pet stores and veterinary services as a Pay Yourself Back category for Q2 2026, while offering 100% cashback on Pawp's telehealth subscription. The move puts pet spending alongside grocery and dining in Chase's premium rewards ecosystem, signaling that financial services companies are treating pet care as a permanent cardholder retention tool.
Serenity Vet Lets Relief Vets Build Their Own Networks, Cutting Marketplace Fees
Serenity Vet expanded its network feature to relief veterinarians, letting them invite clinics they already work with and manage scheduling and invoicing without marketplace fees. The move challenges transactional staffing platforms with a relationship-driven model.
Nulo's Olympic Bet Is Paying Off Where It Matters: Independent Retail
Nulo posted 8.1% sales growth over the latest 52-week period, the highest among the top 15 pet specialty brands. The Apax Partners-backed company paired its Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic campaign with a retail activation program across 2,500+ independent stores.
A Plant-Based Brand Just Won the Pet Industry's Biggest Trade Show Award
Bramble, a vet-formulated plant-based fresh dog food startup, won first place in the Dog Food and Treats category at Global Pet Expo's 2026 Best in Show Awards. The win, voted on by trade buyers and retailers, signals growing commercial viability for plant-based pet food beyond the niche aisle.