Cats may be the pet of choice for many urban dwellers, but as human settlement expands, wild felines’ habitats are lost. Yet, jaguars have returned to Rio de Janeiro’s streets, thanks in part to a pet food company.
The largest cat in the Western Hemisphere, jaguars once climbed the hill where the Cristo Redentor now stands. Over the centuries, as Rio and other human settlements expanded, jaguars were forced further into the forests, hills and grasslands until they disappeared completely from much of their historic range. In pre-colonial times, jaguars prowled from what is now the southwestern United States to northern Argentina. The International Union of Concerned Scientists classifies jaguars as “near threatened” on its Red List, and the big cats’ range has diminished dramatically. The jaguar statues that now inhabit the streets of Rio and Paris may help their flesh-and-blood counterparts hold onto territory and return to habitats lost.
Those statues are part of this year’s Jaguar Parade. In Rio and Paris, three jaguar statues were painted and displayed at iconic locations in each city, then exhibited to the public during the Olympic games in Paris. After the Olimpic exhibition, the statues will be auctioned off. All of the net proceeds will be donated directly to conservation projects by non-profit organizations involved in jaguar conservation, such as Onçafari, Panthera and the Ampara Animal Institute. Brazilian pet food company PremieRpet was a gold sponsor of this year’s Jaguar Parade.
“Animal welfare is an important issue that has been getting more attention from all consumers,” a representative of PremieRpet told Petfood Industry. “With an increase in protein consumption, these animals have been subject to conditions that are not aligned with humane living conditions. Because of this, consumers are becoming more conscious of what they are buying and what conditions the animals were raised in at farms.”
“Today, wild mammals make up only around 4% of all animals in the world,” they wrote. “Sixty percent of all animals are livestock, and 36% are humans. All consumers, whether they have companion animals in their lives or not, must stand up to preserve this number, or it will keep moving in a downward trend, creating unwanted consequences.”
Benefits of jaguar conservation
Conserving jaguar habitat acts like an ecological umbrella. When a jaguar population receives protection, many other species are protected due to the jaguar’s role as an apex predator and a keystone species. Jaguars require large territories and diverse ecosystems to thrive, meaning their conservation ensures the preservation of vast landscapes, from tropical forests to wetlands. These habitats are home to countless other species, many of which are threatened or endangered. By safeguarding jaguar habitats, humans protect entire ecosystems, promoting biodiversity and ecological balance. This approach helps maintain healthy populations of prey species, preserves critical vegetation and supports intact communities of millions of species, from microbes to trees. Jaguar conservation benefits extend beyond the species itself.
Along with sponsoring jaguar art, pet food companies can support conservation efforts in various ways.
“Pet food companies can do this by directly supporting NGOs that promote wildlife conservation efforts, both through monetary means and through volunteering,” PremieRpet’s representative said. “Pet food companies can also contribute through consistent digital and physical communication at a brand and product level to authentically raise awareness about these important causes. Similarly, pet food businesses can support environmental initiatives such as sustainable energy consumption to lower our CO2 footprint and other climate change initiatives.”
Speaking of which, PremieRpet has implemented other sustainability and environmental stewardship initiatives.
“Our company uses 100% sustainable and renewable electrical energy from our solar power plant, which is the largest solar power plant in the state of São Paulo,” they said. “We also implemented using reforested eucalyptus trees to generate thermal energy in our manufacturing operations. In addition to this, our company reuses rainwater by capturing it from ponds and roofs, promotes natural lighting in 75% of our spaces, manages all residues generated in the production process, and performs reverse logistics.
“Since 2014, we have been proud to own and operate the first LEED Gold-certified, eco-responsible production facility in Latin America. This LEED Certification is administered by the U.S. Green Building Council. Lastly, our company uses plastic offsetting (up to 30%), and our specific pet food lines, Natoo, Golden Natural Selection, Nattu, and Premier Natural, use plastic offsetting as well (up to 100%).”
About PremieRpet
PremieRpet began in Brazil in 1995 and launched its first brand after two years of research, according to the Top Pet Food Companies database. The company’s annual revenue in 2024 was US$200 million. PremieRpet is owned by the agricultural corporation Grandfood Industry and Trade and sells dog and cat food through pet shops and veterinary offices. PremieRpet is based on a large campus in the state of Sao Paolo, Brazil, with a factory of 41,000 square meters. The Instituto PremieRpet is the company’s nonprofit arm, supporting and encouraging research, studies and actions that aim to promote the health, quality of life and longevity of dogs and cats, in addition to supporting several social causes.
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