To Assure We Have Great Pet Food Tomorrow… – Truth about Pet Food

Buy your pet food from local Independent Pet Food Stores today.

If you walk into most chain pet food stores and ask a representative if ingredients in a particular pet food are human edible/human grade – you will probably get a deer in headlights look. The representative will likely try to assure you all the pet foods they carry use ‘quality ingredients’ – but they can’t explain to you what quality means. They might tell you ingredients come from USDA inspected facilities, neglecting to consider that condemned animal materials (that you don’t want in your pet’s food) also ‘come from‘ USDA inspected facilities.

But if you walk into your local independent pet food store and ask a representative the same question, chances are you will get a detailed, informed response about any food they carry.

Most independent pet food stores know every detail about the brands they sell. Many small pet food manufacturers visit these stores in person giving training sessions to store employees AND often provide educational/Q&A opportunities to customers of the store.

And even if the independent pet food store doesn’t know the answer, they will find answers for you. With the chain pet food store…that’s not likely to happen.

If your local store doesn’t carry the brand you want, chances are they can order it for you. You might have seen an interview online about a particular brand that you want to try, ask the store if they can order it for you. Small independent pet stores are MUCH more flexible with what they can carry or order than large chain stores.

Get on your local pet store’s email list. Pet stores are one of the first notified when a recall occurs. Most keep documentation of each purchase you make and can notify you immediately if you purchased the recalled pet food (often before TruthaboutPetFood.com posts a recall notice).

Large chain stores are beginning to carry some raw and cooked frozen foods, and a couple of human grade pet food brands.

BUT the smaller brands of pet foods that source humanely raised meats, organic ingredients, and use only human grade/human edible quality ingredients are NOT sold in most chain pet food stores.

Independent pet food stores are commonly the ONLY pet stores that will bring in small and new brands. In other words, without them – many human grade pet foods would be limited to online sales only and chances are they would not survive. If we don’t support these small businesses, we could lose opportunity for new brands to be developed in the future.

As well, when you purchase pet food, treats, toys, bedding from a local independently owned pet food store – you are supporting your own community.

Personal Note: I’ve known many independent pet food stores to close over the years. Each time I worry about the future of quality pet food without them. Right now in mid-US states, an independent pet store is VERY difficult to find. Many stores have closed in this part of the country.

Every pet owner can do their part to protect the future of quality pet food by making some/many/most of your pet food, treat, toys, and/or bedding purchases from local independently owned pet stores. (And PLEASE don’t be one of those people that goes into a local pet store, picks their brain about a pet food brand, and then buys the food from one of the big online retailers.)

By supporting local pet food stores, you are assuring we all have a future with high quality pet foods available to us.

Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,

Susan Thixton
Pet Food Safety Advocate
Author Buyer Beware, Co-Author Dinner PAWsible
TruthaboutPetFood.com
Association for Truth in Pet Food

Become a member of our pet food consumer Association. Association for Truth in Pet Food is a a stakeholder organization representing the voice of pet food consumers at AAFCO and with FDA. Your membership helps representatives attend meetings and voice consumer concerns with regulatory authorities. Click Here to learn more.

What’s in Your Pet’s Food?
Is your dog or cat eating risk ingredients?  Chinese imports? Petsumer Report tells the ‘rest of the story’ on over 5,000 cat foods, dog foods, and pet treats. 30 Day Satisfaction Guarantee. Click Here to preview Petsumer Report. www.PetsumerReport.com

Find Healthy Pet Foods in Your Area Click Here

The 2023 List
Susan’s List of trusted pet foods. Click Here to learn more.