What started as a bite by a kitten, turned into a severe infection, requiring extensive medical care.
This experience was the catalyst for Dr. Laura Catena, DVM, to evaluate ways to improve safety for not only other veterinarians and other industry experts, but also pet owners.
This is when the seed of an idea began that is now a vegan signature product from Dr. Catena.
Dr. Laura Catena is the Founder and President of The ArmOR Hand Glove®. A 100% vegan product, the ArmOr Hand Glove allows for more flexibility and compassionate care for anyone who handles animals.
The Vegan Transition
Dr. Catena was in vet school when the thought of going vegan first began to grow. Her best friend had an epiphany during a large animal rotation that encouraged her to stop consuming animal and dairy on the spot.
For Laura, it took a few years more. For the past few years, she has been 100% vegan. Since making the complete transition, her health has improved as has her energy, focus and state of mind.
Additionally, she feels completely aligned with her profession and animal welfare by being vegan.
“It makes sense for me and my profession to support a vegan lifestyle.”
The Bite that Changed Everything
It was while working emergency medicine Dr. Laura was examining a kitten. In a blink, the kitten bit her left hand. The bite got infected and required intense care for Dr. Laura to regain full use of her hand and arm.
This experience was the catalyst for designing a product that is easy to use, lightweight, offered the right kind protection and 100% vegan.
One of the greatest benefits of a veterinarian using the glove is when they handle any type of animal that has been abused, there is less fear from the animal.
Often, the mere presence of a bare hand causes fear in many animals.
With the The ArmOR Hand Glove, there is a layer of protection for the handler and a level of security that minimizes fear for the animal.
Trends with Pet Owners
As more people understand the connection between compassionate animal welfare and what they consume, many pet people are choosing to give up animal products. Not only are they making this change for the animals, but as well, their health.
This is what excites Dr. Laura. As the demand for vegan products increases, she is noticing the demand for the The ArmOR Hand Glove increasing.
Dr. Laura is committed to doing what she can to raise awareness about compassion to animals on all levels.
Her hope is that The ArmOR Hand Glove will make its way into countless veterinarian offices and pet people’s hands.
More about Dr. Laura Catena
Dr. Laura Catena graduated from The Ohio State College of Veterinary Medicine and is a small animal veterinarian. Dr. Catena developed The ArmOR Hand Animal Handling Gloves after a potentially career-ending injury she endured while working emergency medicine.
ArmOR Hand is a compassionate glove, designed to allow for proper and safe restraint technique, without the use of force. The glove is used to safely handle animals, reduce injuries to humans, improve animal welfare, and advance the cause of wildlife and pets.
ArmOR Hand is a reusable, vegan glove, ensuring a low impact on the environment. The glove decreases infectious disease transmission, supporting the One Health Initiative (www.onehealthinitiative.com) as well as increases pet owner compliance for at-home medical care and recommendations.
Dr. Catena achieved a Fear Free Preferred Product certification for ArmOR Hand. She is a recipient of the Pet Age 2021 Women of Influence Award. This award celebrates individuals who set industry benchmarks for excellence.
The award acknowledges high-performance leaders who have made a notable impact on the field while inspiring a new generation of women to make an impact on the pet care community and the pets we serve.
This award recognizes the accomplishments and successes of women who have demonstrated exceptional courage, strength, and leadership to bring positive changes to the pet care community.
Dr. Catena worked with The Paw Project to ban declaw surgery in the City of Pittsburgh. Dr. Catena is a contributing author to an award-winning pet advocacy site with 500M+ views and shares. She is a data-driven animal doctor known for deriving unique insights from complex information.
She is a self-motivated leader translating personal experiences into relatable stories and products. Dr. Catena has been featured on veterinary podcasts and has been published in veterinary journals. Dr. Catena’s interests include spirituality, self-care, fitness, The Paw Project, and human and pet nutrition.
Kathleen, you have an amazing way of wording a question, very much aligned with the materials you present us. For instance, though not a precise quote, I believe I can sum it up by asking myself what you asked of Dr. Catena, what is your favorite social media platform and why? No one else asks about the why. You do! Because of you presenting this to us in the generous materials you supply just for signing up, I didn’t need to put a lot of thought into this answer but I made sure I was thorough in my reasoning. I feel comfortable with my choice, however time will tell if I need to expand/change the platform. Excellent interview. Three cheers for veterinarians who are vegan! Thank you. Namaste.
Thank you for your kind words Angela. I do enjoy having conversations with experts to find out what drives them. So glad you are enjoying these.