Petco Love is providing $100,000 toward the cost of cancer treatments for dogs and cats over 2 years as part of a long-standing partnership with the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine in Ithaca, New York.

 This investment is in addition to the $100,000 in grant funding that Petco Love provided to the University of California-Davis (UC-Davis) School of Veterinary Medicine earlier this year in support of cancer care and research initiatives.

“Cancer in a pet can have a profound effect on a family,” Cheryl Balkman, DVM, DACVIM, oncology section chief at the Cornell University Hospital for Animals in Ithaca, said in a news release.

 “This investment from Petco Love enables our clients to seek treatment for their pets and lessens their financial stress in an already trying situation.”

A national nonprofit, Petco Love aims to make communities and pet families closer, stronger, and healthier. It also helps find loving homes for pets in partnership with Petco and more than 4000 organizations across North America. Since its founding in 1999, Petco Love has invested nearly $421 million in adoption and other lifesaving efforts and has had more than 7 million pets adopted.

Petco Love, in partnership with Blue Buffalo, has invested $750,000 in Cornell for pet cancer treatments since first partnering with the university in 2016. These funds have been used to help provide chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery to at least 276 families. The new $100,000 investment will support the Petco Love & Blue Buffalo Pet Cancer Treatment Support Fund, which is available to Cornell University Hospital for Animals clients who otherwise could not afford the cost of treating their pets with cancer.

“Cancer doesn’t just affect people—it takes the lives of too many beloved pets,” Susanne Kogut, JD, president of Petco Love, said in a news release

 “Together with Blue Buffalo, we’re empowering pet parents with education, resources, and hope to help pets fight and survive this disease.”

Since the launch of the Pet Cancer Awareness initiative in 2010, Petco Love and Blue Buffalo have together invested $21 million in pet cancer research and treatment, funding cutting-edge studies and helping thousands of pets receive the care they need. Petco Love supports 15 partner organizations and oncology universities by investing in pet cancer research and subsidizing treatment costs for pet owners in need.

Petco Love has granted UC-Davis a total of $750,000 in funds since 2016. The recent $100,000 grant received by UC-Davis is helping to fund patient treatment for cancer, early cancer detection in pets, and advancing research for cancer in domestic companion animals.

“These funds have been invaluable in helping clients who wish to pursue treatment for their pet’s cancer, but who don’t have the financial means to do so,” Kathrine Skorupski, DVM, professor of clinical medical oncology at UC Davis, said in a university report.

 “Cancer treatment consisting of surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and/or immunotherapy can be expensive, and this grant helps reduce that source of stress for our clients. We are grateful for the opportunity to provide the best possible cancer care for clients with limited financial means.”

Additionally, the Veterinary Center for Clinical Trials at UC Davis conducts more than 50 research studies at any given moment, including numerous clinical trials focused on cancer, to advance animal health care. These studies aim to develop new, safe, and effective treatment options for companion animals.

National nonprofit Petco Love invests in Cornell’s College of Veterinary Medicine to save and improve the lives of pets through veterinary cancer treatments. News release. Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. July 8, 2025.

Bautista-Alejandre A. UC Davis receives $100,000 grant to advance pet cancer research and treatment. 

https://www.dvm360.com/view/uc-davis-receives-100-000-grant-to-advance-pet-cancer-research-and-treatment

Warren R. Continued philanthropic support helps UC Davis provide highest quality cancer care. UC Davis College of Veterinary Medicine. March 31, 2025. Accessed April 1, 2025. 

https://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/news/continued-philanthropic-support-helps-uc-davis-provide-highest-quality-cancer-care

Articles

The funds will be used to support pet owners who cannot afford chemotherapy, surgery and other lifesaving treatment.

Petco Love invests $100,000 in cancer care at Cornell University

Small mammal pets, such as rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, and rats, often experience serious welfare problems that many owners and even animal care professionals overlook. A recent study surveyed veterinary experts across Europe to identify the most critical welfare issues affecting these animals. By analyzing expert ratings of severity and prevalence, investigators created a ranked list of concerns for each species. Their findings reveal widespread welfare concerns related to housing, diet, social needs, and health care. These results point to the urgent need for action through better education, regulation, and care standards.

The study clearly identified housing size as the most pressing welfare concern for nearly all species, with rats as the sole exception. In rats, respiratory disease surpassed all other issues in impact, underscoring its serious effects on health and quality of life. Despite a growing body of knowledge about appropriate housing requirements, most owners still fail to provide suitable environments. Many cages sold commercially do not meet the basic physiological or behavioral needs of these animals. For instance, rats need vertical space to rear up fully, yet most cages do not offer this, severely limiting natural behavior.

Veterinary professionals, regardless of their location, consistently rated small housing as a top concern. Research shows that inadequate space significantly affects both physical and psychological wellbeing. For example, rabbits in cramped hutches display stress behaviors and reduced movement, while hamsters housed in small cages often develop stereotypical behaviors like wire-gnawing. Mice actively choose larger cages when given the option, showing that space affects not just physical health but also emotional wellbeing.

Respiratory disease in rats emerged as the most impactful welfare issue across all species studied. More than 60% of rat owners reported this problem, with causes ranging from poor ventilation and dusty bedding to stress and infection. This condition can shorten life expectancy and severely affect quality of life. Simple changes in husbandry, such as better air circulation, clean environments, and reduced stress, could prevent many of these cases. However, without proper education, most owners cannot implement these changes.

Inappropriate diets also scored highly across nearly all species. Guinea pigs, hamsters, and gerbils are especially vulnerable to poor nutritional practices. These animals require species-specific diets rich in fiber and low in sugars. When fed incorrectly, they develop serious issues such as dental disease, digestive disorders, and obesity. For grazing species like rabbits and guinea pigs, continuous access to roughage is essential. Without it, their teeth grow uncontrollably, leading to painful malocclusions and even starvation. Owners must understand the importance of consistent, high-quality nutrition.

Social needs and behavioral enrichment also emerged as major welfare gaps. Rabbits, chinchillas, and degus (small, burrowing rodents native to Chile that are similar to a prairie dog) suffer from being kept alone, despite their naturally social behavior. Many owners house them in isolation, unaware of the stress and behavioral issues that follow. Some species, like hamsters, require solitude, but others need companions to thrive. Inability to express natural behaviors because of poor housing or social deprivation ranked among the top issues for multiple species.

To address these issues, researchers call for better education, improved regulation, and increased availability of suitable housing and diets. Regulating pet retailers to ensure all enclosures meet minimum standards could dramatically improve conditions. Providing educational materials at the point of sale would ensure owners start with the right knowledge. Focusing resources on the most pressing concerns, especially inadequate housing and poor diet, could significantly improve the welfare of millions of small mammals.

is a 2026 PharmD candidate studying veterinary pharmacy at the University of Connecticut in Storrs.

Fenton L, Benato L, Mancinelli E, Rooney NJ. What are the most prevalent welfare issues for pet small mammals? 

. 2025;15(10):1423. doi:10.3390/ani15101423

Study results indicate an urgent need for education, regulation, and care standards for these animals

Prioritizing welfare: key issues facing small mammal pets

A powerful survival instinct that cats have is the ability to hide pain. As both predators and prey, cats evolved to mask signs of illness or injury to avoid being seen as vulnerable. In the wild, this meant safety. In clinical practice today, it often means late diagnoses and missed opportunities for early care. Cats are subtle when they’re unwell, which contributes to one of the most persistent challenges in veterinary medicine: feline undermedicalization.

Although an estimated 74 million domesticated cats are in the US, only 40% receive annual veterinary care compared with 82% of dogs.

 According to the CATalyst Council, the current feline veterinary market is valued at $12 billion; however, if cat utilization matched that of dogs, the market could expand to $32 billion, representing an untapped $20 billion opportunity.

 Encouragingly, feline visits and revenue have grown even as other segments have plateaued. Yet detecting what cats instinctively hide continues to be the greatest barrier.

Illness in cats rarely begins with dramatic signs. Instead, it starts with small behavioral shifts, including the following:

Withdrawal or increased nighttime activity

Because cats tend to suppress these signs, especially in stressful environments like veterinary clinics, they often go unnoticed. This creates a species-specific blind spot in veterinary medicine.

Aligning with feline instincts to close the care gap

The medicalization gap isn’t just a matter of caregiver hesitation or access; it’s rooted in feline biology. Cats have evolved to hide signs of vulnerability. To close the gap, veterinary medicine must find ways to work with this reality, not against it.

This is where artificial intelligence (AI)-powered tools come in. By observing cats continuously in their natural, stress-free environment, new technologies are surfacing subtle early changes that humans alone often miss. These tools don’t force cats to communicate; they interpret what cats are already expressing through behavior.

One innovation in this space is Moggie, a behavior-tracking wearable explicitly designed for cats. Moggie monitors core feline behaviors, including walking, jumping, resting, grooming, and playing, by using AI to detect deviations from each cat’s individual baseline. It helps surface meaningful behavioral changes that could indicate early illness or discomfort.

This technology is passive, noninvasive, and designed for continuous use in the cat’s natural habitat, where stress levels are low and instinctual behaviors are most pronounced.

Early patterns from caregivers and clinics using AI-driven behavior tools have shown promise, such as the following:

Decreased jumping flagged early-stage arthritis

Fragmented sleep and pacing pointed toward hyperthyroidism

Reduced grooming revealed underlying dental pain

These insights don’t replace veterinary exams; they complement them, giving caregivers and clinicians richer, continuous behavioral context between visits.

By equipping caregivers with objective insights and reducing reliance on subjective observation alone, AI-powered tools can:

strengthen caregiver-clinic communication; and

This approach aligns directly with the CATalyst Council’s call for proactive, tech-enabled, and cat-centric models of care that meet cats on their terms, not just in exam rooms.

Cats will always hide pain, but that doesn’t mean we have to miss it. With AI, veterinary medicine is learning to detect the subtle signals cats have been conveying to us all along.

US pet ownership statistics. American Veterinary Medical Association. 

https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/reports-statistics/us-pet-ownership-statistics

2025 Hill’s Pet Nutrition World of the Cat report. Hill’s Pet Nutrition. Accessed July 2, 2025. 

https://na.hillsvna.com/en_US/resources-2/view/244

CATalyst Council releases first 2025 Market Insights Report: feline veterinary care emerges as industry growth driver. News release. CATalyst Council. April 30, 2025. Accessed July 2, 2025. 

https://catalystcouncil.org/catalyst-council-releases-first-2025-market-insights-report-feline-veterinary-care-emerges-as-industry-growth-driver/

Garrison G. The feline factor. Vet Advantage. May 2025. Accessed July 2, 2025. 

https://vet-advantage.com/vet-advantage/the-feline-factor/

When it comes to feline health, listen when silence speaks.

From stealth to signals: How artificial intelligence is transforming feline medicine

A 2013 Nobel Prize laureate has joined a molecular diagnostic company’s board of directors. Meanwhile, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has appointed a longtime member as its new assistant executive vice president in place of David E. Granstrom, DVM, PhD, DACVM (Parasitology), who retired from office this April. Additionally, the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine has a new professor of veterinary orthopedics who brings a One Health approach to her research.

Continue reading to learn more about each of these individuals.

James Rothman, PhD, board of directors, Alveo Technologies

James Rothman, PhD, board of directors, Alveo Technologies. (Image courtesy of Alveo Technologies)

Alveo Technologies, a molecular diagnostics company, appointed James Rothman, PhD, to its board of directors this past spring. Rothman won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2013. He and 2 fellow laureates were awarded for “their discoveries of machinery regulating vesicle traffic, a major transport system in cells.”

 Rothman is also the founder of the Nanobiology Institute at Yale University in Connecticut.

“Dr Rothman is a world-renowned scientist whose expertise will be an asset to our board as we strive to reshape molecular diagnostics in the spirit of a One Health approach by enabling rapid pathogen detection and decision-making at the point of need to drive actionable insights and achieve better outcomes,” Shaun Holt, CEO of Alveo, said in an organizational release.

 “His understanding of the academic markets will also be key as we continue to build partnership programs in this area, as well as in industry, to drive innovation.”

Currently, Rothman is the Sterling Professor of Cell Biology at Yale, a member of the National Academy of Sciences and its Institute of Medicine, and a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. His work on vesicle trafficking and membrane fusion has earned him multiple accolades, including the King Faisal Prize in Science, the Gairdner Foundation International Award, the Richard Lounsbery Award of the National Academy of Sciences, the Heineken Foundation Prize of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Louisa Gross Horwitz Prize of Columbia University, the Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research, and the Kavli Prize in Neuroscience.

Kent McClure, DVM, JD, assistant executive vice president, AVMA

Kent McClure, DVM, JD, assistant executive vice president, AVMA. (Image courtesy of the American Veterinary Medical Association)

Kent McClure, DVM, JD, chief advocacy officer for the AVMA, was elected as the organization’s new assistant executive vice president. McClure first joined the AVMA in 2017 as chief government relations officer.

For more than 10 years, McClure has also been a member of the AVMA Trust Board of Trustees. During his tenure at the AVMA, McClure has overseen the organization’s advocacy efforts, addressing issues such as noneconomic damages for pet loss, scope of practice, telemedicine, and xylazine at federal and state levels and in the courtroom.

“I’m honored to continue to serve and advocate for the veterinary profession in this expanded capacity. I am deeply appreciative of the ongoing support I have received from the board and AVMA’s CEO and executive vice president, Dr Janet Donlin,” McClure said in an AVMA news release.

Heidi Reesink, VMD, PhD, DACVS-LA, professor, UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine

Heidi Reesnik, VMD, PhD, DACVS-LA. (Image courtesy of UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine)

The UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine announced a new professor of veterinary orthopedics: Heidi Reesink, VMD, PhD, DACVS-LA. In her new position, Reesink will oversee clinical appointment with the William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital’s equine surgery and lameness service and will have a research laboratory in the school’s JD Wheat Veterinary Orthopedic Laboratory.

Reesink specializes in the pathophysiology and treatment of musculoskeletal disease, including osteoarthritis, tendinopathy, and fracture. According to UC Davis, her team aims to advance the development of One Health therapeutic design and strategies focused on restoring cartilage health, improving comfort, and prolonging joint longevity and patient mobility for human and animal patients.

“I’ve already met with researchers at the medical school to discuss how we can work together in researching similarities between horses, dogs, and humans. Collectively, we can learn more about the commonalities of joint disease in terms of identifying biomarkers, monitoring disease progression, and guiding targeted treatments,” Reesink said in a university report.

Alveo Technologies appoints Nobel laureate, Dr James Rothman, to its board of directors. News release. Alveo Technologies. April 8, 2025. Accessed July 1, 2025. 

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250408790200/en/Alveo-Technologies-Appoints-Nobel-Laureate-Dr.-James-Rothman-to-its-Board-of-Directors

McClure promoted to AVMA executive position. News release. American Veterinary Medical Association. May 5, 2025. Accessed July 1, 2025. 

https://www.avma.org/news/mcclure-promoted-avma-executive-position?utm_source=delivra&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=todays-headlines-news

Warren R. UC Davis welcomes equine surgeon and orthopedic researcher Dr Heidi Reesink. UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. April 10, 2025. Accessed July 1, 2025. 

https://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/news/uc-davis-welcomes-equine-surgeon-and-orthopedic-researcher-dr-heidi-reesink

New leadership moves, recognition, and achievement.

Paws and profits: Diagnostics company appoints Nobel laureate to its board, and more

In the United States, more pets are lost on July 4th than any other time of the year. Loud noises from firework displays can cause anxiety or stress in animals, prompting them to run away or hide.

According to data from Shelter Animals Count, the week of July 4th consistently sees the highest surge in stray dog intakes at shelters nationwide.

In fact, July 5th was the single busiest day for stray dog intakes from 2021 through 2023, with 2024 following the same pattern.

This surge in stray dogs follows an earlier influx of stray cats between late May and early June,

 placing additional strain on shelters operating at or near capacity. “...Shelters see a significant increase in lost dogs around the Fourth of July, making it one of the busiest times of the year,” Tori Fugate, director of communications at Shelter Animals Count, said in an organizational release.

“[The data] underscores the importance of asking the community for their support during this time to help reunite lost pets with their families quickly and reduce strain on shelter resources.”

Staying informed and prepared can help keep pets safe during this holiday season. From managing noise anxiety to water and heat risks to be aware of, the following articles offer guidance for this Fourth of July weekend:

Keeping pets safe this 4th of July weekend

 Guidance on microchipping pets, combating anxiety, blocking escape routes, and creating a plan in case of an emergency and for keeping pets safe.

 Learn more about the risks of heat strokes, sunburn, barbecues, fireworks, and precautions to take with guests, with special insight from Amber Karwacki, DVM, partner doctor at Heart + Paw.

July 4th pet safety: Lakes, boating, and fireworks

 With many families heading to lakes or the coast this weekend, this article offers insight from Texas A&M University’s College of Veterinary Medicine on:

Why pets should never drink stagnant water

Stray dog intakes spike after July 4th, new data from Shelter Animals Count confirms—Shelter Animals Count. News release. Shelter Animals Count. June 23, 2025. Accessed July 1, 2025. 

https://www.shelteranimalscount.org/stray-dog-intakes-spike-after-july-4th-new-data-from-shelter-animals-count-confirms/#:~:text=Analysis%2C%20SAC%20News-,Stray%20Dog%20Intakes%20Spike%20After%20July%204th%2C%20New%20Data%20from,seasonal%20spike%20and%20respond%20effectively

The Fourth of July causes one of the highest surges in missing pets in the US

Must-reads for keeping pets safe this July 4th

For decades, people have joked that dogs look and act like their owners. This idea, long considered anecdotal, now has scientific backing. A systematic review of 15 studies explored the evidence for physical and personality similarities between dogs and their human companions. The results support 2 major hypotheses: (1) people choose dogs that look like them; and (2) over time, dogs and owners grow similar in personality.

In terms of physical appearance, the studies consistently show that humans can match dog-owner pairs based on looks. One experiment even found that participants correctly matched owners and dogs using only their eye regions.

Researchers also identified matching features such as body weight and hair or ear length, especially between female owners and their pets. These patterns suggest that people often choose dogs who resemble them. This selection may result from psychological effects like the mere-exposure effect, where people prefer what feels familiar, or a preference for self-similarity, which draws individuals to traits that mirror their own.

When examining personality traits, researchers found even stronger correlations. Dogs and owners often share characteristics such as extraversion and neuroticism. Many studies confirmed these personality overlaps. Notably, highly neurotic owners tended to have dogs that also showed signs of anxiety or mood instability. Although some researchers argue that this similarity arises from initial selection, others believe it develops over time through shared experiences and emotional coregulation.

Researchers have proposed several mechanisms for the development of internal similarities. Emotional convergence happens when close companions gradually align their emotional responses. For example, a neurotic owner may behave inconsistently, prompting the dog to act cautiously or anxiously. Coregulation also plays a role. Here, the dog and owner continuously shape each other’s emotional states and behaviors. Some studies showed that the owner’s emotional instability influenced the dog’s obedience, whereas others found that the dog’s anxiety affected the owner’s mood.

Observational learning may further explain personality similarities. Dogs observe their owners’ behavior and mimic certain emotional and social cues. For instance, dogs of highly extraverted owners have more chances to watch social interactions and may adopt more outgoing behaviors. Over time, reinforcement strengthens these traits, as owners reward behaviors that reflect their own tendencies, sometimes without realizing it.

Future research needs to explore these dynamics further. Longitudinal studies could track how personality similarities evolve over time, according to the systematic review.

 Scientists should also consider who selects the dog in each household, whether the dog is purebred or mixed breed, and how gender influences owner-dog similarity. Investigating narcissism might shed light on why people choose dogs that mirror their appearance. Additionally, analyzing live interactions or video footage could reveal more about the subtle behavioral parallels between humans and their pets.

In conclusion, this review supports the claim that dogs resemble their owners in both appearance and personality. People often select dogs that look like them, and as they live together, their personalities grow more alike. Whether through choice, coregulation, or emotional convergence, dogs and humans form deeply connected and similar pairs. The next step is to examine what these similarities mean for their happiness, functionality, and compatibility as companions, according to the authors of the review.

 is a 2026 PharmD candidate studying veterinary pharmacy at the University of Connecticut in Storrs.

Bender Y, Roth F, Schweinberger S, Witte S, Brauer J. Like owner, like dog: a systematic review about similarities in dog-human dyads. 

. 2025;233:112884. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2024.112884

A systematic review of several studies offers insight.