About Daily Paws

Pet parents, we’ve got your back. We’re obsessed with our pets, and we know you are too. We’re here to support you with solid info on the everyday stuff (health issues, behavior, questions, challenges) *and* help you and your pets celebrate the sheer joy of your fur family, giving pets a life that’s “extra” in all the best ways.

On This Page

We're Here for Pet Parents

DailyPaws.com launched in August 2020 to help pet parents find the two things they need most for their pet-centric lives: expert information paired with make-you-smile pet news. Because we know being a pet parent isn't just about taking care of an animal—it's about creating a fulfilling, long-lasting relationship with your four-legged family members. 

With our expert interview sources, Advisory Board, and Content Review Team, we're here to make sure pet parents get the best science-backed advice on all their pet health and behavior questions. Our product reviews and recommendations are dedicated to keeping it real—written by pet parents for pet parents. And our pet news and social channels bring the joyful stories of real pets and real families to your news feed. 

Meet Our Team

Melissa Inman, Senior Vice President & General Manager

Melissa Inman is the Senior Vice President & General Manager of Southern Living, Real Simple, The Spruce Pets, and Daily Paws. Previously she was the Senior Vice President of Digital Content Strategy & Operations over a broad portfolio of 15 lifestyle brands—including Real Simple, InStyle, Travel + Leisure, and Allrecipes—overseeing the strategic development of programs and partnerships that expand the brands' engagement and reach across digital platforms.

Melissa has more than 25 years of experience in lifestyle content creation and management across print, digital, social and audio platforms.She kicked off her career in alt weekly newspapers and then moved into magazines, joining Meredith Corporation as editor of the company's scrapbooking magazines, books and website. She went on to lead content teams on brands such as Parents, Shape, Martha Stewart, and Better Homes & Gardens. In 2019, she was named one of Folio's Top Women in Media. She earned a B.A in Mass Communications from Westminster College.

Allie Giordano, General Manager

Allie Giordano is the General Manager of Daily Paws and The Spruce Pets at Dotdash Meredith. Previously she was the General Manager for Home Brands at Meredith Corporation, overseeing business operations for Real Simple, Better Homes and Gardens, Martha Stewart, and Southern Living.  Allie has spent most of her career in advertising, focusing on managing and training sales support teams and building strategic partnerships with agency and brand clients. 

She earned a BA in Business from Brown University and an MBA from NYU Stern, specializing in Strategy, Leadership and Change Management.

Karman Wittry Hotchkiss, Senior Editorial Director

A self-professed "cat person" for 20+ years, Karman Hotchkiss is now a pet mom to Pip—a Lab-pit rescue, who's perfect in every way ... except that she hates cats. As Senior Editorial Director for Daily Paws, Karman draws on her experience as a pet mom and on her professional experience spinning up new brands for Meredith Corp. Among her previous projects, she was launch editor for The Magnolia Journal. For 10 years, she also headed the Home, Garden, and Craft group of more than 65 annual newsstand and subscription issues in the Meredith Premium Publishing group. She holds a degree in mass communications from Truman State University.

Abbie Harrison, Senior Editor

As the senior editor for Daily Paws, Abbie Harrison is finally living her dreams of writing and thinking about pets all day with her two rescue pups, Millie and Finn, by her side. Prior to Daily Paws, Abbie spent four years reporting on the latest cancer research advances at the National Cancer Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health. When she's not working, you can find Abbie hiking with her pups or hunting down the best gluten-free eats in Des Moines with her husband. She holds a bachelor's degree in journalism and an MA in Journalism, both from the University of Missouri.

Jenna Stregowski, RVT, Pet Health and Behavior Editor

Jenna Stregowski is a registered veterinary technician with a range of veterinary experience that includes small animal internal medicine, oncology, neurology, emergency, alternative medicine, and practice management. As the Pet Health and Behavior Editor for Daily Paws, Jenna is living the dream as she combines her veterinary knowledge and passion for animals with her love of writing and education. Before Daily Paws, Jenna was a pet expert and contributor for The Spruce Pets. When she's not working, Jenna enjoys exploring Cincinnati with her pitty-mutt Rhyme, visiting dog-friendly breweries, and cuddling with her super kitty: RBG, AKA Ruthie. She studied business administration and management at Georgia State University and studied theater at Florida State University. In 2007, she became a registered veterinary technician in the state of Georgia. 

Austin Cannon, Associate Editor

Austin Cannon is Daily Paws' associate editor, leading most of the site's pet news coverage. Before joining Daily Paws in June 2020, Austin worked as an award-winning journalist for several newspapers, including the Des Moines Register, Ames Tribune, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, and Hartford Courant. He reported on local governments, presidential candidates, and college basketball before happily moving to the pet beat. He's won two certificates of excellence and one MUSE Medallion award from the Cat Writers' Association. He graduated from Drake University in 2016 with bachelor's degrees in journalism and political science.

Samantha Saunion, Social Media Editor

Samantha Saunion is a dog mom living in NYC who enjoys spending her days watching cute animal videos on Instagram. She has worked in all facets of media from celebrity entertainment at People to blogging at The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. She holds a bachelor's degree in Communications from Syracuse University, and an MA in Media Studies from The New School.

Jody Tramontina, Visuals Editor

Jody Tramontina develops and oversees the look and feel of this fun, engaging brand, including the concept and direction of new photography. She has 20+ years of design and photo direction experience in integrated marketing and advertising, most notably at Meredith and The Integer Group, where she created, as well as directed her teams to, award-winning designs and photography. She has developed and led the brand identity on accounts such as Iams, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Nestle, Kohler, and Kraft. Above all, she loves being a cat mom to her precocious fur ball, Binx. In her spare time, you can find Jody hiking along wooded paths where she gets her dog fix as she stops and meets a lot of furry friends along the way. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in graphic design from Iowa State University.

Julia Bohan, Creative Director Home Brands

Julia has been with Daily Paws since the brand launched in 2020. Since then, she and her team have worked with the brand's Visuals Editor to shape the site's identity by creating visual assets for the site, as well as for its social and video channels. Before she started at Dotdash Meredith, Julia worked in print design for Fortune, Money, and Chicago magazines and for the Chicago Tribune. Julia graduated with a BA in Design Management from Parsons in New York City.

Meet the Daily Paws Board of Advisers

These pet experts serve Daily Paws editors as a rich source of guidance regarding our policies and our brand points of view on critical pet health and behavior topics. The group meets several times a year and consults regularly with our editors and writers on specific stories and subjects. The content on DailyPaws.com may not reflect the opinions of individual advisers, except where they are specifically sourced or credited in individual articles. 

  • Alicen Tracey,​ DVM, Fear-Free certified, Den Herder Veterinary Hospital
  • Amelia Wieber​, CPDT-KA, CCBC, Fear-free certified, Caring Behavior Animal Behavior Consulting
  • Irith Bloom,​ CPDT-KSA, CBCC-KA, CDBC, CSAT, KPA CTP, VSPDT, CBATI, VSDTA Faculty, DWA Faculty, The Sophisticated Dog, LLC
  • Lauren Novack, MS, KPA-CTP, ACDBC, NYC Behavior Vets
  • Leslie Sinn,​ DVM, DACVB, CPDT-KA, Behavior Solutions
  • Leslie Stewart​, PhD, LCPC, Associate Professor Counseling at Idaho State University
  • Randi Rossman,​ CBCC-KA, CDBC, Canine Behavior Science
  • Katie Evans​, External Affairs Manager, Mars Petcare U.S.

Meet the Daily Paws Editorial Review Team

These pet health and behavior experts provide hands-on review of Daily Paws stories, ensuring that the information is the most thorough and up-to-date. When you see a story with a "Reviewed by" byline by one of these professionals, you know that we have paired the experts quoted in the article with these reviewers to provide an extra level of confidence in the information we share about critical topics.

Daily Paws Editorial Staff & Contributors

Our editorial team is comprised of experts in various fields including pet health, behavior, and training, journalism, design, video, social media, digital strategy, and more. All of our editors have worked at various publications and media outlets. And they are supported by teams of experts who help create other aspects of the Daily Paws experience for our readers.

Senior Vice President/General Manager—Real Simple, Southern Living, Daily Paws & The Spruce Pets Melissa Inman
General Manager Allie Giordano

Senior Editorial Director Karman Wittry Hotchkiss
Visuals Editor Jody Tramontina
Senior Editor Abbie Harrison
Pet Health & Behavior Editor Jenna Stregowski
Associate Editor Austin Cannon
Social Media Editor Samantha Saunion
Contributing Staff Writers Tracey Kelley, Chad Taylor

SEO Content Strategist Samantha Pena
Newsletter Editor Anna Pattison

Creative Director, Dotdash Meredith Home Brands Julia Bohan
Art Director Caitlin-Marie Miner Ong
Designers Kailey Whitman, Corinne Mucha, Grace Canaan

Supervising Producer, Original Video Sean McNulty
Senior Producer Carly Silverman
Senior Producer/Production Manager Amy Frank
Producer Brittany Jobe

Leadership/Ownership Structure and Funding

Daily Paws is part of the Dotdash family of brands committed to creating accurate, helpful news and information that represents and serves all people. Founded in 1996, Dotdash is an operating business of IAC. Dotdash Meredith is the largest digital and print publisher in America. From mobile to magazines, nearly 200 million people trust Dotdash Meredith to help them make decisions, take action, and find inspiration.  

Learn about the Dotdash Meredith leadership team. 

Daily Paws Editorial Policy and Standards 

Daily Paws is committed to creating newsworthy, accurate, helpful content that represents and serves all people and their pets. Our editorial team strives for accuracy and integrity in our reporting and researching processes, and we are committed to working with a diverse group of writers and editors representing a wide range of ages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, ethnicities, and abilities, all of which are reflected in our content.

Daily Paws Content Integrity Promise

We are committed to the quality and trustworthiness of our content and editorial processes. Our team of writers, editors, illustrators, photographers, and pet health and behavior professionals rigorously researches and reviews all content on an ongoing basis to ensure it is up to date, accurate, and puts the needs of our readers—and their pets—first. 

Each article features a byline that includes the name of the person who authored the story. The date indicates when the piece was most recently updated with new information. Key articles about pet health and behavior topics also feature a "Reviewed by" byline, indicating the name and credentials of a pet expert who has reviewed the article for accuracy. This pet professional provides confirmation of the information above and beyond the experts who are quoted in the article. 

Original illustrations, graphics, images, and videos are created by internal teams, who collaborate with experts in their fields to produce assets that represent diverse voices, perspectives, and context. Periodic review by editors as well as by pet health and behavior, Anti-Bias, or other Review Board members as appropriate, ensure the quality, accuracy and integrity of these assets. Photos and videos are not edited in any way that may cause them to be false or misleading.

All editorial content published on DailyPaws.com is written or commissioned by our staff. And any source that we link to has been included because we believe it will be of value to our readers. We do not accept guest contributions or contribute in linkback schemes from other brands or websites, unless clearly identified as "Sponsored Content."  

Daily Paws Positions on Pet-Related Topics

At Daily Paws we celebrate the joy of having pets in our lives, and we know that pet ownership is serious as well. We thoughtfully evaluate the information we share so that it aligns with science-based research, advocates for the most updated pet welfare policies, and supports pet parents with carefully vetted advice. Specifically, here is our position on several critical pet topics: 

Training and Behavior
Daily Paws knows that training and socialization are key to helping our pets feel confident, safe, and happy. We believe in positive reinforcement methods that help build understanding between pets and their people and preserve the bond they share. That's why we align with the AVSAB position statement on humane dog training.  

Pet Health
Here at Daily Paws, we know that healthy pets are happy pets. We understand the important role your veterinarian plays in your pet's life. Our content is not intended to replace your vet's medical advice. We encourage you to build a strong relationship with your vet and work as a team to keep your pet healthy.

Pet Adoption and Breeding
Getting a new pet is an exciting step in your life. We know that it's essential to carefully select your new pet from a reputable breeder or legitimate pet rescue/shelter. We discourage potential pet parents from buying animals from pet stores and websites, as this may support unethical breeding practices.  

Diverse Voices

Daily Paws is an inclusive brand that doesn't judge animals based on their breed, geography, origins, or nature. That inclusivity begins with making sure all people feel welcome and reflected in our pet parent community. Daily Paws is committed to including diverse faces, voices, contributors, and decision-makers on our pages and in the content creation process. When pet owners have equal rights and equitable access to resources, they are truly empowered to give pets their best lives. 

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Means:

  • We actively work to build a diverse team of staff members, content creators, Advisory Board members, and Review Team members. 
  • When we show photos or illustrations of humans on site or in our social feeds, we prioritize showing BIPOC faces and bodies. 
  • We seek to reflect a diverse set of pet parent experiences and support pet parents in their desire to share their lives with happy, healthy pets—no matter their age, race, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity, ability and/or socio-economic status. We also consult with the Dotdash Meredith Anti-Bias Review Board in this mission. 
  • We're committed to featuring diverse experts, services, and commerce businesses, representing BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and other under-represented groups.

Accuracy and Corrections

At Daily Paws, we are committed to telling readers when an error has appeared, and to correcting it as soon as possible. When we correct a significant error, we will include a note at the end of the story explaining what we have updated and why. If you believe we have published a factual error, please let us know and we will investigate and make appropriate updates or edits. To report a possible error of fact, please email us at dailypaws.editors@meredith.com. 

Fact Checking

Daily Paws editors and writers investigate claims and verify all information and data gathered for articles. We consult relevant, diverse, and qualified sources to ensure we're providing pet parents with the most up-to-date science-based information.

All of our stories are thoroughly reviewed by a staff editor and rigorously evaluated for accuracy, relevance, and the most up-to-date research. 

Sources

Daily Paws writers and editors adhere to strict journalistic standards for article sourcing. We rely on current and reputable primary sources, such as pet experts, industry professionals, government organizations, and professional and academic institutions and studies. All data points, facts, and claims are backed up by at least one credible source. 

We conduct original interviews to ensure our articles are accurate and share the most up-to-date science-based information. If a story includes information that did not come from an original interview, we will clearly identify and link to the source of the information. 

We strongly discourage use of anonymous or unnamed sourcing, as this can erode transparency and reader trust. In rare instances where an unnamed source is used, we will disclose to readers the reason behind the anonymity and provide necessary context. If you do see an anonymous or unknown source, know that Daily Paws has vetted this person and finds them credible. In some cases regarding breaking or trending news, we may refer to people by their social handles; in those cases we will always link to their accounts.  

Independence and Impartiality

Dotdash is committed to independent, impartial, fair journalism. Our editorial content is not influenced by our advertisers. Every Dotdash staff member and contributor is held accountable to a high standard of honesty and transparency.

We maintain a strict separation between advertising and editorial content. Any content that is provided by or on behalf of an advertiser or sponsor, is clearly labeled as such. 

In line with our mission to provide useful information that helps people find answers, solve problems, and get inspired, we are dedicated to publishing unbiased, comprehensive reviews of products and services. Our product and service reviews are wholly independent and based on robust research and product testing. When readers visit "affiliate links" within our content, Dotdash Meredith may receive commissions from purchases, but we never receive any compensation or consideration for the content of our recommendations. Whenever a story includes product links from which Dotdash Meredith might receive commission, you'll see a notation at the beginning of the story indicating this fact. 

Dotdash Meredith writers and editors are prohibited from giving preferential treatment to any outside resource (company, publication, video, affiliate, website) based on their relationship with the person or company who authors or owns that resource.

All of our writers and editors are responsible for disclosing any potential conflicts of interest—any relationship, financial, or personal, with any source or resource that may compromise their ability to provide fair and impartial information. As with many publishers, our writers and editors are sometimes provided with complimentary products or services for review purposes. We are transparent and disclose when any valuable products or services are provided to our editorial teams. Our editorial staff and editorial contributors must not solicit gifts or services for personal purposes.

Daily Paws Awards, Recognition & Media Appearances

Our writers have received the following awards for writing and service to readers:

Credit: Courtesy of KVVU Las Vegas

Daily Paws and its editors are often called upon by other media outlets to provide information and expertise about pet topics. Here are a few places our editors have been in the media:

  • Daily Paws appeared on FOX Weather in a feature about making summer travel plans with your pet.
  • Daily Paws was interviewed about getting your pet ready for when you head back to the office after working from home, by NBC News Now This Morning.
  • During National Pet Wellness Month, Daily Paws provided insight about things your veterinarian wishes you were doing for your pet, on television stations KVVU (Las Vegas) and WHNS (Greenville, SC).
  • Listen to CBS News Radio's Thanksgiving Day Special, where Daily Paws provided tips about keeping your pet safe at the holidays. In 2020. And in 2021 Part 1 and Part 2.
  • During National Pet Poison Prevention Week, Daily Paws expertise was quoted on television stations WNEM (Saginaw), KCTV (Kansas City), WSMV (Nashville), KPTV (Portland), KMOV (St. Louis), KVVU (Las Vegas), AZ Family (Phoenix), WFSB (Hartford)
  • Daily Paws was interviewed about how to help your pet adjust after moving to a new home, on television station KVVU (Las Vegas).
  • Daily Paws was interviewed about pet dental hygiene on television station WNEM (Saginaw).
  • During National Cat Health Month, Daily Paws was interviewed on television stations WHNS (Greenville) and KVVU (Las Vegas).
  • The Daily Paws "Pet Etiquette Fails" photo contest was featured on television stations KPTV and WNEM and at BusinessInsider.com.
  • Meredith Corporation Launches Paw Print Magazine for Cat and Dog Owners, at FIPP.com.
  • Daily Paws is quoted in the story Pet Expert on Microchipping Cats and Dogs, at People.com.
  • Daily Paws is quoted in the story What to Do Right Away If Your Dog Goes Missing, at People.com.
  • Daily Paws is quoted in the story This Snuffle Mat Is My Secret Hack to Exhausting a Hyper Puppy, at People.com.
  • Listen to this podcast about how to enrich the lives of your pets, on Create with Heidi.

Privacy Policy

As a member of the Dotdash Meredith family of brands, Daily Paws abides by this corporate privacy policy.

Contact Us at Daily Paws

For comments or questions regarding the stories on DailyPaws.com, please email DailyPaws.Editors@meredith.com.

If you want to share a product or service with our editorial team for coverage consideration, email DailyPaws.MarketEditor@meredith.com and send physical samples to:
Daily Paws
Attn: Press Coverage
1716 Locust St., LN-206
Des Moines, IA 50309

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