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The Leading Cause Of Death In Pets
The walk coincides with VPI’s third annual campaign since the company launched Pet Cancer Awareness Month in 2005, an event that has sparked increased cancer awareness and philanthropy among pet owners nationwide.
The event registration booth set a unified tone for the K9K; participants, many of them policyholders, received VPI t-shirts to wear during the walk and their furry friends were given special red bandanas to sport around their necks, giving a light-hearted touch to such a serious event.
Making Strides In Cancer Treatment
 Lorin Young, vice president of marketing and sales for VPI, kicked off the event with a speech welcoming everyone to the K9K and thanking them for participating. Young encouraged the attendees to continue to take an active role in their pets’ health, directing them to VPI’s Pet HealthZone as a resource for health issue information, as VPI strives to become a leader in pet health education.
Dr. Mona Rosenberg, CEO of the Veterinary Cancer Group, reiterated the importance of supporting the cause. “Cancer is a treatable disease and there is hope,” she said moments before the walk got underway. “Although great strides have been made in cancer treatment, we still have a long way to go.”
“Although great strides have been made in cancer treatment, we still have a long way to go.”
Pet Owners Eager To Help
 The K9K Cancer Walk hit home for many of the participants who have lost pets to cancer. People shared emotional stories of losing their pets to the disease or knowing someone who has shared a similar fate. Others took part in the K9K as a means of goodwill to support the cause.
“Although my dog is healthy, I want to do everything I can to support these issues now should we have to deal with this [cancer] down the road,” said Diane Kacer, a walker and VPI policyholder who was joined by her husband and one-year-old St. Bernard, Bella.
Jennifer Dentino, a participant and VPI employee, brought three of her dogs to the event. She expressed concern about the potential effect the disease could have on her animals. “You see what cancer can do to people, and it just makes you want to support all the research you can.”
Increasing Pet Cancer Awareness
 Brian Iannessa, public relations supervisor for VPI, said he hopes pet owners left the event with a strong sense of accomplishment and a warm feeling of community. “Our goal was to involve as many policyholders as possible in a unified effort against the number one disease-related cause of death in pets.
"When you consider that we only reached out to several of our Southern California customers and close to 200 people and their dogs showed up, it's a wonderful example of just how much VPI policyholders emphatically care for pets. It certainly made us proud.”
Recognizing Cancer In Your Pet
Nearly 22,000 canine and feline cancer-related claims were filed with VPI in 2006, an increase of nearly 2,000 claims since 2005. Such a growth indicates the importance of routine veterinarian visits to monitor pets for early signs of the disease.
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