After earning the Golden Ticket on TV’s “Shark Tank” in 2022, plus a $25,000 award for innovation from Purina, Meghan Wolfgram was ready to introduce her Malabar-based SwiftPaws at Global Pet Expo, the pet industry’s top dog of a trade show.
Hosted annually by the American Pet Products Association (APPA) in Orlando, the event attracts more than 20,000 humans — a large majority of them pet shop owners — from around the globe, plus an army of furry influencers that range from dogs that surf backwards and huge rabbits who ride mini-ATVs to pups who make all the right dance moves to “Footloose.”
At this year’s event, as always, the people and pets were there to discover innovations in a highly competitive industry that in 2024 generated $312 billion in revenue.
For Wolfgram, Global proved pivotal, particularly for “Pounce,” SwiftPaws’ new indoor lure course for cats and small dogs.
“My first buyer was Malabar Feed & Farm, and they purchased a whole floor display,” the Brevard native noted as she darted around clots of buyers at the booth.
“I’ve been blown away by the traffic and interest.”
According to APPA, close to 94 million American households own at least one pet, and the number of pet-owning Zoomers, the GenZ buyers born between 1997 and 2012, has increased 43.5 percent in just a year.
“They are redefining pet ownership and they’re likely to have more than one pet,” said Ingrid Chu, vice president of research insights at APPA.
Zoomers and other pet lovers should have no trouble indulging their pets this coming year, given that more than a thousand new products were introduced in 2025 at Global Pet Expo.
Here are a few.
Not your ordinary poo pan
Let’s face it. Pet ownership entails significant poop — and its disposal — but, fortunately, inventors are eager to make the nasty task easier to bear.
The Titan XR Dog Pooper Scooper from TitanXR (shoptitanxr.com) hygienically and efficiently handles yucky pet waste. Its sticky roller on the business side of the scooper allows standard plastic bags to adhere to the device. Pet parents pick up waste without bending down or touching the dreaded substance. While designed for dogs, it’s capable for handling waste as large as horse manure.
Litter boxes have come a loooong way from those stinky plastic pans. Penthouse Paws (penthousepaws.com) sells one so sophisticated your cat could complain about invasion of privacy. The Litter IQ Smart Litter Box has automated cleaning, odor control and UV sterilization, built-in camera monitoring and app-controlled features.
The PUROBOT series of litter boxes from PETKIT (petkit.com) offers scoop-free convenience meshed with AI-powered health monitoring. Its premium model, the Ultra, provides touch-free automatic waste packing that auto-seals and auto-refills/AI-powered 180-degree rotation camera monitors and identifies kitty’s gastrointestinal activities. More than one cat? AI can identify different cats for exclusive toilet usage data.
Giving pet parents a helping hand
What comes out one end has to go in the other, so it’s not surprising that food and feeders took a chunk of the Global exhibit space. Penthouse Paws again came to the rescue with the Smart Max HD Feeder options, an automatic dog food dispenser that not only allows you to feed your dog from anywhere but also encourages watching and talking with the pup even if you are halfway around the world. The feeder features a 1080p HD camera that beams crystal-clear footage to your phone and comes with a 120-degree viewing angle and infrared night vision to check on pets in the middle of the night.
Jacksonville company Luftpets (luftpets.com) presented new food themed snuffle mats to keep pets busy, but more importantly, prevents gulping food, a habit that can cause life-threatening bloat in larger dogs. A lick pad feature further slows eating. The Duck Snuffle Mat version also includes a squeaky toy. The mats also work with cats, guinea pigs and rabbits.
Pet parents with mobility issues no longer need to bend or strain to feed their animals, now that UpBowl (upbowls.com) is available. The kit contains two bowls and one adjustable pickup pole with comfortable grip. The pole locks into position to lift, fill and replace on the floor without bending. The kit contains two bowls and one adjustable pickup pole with comfortable grip. The pole locks into position to lift, fill and replace on the floor without bending.
From the look of food options at the Pet Expo, pets are eating better than people. Today’s pet food is not Grandma’s Ol’ Roy, but rather gourmet delights sourced from around the world. Brazil-based Natoo (natoopetfoods.com), for example, crafts meal toppers in flavors such as chicken, carrot, brown rice and quinoa made with ethically sourced, traceable ingredients in a LEED Gold Certified solar-powered facility. The company is also socially responsible, supporting a variety of nonprofits.
Closer to home — Dania Beach, to be exact — Jaffee’s Bone Broth (jaffeesbonebroth.com) introduced a line of bone broth nutritionals, including the Jaffee Pop, a nutrient-dense frozen “popsicle.” The broth is made in small batches from organic bones sourced from grass-fed, wild-grazed herds in Pennsylvania, Minnesota and Virginia.
Boss Nation (bossnationbrands.com) showcased Pacific Northwest femur Smoked ProBones infused with millions of probiotics to support digestive health. Also enhanced with over 100 million probiotics per scoop is Boss Dog and Boss Cat’s Goat Milk Powder Problem.
Canine Caterer Melinda Stenger (ilovepetcakes.com) rolled out PetCakes Starter Kit for Cats. Just like her dog version, it delivers soft, warm treats using reusable pans, bone-shaped for the dogs, fish-shaped for the kitties. Human-grade mixes have no wheat, corn, soy, salt, sugar or preservatives. Starter Kit Refills continue the pawty.
RAWZ (RAWZNaturalPetFood.com) combines good food with goodness, for the company donates 100 percent of profits to nonprofits. This year, company launched its 96% meat+goat’s milk pates for cats and dogs, formulated with pure goat’s milk, less allergenic than cow’s milk.
Honest to Goodness(honest2goodness.com) showcased its line of plant-based snacks with nifty names such as Happy Feet, with flaxseed, apple, cinnamon and turmeric for mobility support, and Way to Glow, created for healthy skin and coats.
Charlee Bear (CharleeBear.com) introduced drool-worthy Beary Tasty Treats such as Bearcuterie Bites with apple and cheese and PB. & Beary Parfait, created with peanuts, strawberries and blueberries, plus added probiotics, for digestive health.
Yappy Hour (yappyhourbevwholesale.com) beverages look like human booze bottles and cans but are filled dog-friendly libations such as watermelon-infused water. Bow Wow Bourbon, for example, actually consists of pumpkin-infused water. Primarily aimed at private labels, it is also available for special events.
The ultra-pampered canine will enjoy super-premium, ethically sourced Karoo African Antelope treats, oregano, thyme or rosemary-seasoned, no less, from Karoo Wild (karoowildza.com) in South Africa.
Fun and games for Fido and friends
After eating and pooping, playing and sleeping are usually activity of choice for most pets.
Pounce, by Malabar-based SwiftPaws (swiftpaws.com) runs circles around activity toys by connecting with pets’ natural instincts to chase. Aimed at cats and small dogs and safe for indoor use, Pounce keeps pets busy as the lure system runs in unpredictable patterns that keep the animal on their toes.
Paws-on interactive dog toys, Brightkins (brightkins.com) are puzzling, literally. The company inaugurated Kanoodle Dog Edition, based on the viral TikTok sensation for humans. This doggy brain teaser can level up the puzzle by making treats more difficult to sniff out. Twenty minutes of “sniff work” with Kanoodle supposedly provides the same stimulation as a one-hour walk. The company keeps doggy brains engaged with additional products such as veggie-shaped Tough & Tumble treat dispensers in the shape of veggies, gnomes, fish, football and basketball and a Spinning Hydrant puzzle that encourages pups to spin the hydrant to find treats.
Cat scratchers/kitty condos by Royal Pet’s HAPPYCAT line (royalpetinc.com) takes the supreme cuteness crown. Yes, they are cardboard, so won’t last forever, but these sustainable feline playgrounds reverse for double the use. Designs range from a food truck and vintage surf wagon to a donut store and even a Costco. For napping, hiding and playing, they are the cat’s meow.
This and that for dogs, cats, pet parents
Link by Jolly Pets (jollypets.com) is one cool little waterproof smart collar packed with features that connect pet parents to their fur babies’ health, safety and wellbeing. Unlike many similar collars, Link is small, so it works with smaller animals and attaches to the collar. Tone and vibration features can be used for training. A real-time symptom analysis knows if something is wrong with the pup and understands urgency of seeking care. Ambient temperature alert monitors temperature around pet so he or she is never too hot or cold.
Tailr (tailr.pet) is an advanced QR code pet tag paired with a companion free app. Scanning the code accesses the animal’s profile. Should the pet wander off, the tag allows the finder to scan contact information. It also notifies all Tailr uses in the vicinity with the location of the scan to enhance chances of a safe return
Because humans are not the only beings with smelly feet. Funky Paws from Zymox (zymox.com) addresses paw stink by battling smell-producing bacteria with Vitamin D and Oat Extract that also moisturizes. The cream is hypoallergenic, free from all those artificial nasties and made cruelty free in the USA.
Paw Wash (earthbath.com) from EarthBath includes avocado oil, calendula extract and shea as ingredients inside a clever bottle topped with soft silicone bristles that dispense the mild cleanser, banishing smells as it simultaneously delivers a nice toe massage for tired paws.
Veterinary Formula (veterinaryformula.com) showcased Smart Vitality Supplements that tackle everything from anal gland issues to nervousness. The anal gland supplement, for example, firms up stools so the dog’s anal glands express naturally during potty breaks.
Among the products in HICCPet’s (hiccpet.com) portfolio is a collection of gloves that are much easier to use than mere wipes. The Deodorizing Pet Glove Wipes with CocoPlex fermented coconut oil and other natural ingredients remove tough smells and clean away dirt, germs and dander. A portable version and a hypoallergenic variety are also available.
Using a sample of pet hair along with bioresonance technology, UCARI (ucari.com) can pinpoint more than 1,000 potential intolerances that may be negatively impacting on your pet’s life.
Even the packaging of DOG by Dr. Lisa products is posh and cool. Among the clever indulgences from this luxury Australian pet products company is the ultimate wet dog accessory, a poncho of soft bamboo fabric that dries the pups after the beach or bath without getting you, your home or your car wet. Also from DOG are corner bowls, that fit snuggly into the corner of the room to prevent being bumped around. Dog version includes water bowl, food trough with slow-feed insert and non-slip mat for even lesser mess. Cat bowl has shallow wide bowl surface to prevent whiskey fatigue and perfectly positions cat’s body for maximum comfort.
A dog’s life, a phrase once synonymous with unhappiness, has been redefined by an industry laser-focused on finding clever, more efficient ways to make our pets’ days sweet indeed.
Maria Sonnenberg is a Brevard-based freelance travel and lifestyles writer.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Brevard native’s SwiftPaws products among 2025’s latest pet-centric offerings
Reporting by Maria Sonnenberg / Florida Today
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
