AVMA, Fort Dodge launch pet wellness campaign

Schaumburg, Ill. - 7/30/2007 - The "Being a Pet is Risky Business" campaign, a national pet wellness education effort, aims to raise consumer awareness about and prevention to disease risks to pets. The program is sponsored by the AVMA and Fort Dodge Animal Health.

Focusing on the importance of individualized risk assessment and twice yearly wellness examinations to protect against common diseases, the new National Pet Wellness campaign is clinic-centered and supported at nearly 15,000 clinics.

Pet owners will be exposed to the campaign's message through educational materials designed for in-clinic use by veterinarians, veterinary technicians and the team, and through public service announcements and other public outreach, with the main mediums being television and radio. The announcements are being launched this summer and are funded by a Fort Dodge Animal Health educational grant.

"We are very excited about this year's campaign," says Dr. Roger Mahr, AVMA president. "Not only does this campaign bring important information to the public's attention, but it also allows veterinarians to recognize the very important front-line role of veterinary technicians in communicating with and educating pet owners."

Clinics registered with National Pet Wellness received a free in-clinic education kit containing:

- Canine and feline disease risk assessment forms that can be used to identify where and how each patient may be exposed to disease risks, and to determine appropriate health programs for each patient.

- Risky Business consumer brochures designed to inform pet owners about how risk assessments can help veterinarians develop an individualized disease prevention program for each pet.

- A clinic education DVD containing a PowerPoint presentation on integrating twice-a-year wellness examinations and risk assessment protocols into a clinic. Included are digital formats of 2007 campaign materials, a customizable press release for clinics to distribute to local media, AVMA public service announcements and an assortment of graphics, artwork, photos and logos.

"We're pleased the AVMA and so many local veterinary clinics see value in the National Pet Wellness campaign for the clients and patients, as well as their practice," says Craig S. Wallace, Fort Dodge vice president of marketing. "We believe the best place for pet owners to learn about pet risks, disease prevention and wellness is from their own veterinarian. National Pet Wellness helps support those in-clinic efforts."