Raccoon Media Bets on Edition Dog Live to Win the Pet Market UK Brands Are Chasing in 2026
Executive Summary: Raccoon Media Group has formed a joint venture with Edition Media Ltd to grow Edition Dog Live, the UK’s largest non-competitive consumer dog show, as part of its animal health events portfolio alongside PATS and BETA International. The deal lands against a UK backdrop of 15.5 million dogs, 41 percent household ownership and an event business that grew PATS attendance 70 percent in a year.
Key Facts
- Company
- Raccoon Media Group (UK)
- Partner
- Edition Media Ltd
- Asset
- Edition Dog Live, UK’s largest non-competitive consumer dog show, NAEC Stoneleigh
- UK Dog Population
- Estimated 15.5 million dogs, up 3 million in five years
- Ownership
- 41% of UK households own a dog, up from 33% in 2021
- PATS Growth
- Attendance +70% in one year; international attendance +169%; 445 exhibitors from 15 countries
- Event Date
- 2026-09-28
- Source
- Raccoon Media Group announcement
What Happened
Raccoon Media Group announced on 28 September 2026 a joint venture with Edition Media Ltd that brings Edition Dog Live into Raccoon’s animal health events portfolio, which already includes PATS, BETA International and the National Equine Show. Edition Dog Live is the UK’s largest non-competitive consumer dog show, held at NAEC Stoneleigh with more than 200 exhibitors covering dog health, wellbeing, nutrition, training and responsible ownership. The two companies will jointly develop marketing, content, commercial propositions and visitor experience, with stated plans to grow the event’s reach across the UK dog market. Raccoon also appointed Tess Drew, formerly of the RSPCA and Touchpoint Live Media, as Portfolio Director for the division.
Background
Raccoon has followed a repeatable playbook: buy or partner with established specialist events, invest in marketing and content, and keep the community identity intact. Since acquiring PATS, the group increased attendance by 70 percent in one year, lifted international attendance by 169 percent and hosted a record 445 exhibitors from 15 countries. BETA International has grown to more than 200 exhibitors for 2026, and the National Equine Show attracts over 17,000 visitors across two days. Group Chief Executive Mike Seaman said the business no longer thinks about markets as simply B2B or B2C but as business to customer, and framed the joint venture as a step toward a wider Animal Health Week that connects complementary specialist events on a shared timeline.
Industry Context
The commercial logic rests on a UK pet market whose dog population keeps outgrowing the venues that serve it. An estimated 15.5 million dogs now live in the UK, three million more than five years ago. Forty-one percent of households own a dog, up from 33 percent in 2021, and among 25 to 34-year-olds ownership reaches 58 percent. That demographic shift funnels first-time owners toward events where they can meet brands, trainers and welfare organizations in person. Consumer dog shows have become an efficient customer-acquisition channel for pet brands precisely because attendance skews toward newer, younger owners who have not yet fixed their buying habits. Edition Media’s Jennifer Dow said the partnership gives the event investment and expertise to grow without losing the welfare-first identity that made it special.
Market & Business Impact
For pet brands and retailers, a consolidated events group changes how marketing budgets get planned. A buyer can now cover a trade show (PATS), a trade equestrian-adjacent show (BETA International) and a consumer dog show (Edition Dog Live) through one commercial relationship, with cross-promotion between audiences. Expect bundled sponsorship packages and shared data on attendee profiles. For the events sector itself, the deal continues the consolidation of specialist pet events into portfolio operators, mirroring what has already happened with trade shows in North America and Asia.
Companies & Brands Involved
Raccoon Media Group operates the animal health portfolio and drives investment. Edition Media Ltd owns the Edition Dog brand and community. Edition Dog Live runs at NAEC Stoneleigh with 200-plus exhibitors across health, nutrition, training and welfare programming. Tess Drew joins as Portfolio Director after leading DogFest, The Vet Festival, the SuperDog Awards and Big Dog Walk at Touchpoint Live Media, with earlier experience on the Daily Mirror Animal Hero Awards and BBC Countryfile Live. The wider portfolio includes the National Equine Show and the planned Animal Health Week umbrella concept.
Data & Evidence
Key figures from the 28 September 2026 announcement: UK dog population estimated at 15.5 million, up roughly 3 million in five years; 41 percent of UK households own a dog versus 33 percent in 2021; 58 percent of 25 to 34-year-olds own a dog. On the operator side, PATS attendance rose 70 percent in a single year under Raccoon ownership, international attendance rose 169 percent, and the 2026 show drew a record 445 exhibitors from 15 countries. BETA International exceeded 200 exhibitors for 2026. All figures are company-reported and were published in the joint-venture announcement.
What This Means for the Pet Industry
GPI’s read: consumer dog shows are turning into the retail media of the pet world, and Raccoon just bought a bigger shelf. The 58 percent ownership rate among 25 to 34-year-olds is the number brands should price against, because that cohort attends, samples and then buys online for years. If Raccoon wires attendee data from its trade and consumer shows into shared sponsorship products, mid-sized UK pet brands will get a cheaper route to national visibility than anything a standalone show can offer.
Key Takeaways
- Raccoon Media Group formed a joint venture with Edition Media Ltd to grow Edition Dog Live, the UK’s largest non-competitive consumer dog show.
- The UK now has an estimated 15.5 million dogs and 41 percent of households own one, up from 33 percent in 2021.
- Raccoon grew PATS attendance 70 percent in one year with a record 445 exhibitors from 15 countries.
- Tess Drew was appointed Portfolio Director to lead the animal health events division.
- The group plans an Animal Health Week connecting PATS, BETA International, the National Equine Show and Edition Dog Live on a shared timeline.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Raccoon Media Group announce?
A joint venture with Edition Media Ltd that brings Edition Dog Live into Raccoon’s animal health events portfolio, with joint development of marketing, content, commercial offers and visitor experience, plus the appointment of Tess Drew as Portfolio Director.
What is Edition Dog Live?
The UK’s largest non-competitive consumer dog show, held at NAEC Stoneleigh, with more than 200 exhibitors and programming across dog health, wellbeing, nutrition, training and responsible ownership.
Why does the UK dog market make this attractive?
The UK has an estimated 15.5 million dogs, three million more than five years ago. Forty-one percent of households own a dog, up from 33 percent in 2021, and 58 percent of 25 to 34-year-olds own one, feeding a younger, first-time-owner audience.
How has Raccoon grown its other events?
Since acquiring PATS, attendance rose 70 percent in one year, international attendance rose 169 percent, and the show reached a record 445 exhibitors from 15 countries. BETA International passed 200 exhibitors for 2026.
What is Animal Health Week?
Raccoon’s plan to run its specialist events, including PATS, BETA International, the National Equine Show and Edition Dog Live, around a shared timeline so trade and consumer communities connect and the sector’s profile rises as a whole.
Sources
- Primary — Raccoon Media Group / Edition Media Ltd joint venture announcement (via All Paws Industry), allpawsindustry.com, 28 September 2026.
- Secondary — Raccoon Media Group event portfolio pages (PATS, BETA International, National Equine Show), company-reported attendance and exhibitor figures, accessed 29 September 2026.
- Secondary — Edition Dog Live official event information, NAEC Stoneleigh exhibitor and programme details, accessed 29 September 2026.
Related News & GPI Data
- Follow UK market coverage in GPI’s news archive.
- Find UK and European operators in GPI’s company directory.
- Benchmark UK pet brands on GPI rankings.
- Compare event-driven brand economics with GPI Compare.
- Review the UK retailers category on GPI Companies.
- Read the pet market UK briefing on GPI’s rankings hub.
