Two of the price increases we saw in NPR's basket were in pet products: a dog leash and a dog collar. The industry has been hit by tariffs affecting fabric, metal and plastic--and many of the pet items are predominantly made in China, said Mike Bober, head of the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council.
The Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council out of Washington DC has also railed against the event, stating it, "will unnecessarily threaten the health of over 1,000 goldfish and send a dangerous message to adulst and children."
Mike Bober, president and CEO of the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council, said Friday that the current and planned tariffs, plus the Chinese retaliations, are having a significant impact on pet trade and American pet owners.
U.S. pet owners could soon feel the impact of America's intensifying trade war with China deep down in their pockets. Earlier this month, President Donald Trump imposed a 25% tariff on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods. And China's Finance Ministry responded by placing a tariff on $60 billion worth of U.S. goods, starting in June. Now it's things like pet food and goldfish -- which are currently available for as low as $1 -- that could soon cost more because they are frequently imported to U.S. pet store suppliers directly from China.
Pet fish owners could soon pay more for aquarium water filters when they visit their local PetSmart, due to tariffs imposed on imports from China. A few aisles over, the price of dog and pet food could soon rise as steel and aluminum tariffs increase the costs for producers such as Cargill and J.M. Smucker Co.
FAIRFAX, VA - Mike Bober, president of the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council, argued hedgehogs aren’t any different from other pets and that claiming they are difficult to care for is dangerous and inaccurate. “Hedgehogs can be cared (for) through widely available products, through education and through an effort to remind people that when they take on an effort to care for an animal, whatever that animal is, they have a responsibility,” argued Bober.
WASHINGTON, DC - The Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) and the Pet Leadership Council (PLC) delivered the important message that pets are vital to our health and well-being to members of Congress and their staff last night at Pet Night on Capitol Hill.
HILO, HI - "The applicant, the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council, said Thursday it is reviewing DLNR's determination and considering its next steps."
COLUMBUS, OH - House Bill 506 establishes standards for dog breeders in Ohio and places stricter regulations on “high-volume breeders.” Local breeders and retailers interviewed expressed mixed feelings about the new law, some of which originated from misinformation about the bill’s contents. - Toledo Blade
COLUMBUS, OH - “One of the agreements that came out of this was [the Humane Society of the United States] would pull their ballot issue off not only this year but they would stay away for 10 years.” - Toledo Blade