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Join us at Global Pet Expo, the premier pet industry event, on March 25-27, 2026, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL!
Global Pet Expo delivers the right people to move your business and the industry forward. Come network and form partnerships with everyone from pet product manufacturers, importers, retailers, thought leaders, trailblazers and creative minds advancing the $152 billion pet care industry.
Produced by the American Pet Products Association (APPA) and Pet Industry Distributors Association (PIDA), Global Pet Expo is the premier international gathering for the pet industry showcasing all types of pet products, including dog, cat, bird, aquatic, reptile, small animal and equine.
Global Pet Expo is open to independent retailers, mass-market buyers, media and other qualified professionals. The show is not open to the general public.
Spotted at Global Pet Expo… the future of sustainable pet care 🌎
From the Pet Sustainability Pavilion to brands leading the way with natural materials and eco-conscious innovation, at Global Pet Expo 2026 we spotted products designed not only to look good, but to do good for the planet.
Because the future of pet care is thoughtful, responsible, and built with both pets and the planets well being in mind.
Benebone - Benebone Green Fishbone
Earth Rated - Max Absorbency Pee Pads
Pet Greens - Cat Grass Wheat Grass
Palz&Co - EcoBowl Slow Feeder Dog Bowl
Burt's Bees - Bee Bully Stick Holder Toy
Park Life Designs - Archie Bamboo Tilt Cat Bowl
ökocat - Lilly Longtail Woolly Mouse
YUTOECO PET division - Ecopawfect Plant Fiber Eco Cat Litter
Woofpanion - Post-Consumer Recycled Dog Poop
#SustainablePets#GlobalPetExpo#EcoFriendly#PetInnovation
Met a stranger. Built a pitch. Won $10,000 for a nonprofit. 🥳
This was my first pitch competition — and it reminded me of something:
The skills we use every day?
They can actually do something bigger.
Not just sell.
Not just optimize.
But create even bigger impact.
Grateful to have been paired with Jennifer Lin Freedman — we went from “nice to meet you” to building something that ultimately supported Pets In The Classroom and the work they’re doing to connect kids with animals and hands-on learning. 👏
Thank you to Global Pet Expo and The Pet Summit for hosting this Marketing Innovation Lab and facilitating real impact in our pet industry community!
If you walked through the doors of Global Pet Expo this year, this post is for you.
What you felt wasn't accidental.
33 people in this photo.
Countless partners behind the scenes.
All of it built around one person.
You.
What you didn't see was the year that lived before you arrived.
Twelve months of diverging. Big ideas, bold questions, directions that challenged everything we did the year before. Brainstorms that sprawl. Perspectives that collide. Newcomers who don't know the rules yet pushing veterans who've forgotten why the rules existed in the first place.
And then the converging. The hard, disciplined work of narrowing. Of deciding what stays and what gets left behind. Anchoring a team, a strategy, and a network of partners around one clear feeling we wanted you to walk away with.
That cycle, diverge, converge, execute, is where the brand is actually built. Long before you set foot on the show floor.
The internal team carries the institutional knowledge. Veterans who've seen what breaks and what holds, who mentor the newest voices on the team. Those newcomers who ask the question everyone else stopped asking. The creative tension between deep experience and fresh eyes is where the best thinking lives.
And then there's the extended team.
They don't just deliver a service. They protect the feeling. The feeling you had when something just worked. When a moment landed. When you thought, I need to come back next year.
That wasn't luck.
Marty Neumeier, author of The Brand Gap, calls it brand alignment. Every person who touches the work pulling toward the same gut feeling they want you to carry home.
Bob Goff, author of Love Does, calls it showing up for people. Fully. At every level.
That's what this team does. For a full year before you ever arrive.
And while you're reading this, planning for 2027 is already underway.
For you.
One team. One standard. One individual at a time.
That's not an event.
That's a brand.
#GlobalPetExpo#APPA#BrandExperience#PetIndustry#Leadership#Mentorship#BrandStewardshipAmerican Pet Products Association (APPA)Global Pet ExpoBrad Necrason, CEMElizabeth JacksonBrittany MarchettiJennifer Miller, CEMTony PetrucciGES - Global Experience SpecialistsHarvest Productions INCHMXLive, a Unit of Harvest Productions IncJosh KoanTyler NissenPete S.Patrick O'Brien, MBA, PMPAnne SandovalHaley Bischof, MBANila KushnerJeremy BakerLindsay SchmueckerBob MerarKevin LacyKaitlin Stewart, CEMIngrid ChuJennifer SkelleyJulia Fidenzio-AliceaSamantha HudakLouis C. FerrariGeorgia SkilesChris Bonifati, CEMBeke LubeachRon LeviCeleste Powers, CAE
Hamsters had plenty to explore at Global Pet Expo 2026! 🐹
From what they eat to where they rest, today’s pet parents are prioritizing comfort and nutrition like never before. We’re seeing a shift toward high-quality diets, functional ingredients, and products designed to support overall wellbeing (because small pets deserve nothing less).
Which product would your hamster try first for #worldhamsterday?
A&E Cage Company - Garden Crunch Hay Pops
Small Pet Select - Herb Forage Tray
American Wood Fibers, Inc. - PetsPick Über Soft Paper Bedding
Marshall Pet Products, Inc. - Marshall Peter's Nature Treats
Mini & Moe - TV Viewing Cage
Vitapol - Vita Herbal Lunch Bowl
Healthy Pet - Carefresh Natural Small Pet Paper Bedding
From cuddles with adoptable pups to new friendships on the show floor, Global Pet Expo 2026 was full of moments celebrating the bond between dogs and people.
#NationalHugYourDogDay is your sign—go hug your dog and make their day! 🐾
#GlobalPetExpo#PetIndustry#DogAdoption
🌐 Missed the State of the Industry Press Conference at Global Pet Expo? 5 trend takeaways you need to know👇
American Pet Products Association (APPA) unveiled 2025 pet industry expenditures and 2026 projections during its State of the Industry Report press release at Global Pet Expo 2026, highlighting continued industry growth!
Weren’t there in person? We’ve got you! Here are the top 5 Key trends... ⬇️
1️⃣ The U.S. pet market remains strong. Pet industry expenditures reached $158 billion in 2025 (+3.7%)
2️⃣ Dog ownership expanded from 51% of U.S. households in 2024 to 53% in 2025
3️⃣ Cat ownership remains a key growth driver in 2025, increasing 5% year over year in 2025
4️⃣ Pets remain an essential part of households, despite tightening consumer budgets
5️⃣ Gen X “empty nests” are driving ownership growth across multiple pet species
Said APPA President and CEO, Pete S., “The pet industry continues to be a healthy, evolving market. Growth remains steady, ownership is expanding across multiple generations, and consumers are becoming more intentional with how they spend, prioritizing essential care while still investing in their pets’ well-being. That combination creates a strong foundation for the year ahead.”
📊 Want the full data breakdown? Members can access the complete report at: https://bit.ly/41VZMiG#GlobalPetExpo#PetIndustry#APPA#IndustryInsights#PetTrends
2 Million Views and Brand Impressions? Yes please!
Judd and Bob's behind the scenes Reels and how their photos were used at Global Pet Expo went viral!
This is a HUGE signal that pet brands who leverage shelter animals in their marketing will win out.
I'd love to extend a giant kudos to Joe Stern and the American Pet Products Association (APPA) team for leaning in to what Second Shot is all about.
The links to the Reels are in the comments if you're one of the 2 million people who haven't seen them yet.
I'm also excited to share two new initiatives we're launching alongside our Second Shot Signature offering.
1. Second Shot Lab | Second Shot lab creates custom content for your brand, that you own, that leverages shelter animals. Global Pet Expo licensing Second Shot photos to use at the show is a perfect example.
2. Second Shot Amplify | Organic Reach doesn't always hit the right audience at the right time. Second Shot amplify lets you to add on Facebook / Instagram advertising to the photo shoots your brand sponsors, amplifying those posts to raise adoption awareness and brand awareness.
Want to give shelter pets a Second Shot? Let's connect!
Whoever said TEAMWORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK couldn’t have been more right.
Last week at Global Pet Expo, DOGTV pulled off what can only be described as a production marathon:
🎬 50 startup videos filmed
📺 4 episodes across 3 brand-new show plus season 3 of the Dog Moms for Unleashed by DOGTV
📰 4 Daily show overview videos
🎦 18 Product Reviews with Willy, Jax and Friends
🎞️ 18 Brand Interviews from their booths
🎙 9 PAL (Pets Add Life) podcast episodes
🎬 5 episode docuseries from the Pet Summit on the Pet Innovation Lab
And we did it all in just a few days.
I am so incredibly proud of what we were able to accomplish together — especially knowing that every piece of content we created helps promote and celebrate the human-animal bond that drives everything we do.
From our on-air talent, to our tireless production crew, to our incredible partners at American Pet Products Association (APPA) that continue to put their faith in us, and so many industry friends who showed up and leaned in — this was a true team effort in every sense of the word.
There’s something powerful about a group of passionate, hardworking people coming together with one shared goal: ➡️ Create meaningful content that elevates our industry and strengthens the connection between pets and their people.
Grateful. Inspired. And already looking forward to what we build next.
Teamwork really does make the dream work. 💛🐾
#GlobalPetExpo#DOGTV#UnleashedByDOGTV#HumanAnimalBond#PetIndustry#Teamwork#ContentCreationRon LeviKristen LevineChris Bonifati, CEMChrissy JoyAmber AquartWalter Brown RVTg VTS (ECC)Peter Carlos, RVTHarrison ForbesHeather YeloushanJeremy BakerPete S.Patrick O'Brien, MBA, PMPJoe SternASK Media ProductionsGeoffrey van Zijl
The Duo Partners team had an incredible session at Global Pet Expo last week.
I was joined by Nihal Advani and Mitch Christopher for a mainstage talk about the pet industry’s new growth playbook.
With how quickly things are changing, the industry is challenged to reconcile what consumers say with what they actually do.
What we’re seeing is that growth today doesn’t come from a single dataset. It comes from connecting several key signals:
- What’s selling
- What’s trending
- What actually happens at home
- What consumers say after purchase
- What they believe and plan to do next
That gap between what people say, what they do, and what actually drives growth is wider than ever.
We also shared a few realities that challenge conventional thinking in the pet market:
- TikTok Shop pet sales grew +129% YoY, yet many brands still underestimate it.
- One product can drive an entire business when it solves a real problem. Convenience is winning.
- Dog owners significantly overstate behavior. Cat owners are far more habitual and loyal.
- When returns spike, it’s often not a defect, it’s an expectation gap between what was promised and what the product delivers.
- Pet owners are more optimistic about their financial position than non-pet owners, which bodes well for the industry in 2026.
- In fact, pet owners plan to spend 42% more on their pets in the coming year.
It’s an exciting time in the category, and I’m proud our teams are leading the conversation with the kind of data and insights companies need right now.
Thank you to Pete S. and the American Pet Products Association (APPA) for including us. Grateful to the Duo Partners ecosystem, including Circana, Charm.io, QualSights, Revuze, and CivicScience for bringing these signals to life. 🐾 #GlobalPetExpo
Throughout my career, I have been very fortunate to work with amazing teams, mentors, and leaders who have helped bring to life some wild ideas. They haven't always been successful, but I've always been encouraged to keep moving forward, and I hope that I have passed that same spirit on to the teams that I have worked with.
Last summer, I brought an idea to my team to help create an engaging networking and education opportunity for one of our key partner demographics, Pet Industry Marketers, as well as highlight the amazing work of some of the Industry's leading non-profit organizations. With the help of the team at American Pet Products Association (APPA), the Marketing Innovation Lab was born.
This was a one-day, small-group intensive workshop in which teams were challenged to learn about and understand the audiences and missions of five unique industry non-profits, and to create complete marketing plans in just a few hours on a fictional budget of $10,000. Not an easy ask…
Then those teams had to present their proposals to a panel of industry-leading judges, who selected one proposal to receive $10,000 to implement the campaign. I was not envious of the judges because all the proposals, put together in just a few hours, were fantastic.
Not everything went according to plan, but I think that is sometimes where the magic happens.
Leaving the event, I saw people who had just met that day going out to dinner together. Throughout the week, I saw groups from this inaugural class walking and working the Global Pet Expo and The Pet Summit together. I also saw a renewed interest in supporting organizations that are doing the hard work day in and day out.
I can't thank enough all the organizations who stepped up and helped bring this project to life (Brother Wolf Animal Rescue, Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI), Pet Advocacy Network, Pets In The Classroom, and Project K-9 Hero), the judges (Beke Lubeach, Kristen Levine, Lashonda Geffrard, Nicole Massey, and Pete S.) who helped pressure test the groups' proposals, the countless specialists who help mentor the groups throughout the day, and most importantly, each and every one of the talented marketing professionals who lent their knowledge, creativity and time to a fun event.
If you want to know more about the Marketing Innovation Lab and the organizations making a difference, our partners at DOGTV will be releasing a docu-series this summer to highlight the experience…for now, enjoy this trailer we released during the Global Pet Expo Best In Show Awards!
