By American Farriers Journal Staff

W.F. Young Inc. has taken another step into the animal supplement market after purchasing the assets of Designing Health Inc., the companies announced Monday.

Designing Health is the manufacturer and marketer of The Missing Link supplements for dogs, cats, birds, small animals and horses. It’s the second acquisition of a supplement company in November for the East Longmeadow, Mass., makers of Absorbine.

“Selling The Missing Link was a very difficult decision for me,” Joy Collett says. “It was my husband’s [the late Dr. Robert Collett] heart and soul for so many years and reflected his deep personal passion for all animals.”

The key to the sale, Collett says, was continuing her husband’s passion.

“The most important factor  in my decision was finding a company that would carry his vision forward,” she says. “The similarities between our two companies, starting with the fact that both were founded because of a personal passion for animals, plus a continued dedication to providing the best possible products, made W.F. Young the right choice to steward The Missing Link in the future.”

For its part, W.F. Young looks forward to carrying out Collett’s vision.

“We are more than pleased to have the opportunity to continue the legacy that Dr. Collett created with The Missing Link, and it’s a perfect complement to our recent acquisition of Pure Ocean Botanicals,” says Ken Oh, general manager of the Pet Division at W.F. Young. “Both companies match our existing philosophy and way of doing business, namely, offering quality products intended to enhance the lives of our pets.”

The family ownership of W.F. Young also played a deciding factor in Collett’s decision.

“It’s comforting to know that as a family-oriented company,” Collett says, “the passion and compassion for all animals will remain a core value for W.F. Young.”