Mars, Strava partner to promote active lifestyles for pet owners through new digital fitness features

UK – Mars Incorporated has announced a new partnership between its IAMS business and Strava, a social network and activity-tracking platform, to encourage healthier, more active lifestyles for people and their pets. 

The collaboration, launching initially in the United States, will introduce new digital tools and community challenges to increase physical activity among pet owners while strengthening the bond between humans and animals.

“Every outdoor adventure is better when pets are part of it,” said Edwin Padilla, Global Brand VP at IAMS. 

“We are committed to delivering advanced nutrition through high-quality animal protein so pets can keep up with active lifestyles, inspiring more movement for people and their canine companions.”

The partnership introduces a new “Pet Tag” feature on Strava, allowing users to track walks, runs, and hikes completed with their dogs. 

The feature is designed to integrate pets into users’ fitness journeys by enabling them to log shared activities and participate in community challenges hosted on the platform throughout the year.

Mars and Strava said the initiative is built on growing consumer behaviour trends. 

According to internal company data, 76% of Strava users with pets say their pets motivate them to exercise more. 

However, only 40% of urban pet owners believe their neighbourhoods are fully pet-friendly, highlighting a gap the partnership aims to address through increased engagement and awareness.

Evelina Jarbin, Senior Director at Strava for Business, said the feature reflects how pet ownership is already embedded in users’ activity patterns. 

“Millions of people already bring their pets along for walks and workouts logged on Strava. With the Pet Tag, we’re officially bringing recognition to those moments within the community, helping people stay active and explore new challenges with their pets,” she said.

As part of the collaboration, IAMS will launch a series of monthly challenges within the Strava platform. 

Users will be able to join through the app’s Challenge Gallery and tag qualifying activities as “with pet” to participate. 

The campaigns are designed to encourage consistent movement, outdoor activity, and shared experiences between pet owners and their dogs.

Better cities for pet

The initiative is also linked to Mars’ broader urban advocacy agenda through its Mars BETTER CITIES FOR PETS programme. 

The programme focuses on improving urban environments by expanding access to green spaces and supporting pet-friendly infrastructure.

Mars said the insights generated from Strava activity data will help inform how cities can become more inclusive for pets and their owners. 

The company is working with partners globally to expand access to pet-friendly spaces for an estimated 10 million people and pets by 2030, including pilot cities such as London, São Paulo, Los Angeles, Bengaluru and Bangkok.

Ikdeep Singh, Global President of Mars Pet Nutrition, said the collaboration reflects the importance of the human-animal bond in shaping healthier behaviours. 

“The bond between people and their pets is one of the most powerful relationships. By bringing together Strava’s global fitness community with our expertise in pet care and nutrition, we are creating new ways for people to move, explore and stay active alongside their pets,” he said.

He added that improving urban design for pets can also have broader public health benefits, encouraging more outdoor activity among residents and strengthening community well-being.

Only about a third of pet owners globally consider their pets central to their lifestyle decisions, according to the companies. 

Still, demand for pet-inclusive services and products continues to grow as urbanisation increases and more households adopt companion animals.

The partnership signals a growing convergence between digital fitness platforms and the pet care industry, where data-driven engagement is increasingly shaping consumer behaviour and brand ecosystems. 

In the United States, where the rollout begins, Mars and Strava plan to expand challenges throughout 2026, with potential for further international expansion depending on adoption rates.

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