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IndePet celebrated International Women’s Day by hosting 80 guests on Wednesday 6 March at Captain Melville in Melbourne. Guests from…

IndePet celebrated International Women’s Day by hosting 80 guests on Wednesday 6 March at Captain Melville in Melbourne.

Guests from across the industry, from suppliers to store owners to groomers to vets, attended the event, which had the theme ‘Women in Pet – The Trailblazers of Our Industry’ and featured esteemed women from across the pet industry.

The event started with a keynote speech by Dr Katrina Warren, who gave an engaging and insightful recap of her over 30 years in the pet and television industry. Dr Warren discussed how much the industry has changed for both women and pets over the past few decades.

Tia Wishart, Business Development Manager at IndePet, said three years ago she came up with the idea of creating an event that transcends corporations, brands, and affiliations and is truly about the people and celebrates the women that make up her amazing industry.

“Last week it happened! At IndePet we believe we are stronger together, and the event was a beautiful example of this, with so many women from different corners of the industry coming together to celebrate each other. The theme was trailblazers of the industry, and our keynote and panellists truly represented this.”

Following the keynote, there was a Q&A with a panel of women who have blazed a trail in the industry. Panellists included Julie Dillon, CEO of Animal Care at EBOS (Masterpet), Jess Gibbins, owner and founder of La Doggie Vita, Diana Scott, founder of Frontier Pet Foods and Dr Katrina, who all shared their experiences with attendees.

Krysten Arnold, Marketing Manager at IndePet, said it was a very special afternoon and left her feeling extremely proud to be a part of the industry.

“Dr Katrina and the panellists spoke beautifully, and I found their stories so inspiring. The vibe felt so warm whether it be with people I had just met or others I hadn’t seen in years.”

Over the course of the event, guests had a chance to catch up with old friends or make new connections over drinks and canapes.

Todd Clarkson, CEO of IndePet, said they have had this event on their radar for three years, and it was a real team effort to bring it all together.

“With the lack of an industry wide event like this, despite such strong female leadership, and with women representing over 80 per cent of our IndePet team, it was a no brainer to let them run with the event. I am proud of all of their hard work, and I look forward to seeing what they can do for next year’s event as we continue to champion the women of our industry.”