All Natural Pet Supplies

There was a time — as recent as February — when people who scrutinized nutrition labels and food ingredients for themselves gave little (if any) thought to what they fed their pets.

That was before the March pet food recall scared owners to Kibbles 'n Bits.

Ever since, more and more pet owners have been turning to All Natural, Premium Dog Food at Only Natural Pet Store and All Natural, Premium Cat Food at Only Natural Pet Store made without chemicals, hormones and other ingredients thought to pose health risks to their pets.

"Tons of people are coming in every day saying they're looking for a more natural dog food or cat food," said Reed Linenberger, veterinarian and co-owner of Habitat pet store in Boise. "People want to feed their pets more human-grade products."

All natural pet foods are nothing new in the $43 billion global industry — some brands have been around for 20 years, and sales have been increasing sharply since 2005 — but interest spiked earlier this year after more than 100 name-brand cat and dog foods were recalled amidst reports of kidney problems and deaths.

Local stores have witnessed the trend firsthand. At the Boise Co-op, signs were posted in front of empty gaps on the shelves — not because the food was recalled, but because the store ran out before the companies could send more.

"Our sales on natural dog food and natural cat food are huge," said Zach Jones, the co-op's "dog food master." "The consumer demand switched so quick that manufacturers can't keep up."

From big-box retail pet stores to smaller shops like Habitat and Northwest Pets in Eagle, natural alternatives are standard items, and it's not just food: Herbal dog collars, organic catnip and biodegradable kitty litter also can be found.

Natural and organic pet foods, tout ingredients like free-range chicken, brown rice, potatoes, fruit and vegetables.

Equally important— if not more so — is what's not in the food: by-products, filler material (corn, grain and soy), artificial preservatives, fertilizers, antibiotics, additives and hormones.

Since the recall, many companies have been placing large stickers on bags noting the absence of melamine and cyanuric acid, which were found in the recalled food and blamed for the kidney ailments and deaths.

Still, consumer caution must be exercised — even food that's purportedly healthier can be anything but, Linenberger said.

"Marketing natural dog food and natural cat food is like marketing human food — there are a lot of claims that aren't substantiated," he said. "There's a lot of misinformation out there. You really have to do a lot of research. People really need to look at ingredients."

Paula McCollum of Boise, a self-described "dog geek" and trainer, feeds her search-and-rescue dogs a raw diet of beef and chicken. She gets the five-pound rolls of meat from a company that makes food for zoo animals.

Her dogs, including 8-year-old Jeb, have had no health problems, she said.

"It could be because we're lucky, or because they're on a good diet," she said. "I like the idea of (Jeb) getting what he was designed to eat. During all this recall stuff, I've been real happy."

Going natural can be tough, considering the cost and abundance of natural pet foods on the market, not to mention the oft-finicky nature of animal eating habits.

A good place to start is the Internet or a veterinarian. Age, breed and lifestyle of the pet should be considered, Linenberger said.

"Before I started working (at the co-op), I went to WinCo and bought the cheapest dog food I could find," Jones said. "If people knew what they were feeding their pets, they wouldn't do it."

Only Natural Pet Store is a leading retailer of natural pet supplies for dogs and cats. Today’s consumers are passionate about their pets and concerned about their health, and the trend toward natural products for their pets is exploding!

We offer thousands of products from all the leading manufacturers of natural pet care products, including vitamins, supplements, medicine, food, treats, chews, bones, flea control products, grooming supplies, litter, cleaning supplies, and much more. We offer many hard to find products like organic food and treats, herbal remedies, homeopathy, raw food, flower essences, and natural flea control products.