Hats off to the Ordre des agronomes du Québec!

A tip of the hat to agronomist Karine Simard by the Ordre des agronomes du Québec, March 2021.

The Capitale-Nationale and Chaudière-Appalaches section of the Ordre des agronomes du Québec tips its hat to Karine Simard, agronomist.

Few agronomists are involved in the pet industry in Quebec. Karine Simard, an agronomist with a master's degree in animal science, has been working in this field full-time for the past 5 years with her company Pattedeau Bio, which she founded in 2016.

Ms. Simard's work with her company has not only made this facet of the agricultural profession more visible, but has also highlighted, particularly to veterinarians and other clinical practitioners, the importance of this expertise in the care provided to our pets.

If, today, this niche is booming and the demand for pet food advice from pet owners is constantly increasing, Ms. Simard certainly has something to do with it.

Having always been passionate about the canine field, the prevalence of diseases and issues in dogs and cats, combined with experience in disease prevention through nutrition in livestock, are the origin of her service offering.

Ms. Simard worked for several years at a consulting firm as an expert and trainer for dairy farmers, where she witnessed the positive results of education, awareness campaigns, and a more holistic approach to nutrition and farming practices. It’s therefore no coincidence that today, with her company Pattedeau Bio, she offers animal nutrition consulting services to pet owners and training programs aimed at promoting the health of dogs and cats through optimized nutrition.

With her approach, grounded in the biology of dogs and cats and respecting their needs, Ms. Simard advocates a raw, varied, and high-quality diet, which sets her apart from more conventional approaches based on kibble. Today, she’s become a leading expert in her field.

In 2019, Ms. Simard developed an online training program designed for both consumers and professionals in the field. These courses (accredited as continuing education by the Ordre des agronomes du Québec) have, to date, enrolled over 2,500 students from across the French-speaking world. Her training program also includes a certification program for professionals in the canine sector, such as employees of veterinary clinics and pet stores.

Among its offer is a videoconference consultation service. This service, unique in Quebec, caters to both dog and cat owners who want to optimize their pet's diet and those whose pet has a health problem and requires a diet tailored to that condition.

Strongly believing in the power of the multidisciplinary approach, as much as possible, she works in collaboration with the animal's veterinarian and her goal is to develop more and more collaboration with them, in order to optimize results in dogs and cats with health issues through a different approach which is that of fresh and unprocessed food.

In conclusion, Ms. Simard will always be on the lookout for new developments and discoveries in her field. She will continue to popularize and share relevant and useful information with dog and cat owners through her Facebook page and her newsletter, which has over 5,000 subscribers.