APPA Gives Back

As the global pet care community's leading association, APPA has worked to elevate and promote our industry beyond the direct services APPA provides members and retailers through Global Pet Expo. These contributions have driven and sustained significant programs designed to strengthen our industry, increase responsible pet ownership, and build awareness of pets' joys and health benefits.

Here are some of the organizations APPA supports:  

Pets Add Life (PAL)

APPA’s Pets Add Life (PAL) program was launched in 2005 as a public service announcement effort and has since grown into a highly impactful social media campaign garnering millions of followers and impressions. PAL has become one of the leading voices for promoting the joys and benefits of pet ownership, growing responsible pet ownership and educating pet owners and potential pet owners on the proper care of companion animals. Through Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Tik Tok, active and engaged PAL fans and followers are able to help spread our message to millions of their peers.  

Over the years, PAL has featured several award-winning, shareable, timely video campaigns  that have received hundreds of millions of views. The PAL website serves as a one-stop-shop to watch these engaging pet videos, take quizzes and find adoptable pets across the nation via Petfinder. www.petsaddlife.org

Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI)

In 2010 APPA took the lead in uniting the industry to form a new organization dedicated to gathering, funding and sharing the scientific research that demonstrates the positive health impacts of companion animals on people. Since its inception, HABRI has served as a rallying point for a growing assembly of companies ranging from manufacturers, distributors and retailers to veterinarians and animal health organizations, all with the common goal of scientifically validating that pets are good for human health and promoting the human-animal bond.  

HABRI is the leading resource for scientific research and information on the emotional, psychological, and physical interactions of people, animals, and the environment. Since its formation in 2010, HABRI has created the world’s largest online library of human-animal interaction science, HABRI Central, and has funded more than $3 million in innovative research projects. HABRI Central has become a powerful tool utilized by academics and research scientists to scientifically document the health benefits of companion animals. www.HABRI.org

HABRI Pet Giving Network 

The HABRI Pet Giving Network is a collaboration between HABRI and Greater Good Charities to connect pet care companies with companion animals in need of supplies and other resources. It provides a fast and effective way to mobilize the pet care community to respond to natural disasters and to ensure that pets in need receive the care they deserve.

The Animal Rescue Foundation (arf)

The Animal Rescue Foundation’s (ARF) core mission is the rescue of dogs and cats who have run out of time at public shelters, giving them a second chance at life. ARF couples this focus with innovative programs strengthening the human-animal bond for children, seniors, veterans, and people in disadvantaged circumstances. Through ARF, people experience the unconditional love and acceptance of dogs and cats to fulfill a mission of People Rescuing Animals ... Animals Rescuing People®.

In 2018, APPA pledged $1 million over the next four years to support expansion of ARF’s Pets and Vets program – pairing shelter dogs with veterans coping with PTSD, traumatic brain injuries, anxiety, and other service-related challenges. ARF then guides the veteran and dog through a one-year training program, free of charge, to become psychiatric service dog teams.

Pet Care Trust & Pets in the Classroom

APPA has long been a sponsor of the Pet Care Trust whose mission is to promote public understanding of the joys and benefits of pets through education, support, and interaction, primarily through the Pets in the Classroom grant program.

To date, Pets in the Classroom has issued over 171,000 grants to teachers, and nearly 7 million children have experienced the joys and benefits of pet care since the program’s inception.

Teachers with classroom pets, which ranged from guinea pigs to small reptiles, saw significantly greater increases in overall social skills, including every subscale of the social skills measure (communication, cooperation, assertion, responsibility, empathy, engagement, and self-control); social competence; and academic reading competence.

Pet Advocacy Network

APPA has long been a supporter of the Pet Advocacy Networks's work to connect the experience and expertise of the responsible pet care community to legislative, regulatory, and governing bodies. The Pet Advocacy Network monitors over 1,500 pieces of legislation involving pets and pet ownership at the local, state, and national level annually, engaging with lawmakers and regulators to protect and promote the ability of pet businesses to provide products, services and healthy animals to pet owners and caretakers.

APPA is committed to continuing to support the organizations and individuals working to protect and grow the industry.