MetLife Pet Insurance today announced its collaboration with the Association of Animal Welfare Advancement (AAWA) to help pet parents confidently care for their pets throughout their furry family member’s life. Through the collaboration, MetLife Pet Insurance and AAWA will work together to develop and produce content highlighting issues pet parents may face surrounding access to veterinary care while also recognizing innovative animal welfare organizations with the Golden Beagle Award.

“Animal welfare organizations play an essential role in providing care and comfort to every abandoned, neglected, and abused animal and AAWA has been a positive force in supporting these institutions,” said Brian Jorgensen, Head of Pet Insurance at MetLife. “We are proud to be working with such a respected group to address the financial and physical challenges pet parents may experience when trying to obtain medical care. We believe pets are part of the family and are committed to ensuring that they can live full and healthy lives.”

In working with new and potential pet parents, animal welfare organizations understand first-hand the challenges pet parents may face when trying to access veterinary care. These challenges may be financial and tied to the cost of care, but they can also include the physical distance a pet parent may need to travel to access a licensed veterinarian.

This Collaboration will focus on producing podcasts, blog posts, newsletters and other content designed to help animal welfare organizations address challenges in the access to care space. This includes highlighting innovations and potential legislation as well as sharing news from specific shelters, local organizations, and national movements.

“Access to care is a critical issue facing animal welfare organizations and pet parents alike,” said Jim Tedford, President and CEO of AAWA. “We are pleased to be working with MetLife Pet Insurance, a market leader, to identify potential obstacles to providing care for pets and spotlighting both potential solutions and actions being taken to address this issue.”

In addition to content development, MetLife Pet is sponsoring the Golden Beagle Award, which will be presented for the first time at the November 2024 AAWA conference. This award will recognize an animal welfare organization for its innovative approach to addressing the challenges of helping larger breed dogs find loving homes. The recipient will receive $20,000 to put toward their work.

“An essential part of MetLife Pet Insurance’s mission is helping pets find and stay in a home that is right for them,” said Jorgensen. “The organizations we will recognize with the Golden Beagle are doing important work in finding homeless pets their forever homes and we are excited to showcase and support the good they are doing in their communities.”

About The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement

The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement is a cohort of leaders on a mission to champion, advance, and unify the animal welfare profession.

About MetLife

MetLife, Inc. (NYSE: MET), through its subsidiaries and affiliates (“MetLife”), is one of the world’s leading financial services companies, providing insurance, annuities, employee benefits and asset management to help its individual and institutional customers build a more confident future. Founded in 1868, MetLife has operations in more than 40 markets globally and holds leading positions in the United States, Japan, Latin America, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. For more information, visit www.metlife.com.

About MetLife Pet Insurance Solutions LLC

MetLife Pet coverage is issued by Metropolitan General Insurance Company, a Rhode Island insurance company headquartered at 700 Quaker Lane, Warwick, RI 02886. MetLife Pet Insurance Solutions LLC is the policy administrator. It may operate under an alternate or fictitious name in certain jurisdictions, including MetLife Pet Insurance Services LLC (New York and Minnesota) and MetLife Pet Insurance Solutions Agency LLC (Illinois). For more information, visit https://www.metlifepetinsurance.com/.