Canidae Announces New Partnership with the Alliance of Therapy Dogs Ahead of World Kindness Day

In commemoration of World Kindness Day on Nov. 13, premium pet food brand Canidae today pledged $20,000 to the Alliance of Therapy Dogs (ATD) in hopes of shining a light on the proven benefits of animal-human connection and supporting the good work the ATD has already been doing for 30 years.

A Kaiser Family Foundation study found that 40 percent of adults have reported new symptoms of anxiety and depression since the onset of Covid-19 and the resulting lockdown and a McKinsey & Company study found that 46 percent of adults who returned to work reported negative impacts on their mental health. Countless studies have shown that mental health improves when humans and dogs spend time together, so Canidae and ATD saw an immediate opportunity to bring goodness to people who need it most as the world attempts to get back to “normal.”

In addition to their monetary donation, Canidae has announced an internal initiative to encourage any of their employees who want to register their pets with the ATD and will cover those associated costs. Dana Paris, Canidae’s Chief Marketing Officer, registered her dog, Canela, right away. “At Canidae, we dedicate our workdays to bringing goodness to pets, people and the planet, but there’s always more that we could be doing,” said Paris. “Having the opportunity to register my dog and bring some goodness into the lives of others has been a great way to give back.”

Karen Casey, Canidae’s Head of People and Culture, agrees. “With so many of our employees being pet parents themselves, we always encourage them to spend time bonding with their pet and share that experience with others,” said Casey. “The human-pet connection is a powerful one and I’m proud to help foster it for those in the Canidae family.”

ATD currently has more than 16,000 member dogs who regularly visit hospitals, nursing homes and natural disaster sites but ATD’s President, Kimberly Williams, predicts the need for even more paws on deck. “As we rush to return to normal, we’re seeing the need to prepare for greater levels of stress and anxiety than ever before,” said Williams. “Through this new partnership with Canidae, we will have the much-needed resources, connections and spotlight to bring more dogs into this community of service, empathy and love.”

Canidae will provide free and discounted products to all ATD members and will give them a platform to share their stories of hope, inspiration and how their pets have brought goodness into peoples’ lives. Click here for more information.