It’s truly heartbreaking to hear about a dog or cat getting cancer. Unfortunately, it happens much more than you probably realize. In fact, dogs and cats get cancer at roughly the same rate as humans do. More startling, cancer is the leading disease-related killer among dogs and cats, accounting for nearly 50% of these deaths.

For the folks at Blue Buffalo and Petco, the health and well-being of our furry family members is everything. That’s why we’ve partnered together for the 4th Annual Pet Cancer Awareness Month in May to help find a cure for this terrible disease. Our mission is to raise awareness of pet cancer and to provide funding to universities and clinics that are conducting research on the cause, prevention and treatment of canine and feline cancer. This year’s goal is to raise $1.5 million and with your help, we can do it.

If cancer is detected early it can be treated more effectively, so it’s important to check your pet regularly for the 10 Early Warning Signs as recommended by the Veterinary Cancer Society.

If your pet has any of these early warning signs, you should take him or her to your veterinarian as soon as possible for a more complete examination. In addition, you should keep your pet away from environmental toxins like lawn fertilizers and surface and rug cleaners that have warning labels relative to children and pets. Many veterinarians see a link between environmental toxins and cancer.

All donations collected will be donated to and distributed through the Petco Foundation to various pet cancer research and assistance groups around the country.

The Blue Buffalo Foundation for Cancer Research (B.B.F.C.R.), through the Pet Cancer Awareness Program, raises money to provide grants to leading institutions studying ways to combat and cure pet cancer. The B.B.F.C.R., Petco, and the Petco Foundation are proud to partner with many great organizations including the Morris Animal Foundation, the world's largest non-profit foundation dedicated to funding research studies to protect, treat and cure animals. To learn more, go to www.petcancerawareness.org.

Together we have raised $3.2 million to date and are co-sponsors of a truly groundbreaking study with the Morris Animal Foundation called the Canine Lifetime Health Project. To learn more go to www.caninelifetimehealth.org.