Breaking News

• Curious to know more about the impact of China tariffs on our industry. Although it will be mostly on toys, much of our packaging comes from China. — Becci Scott, The Fetching Dog, Scottsdale, AZ
• Thank you for your continued coverage of the avian flu outbreak and how it affects the pet industry! — Katherine Ostiguy, Crossbones, Providence, RI
• Thrilled to see a positive outcome from the Northwest Naturals recall. Very concerned about the future of raw in light of what happened in Oregon. We stand behind our brands. — Karen Conell, The Bark Market, Delavan, WI

You’re Welcome

• We appreciate the valuable role PETS+ plays in the pet industry. As a small, independent pet store, staying on top of new and emerging trends, as well as important industry news, is crucial to our success. PETS+ consistently delivers the insights and inspiration we need to keep our business thriving. From highlighting cutting-edge products to providing practical tips for store operations, your content helps us remain competitive and informed. We especially appreciate the focus on independent retailers and the challenges we face, as it makes us feel seen and supported in this dynamic industry. Thank you for being a trusted resource for those of us who are passionate about serving pets and their people. Keep up the great work — we look forward to every issue! — Victor Santucci, Garden State Pet Center, Audubon, NJ
• This magazine and the Sample Box program have been so valuable in helping me guide the store through normal ups and downs and major shakeups in the industry. — Brett Foreman, Eupawria, Holistic Pet Center, Owego, NY
• I love that PETS+ exists! We opened in June 2023, so coming up on two years. I just can’t believe the support you provide. — Lacey Welcher, Firehouse Pet Shop, Puyallup, WA

Industry Thoughts

• There are a lot of companies adding so many new items, one after another. Essentially exploding their lines. I say, innovate what you have and keep the product supported — with education, samples, coupons and marketing — before jumping onto something else and taking 20-30 feet of a store’s space. Be unique, don’t just grow for the sake of growing. It is not sustainable. — Morgan Monty, The Cheshire Horse, Swanzey, NH
• I recently saw Nielsen numbers for the top 20 brands in Neighborhood Pet, and the entire industry was down almost 10% last year nationwide. It showed that the last six months of 2024 were worse than the first. There were only two of the brands that had any growth. My shop grew last year, and I was told by nearly all of my reps that it was something to be proud of, but I didn’t have the context until I saw that data. To anyone who dropped, was flat or was disappointed in their growth from last year, consider that context. It’s a good perspective. — Krista Schmidt, St Peters Bark!, St Petersburg, FL
• Everyone in our industry should be concerned about the ongoing pet bans. We believe in pet rescue, but a segment has popped up known as “retail rescue.” It involves buying puppy mill dogs and saying they are rescues, then charging $600-$1000 adoption fees and advertising that the dogs come from puppy mills. This doesn’t stop the puppy mills and actually gives them a reason to keep breeding because they now have a monopoly thanks to the banning of puppy sales in pet stores. The black market will thrive as the legitimate pet stores close. This will lead to the decimation of the pet industry. — Doug Staley, Pet Palace of New City, New City, NY
• Here’s to 2025 being great! Bring on the positive energy, encouragement, and empowerment of owning a small business! — Roxane Cann, The Dapper Hound, Mount Airy, NC

ONLINE EXTRAS

• I just joined the Facebook group a few months ago. It has been very helpful for seeing what the rest of the country is up to and what is trending in other stores. — Danyle Morse, Claremont Pet & Aquarium Center, Claremont, NH
• Thanks for keeping us informed, and producing such a great magazine and tool. Making sustainable protein more affordable in pet foods. — Jusak Yang Bernhard, Wag Heaven Pet Supplies and Self-Serve Dog Wash, Georgetown, TX
• I am just getting caught up with last year’s information. But I love the bulletin as a reference, keeping me up to date on so many different topics! — Amy Wolf, The Dog Spot, Joseph, OR
• Very concerned about what is going on in our country and the chaos around tariffs and unemployment rates rising and uncertainty around the economy. — Pat Schiek, Lucky Dogs
• I would love an issue dedicated to made in the USA products, especially toys. With the prices from Chinese manufacturing increasing, I would appreciate learning more about brands made here. — Dana Julian, Furbaby Boutique, Holly, MI
• I still love the Pet Peeves section. Always gives me a chuckle, and I wish it was bigger or more storytelling. — Julie Johannes, Happy Hounds Pet Supply, Bigfork, MT
• PETS+ is the most useful trade magazine I have seen. Thank you. — Susan Weyrauch, Total Dog Company, New Hope, MN
• I am so curious to see how this whole potential ASC asset acquisition by PFX works out. I don’t anticipate much changing for me, but I hope it’s positive for other retailers. Less competition is definitely a bad thing, and I feel for the ASC employees who will be out of work, but it’s clear that there was some serious financial mismanagement at ASC that doomed them. — Shane Somerville, Paddywack, Mill Creek, WA
• I do feel that more and more D2C lightly cooked brands are popping up. — Cynthia Mckinney, Loyl’s Natural Pet Grocery & Groomery, Houston, TX
• I really enjoy the photos submitted by other stores. I’ve gotten some great ideas and simply love seeing what others are doing with their space. — Beth Kidd, Dogs By Design, Downers Grove, IL
• Let’s talk about pricing now that many brands are available online. How are we able to keep up with that? Is anyone talking about requesting manufacturers to sell at a higher price to encourage shoppers to choose local stores? This way everyone wins. — Becci Scott The Fetching Dog, Llc, Scottsdale, AZ
• Thanks for building an amazing community for the independent retailers. 🙂 — Alexis Quiroga, Pawsitively Sweet Bakery, San Antonio, TX
• We always find the content and surveys to be informative and a great way to see how and what others are doing in the industry. — Doug Staley, Pet Palace of New City, New City, NY
• I am really curious about how manufacturers will be responding to the tariffs and how much prices will be raised. I know it’s still in flux, but I’m very concerned. — Susan Nagel-Ress, Winky’s Pet Boutique, Chester, NJ
• Best trade magazine out there! — Jeffery Jensen, Four Muddy Paws, St. Louis, MO
• Seeing so many businesses closing in our area. Pray everyone is doing okay. Our numbers are up, but everything is more expensive. Praying we see some good growth this year! Things are looking promising. — Jennifer Stanislawski, Eden Garden & Pets, West Allis, Wi
• I hope customers start spending again like they were in 2024. I think everyone is being a little cautious with money at the moment.  Thanks Pets+. — Paul Lewis The Green K9, Mount Dora, FL
• There was recently a story about Blue Ridge Beef about a recall for Salmonella. Many of the raw producers sometimes have different plants that produce the same products for them. I think a disclosure in the articles that Blue Ridge Beef has two plants that produce their natural mix, and only the product produced at the NC plant was affected. (Their other plant is in GA). — April Meier, Pawsitively Scrumptious Bark Bakery & Boutique, Crestview, FL
• Having just started a position as a veterinary assistant and working in the surgery department, I hope to gather more insights about their perspective and point of view. The comment that always comes up is they are more involved in the science, where holistic is not viewed as such. I look forward to reading articles and info in our pet industry to see how it is definitely being led by the big food producers. All of the vet places popping up within that sector also and not near the small mom and pops. Vet care definitely differs between the two. — Patty Kalvelage, Spoiled Dogs Company, Grinnell, IA
• Ugh. Been here and said it again. Independent pet stores in most towns in middle America will be no more very soon. I have griped many times about the few distributors that we have. Nothing will get better. Please enjoy missing out on the entire central part of our nation. — Amber Hudson, The Aquarium Pet Store, Weatherford, OK
• I’m happy our industry appears to be one area of the economy that isn’t slowing down. — Theresa Sexton, For Healthy Pets, Wetumpka, AL
• Thank you again for all you have done for independent pet retailers and others within our industry! — Richie Powell, All American Pet, Springfield, OR
• I always appreciate being included in surveys and sample boxes. Looking forward to a bigger and better year! — Katie Titterington, Arnie’s Pet Foods, Lincoln, NE
• I see two extremes in the industry, and maybe it’s always been there and I am just noticing: Owners either on the struggle bus or having record growth. — Amber Sutfin, Pet Wants South Hills, Pittsburgh , PA
• Thank you for all that you do for the industry! It really does help! — Sarah Terrill, A&A Pet Supply, Frisco, CO
• It’s hard to stand out amongst the crowd. Find out what your niche is in the industry and work it. — Beth Staley, Happy Dog Barkery, Downers Grove , IL
• We’re currently excited about Earthborn cat being more in stock on PFX than it’s been in a very long time. But we’re so unhappy to see woof went big and completely out of stock at PFX, making us wonder what’s in store for them in the future for our store. — Jennifer Stanislawski, Eden Garden And Pets, West Allis, WI
• I see a lot of VERY expensive kibble coming out. The prices are astronomical, as it is an alternative to raw. It may work for some, but I think that in many cases it is not a customer-friendly item based on the economy and the money people have budgeted currently for food for them and their pets. I think something innovative that helps be sustainable, cuts costs, and adds some fresh food to your pets diet in a budget-friendly way is the best innovation available in the industry. For example, things like the beef hearts from OC Raw, $14.99 for 2 pounds, are a convenient cost-friendly way to add a bite of rich organ meat to your pet’s diet. Another example is the bone broth from Raw Dynamic. Spend $10.99 and top your pets food for a WEEK. Suggest they get some farm fresh eggs from the local farmstand. Add those to the food — getting a dozen for $3-6. Enlighten their health, adding some novel protein, and stay within your budget to be able to consistently add some fresh to your dogs or cats bowl! — Morgan Monty, The Cheshire Horse, Swanzey, NH
• I love the BIG Survey! I know that it takes a bit of time for all of us to answer the questions but I learn so much from reading the results of the survey! — Amy Schiek, Lucky Dogs, Skaneateles, NY
• I love the magazine and the networking it brings with it. And grateful for the Sample Box program as well. — Brett Foreman, Eupawria Holistic Pet Center, Owego, NY
• I love the products that are not sold in big box stores or online. Small business supports small business. — Jennifer Pastorini, Dusty’s Den, Sonora, CA
• Thanks for all you do. Your hard work helps our businesses every day!! — Keith Henline, Asheville Pet Supply, Asheville, NC
• There was a great article about doggie self-wash stations. I was inspired and hope to get something up and running in 2026 — (2025 was already full.) It was very nice to see the creativity and to set some realistic expectations. — Amy Wolf, The Dog Spot, Joseph, OR
• How are other stores responding to vendors promoting their own products online at much lower prices than can be found in store? Or to customers that stand in your store and price check products on their phone on Amazon or Petco? — Loree Shirazi, Paw Pleasers, San Diego, CA
• Keep it up! You’re a valuable resource for us little guys in the industry! — Diana Farrar, Fifi & Fidos Pet Boutique, San Antonio, TX
• With all the natural disasters happening, I would love it and hope the industry would focus on emergency preparedness for cats and dogs. N95 masks for pets, food appropriate for storage, crates and training, cat bags, calming remedies. Etc. Even retailers need to prepare. — Terri Ellen, Salem Bed and Biscuit, Salem, OR
• The struggle is real!!! Small business ownership is not for the weak!! I’d like to say, thank you to PETS+ for community, knowledge and real talk!!! — Roxane Cann, The Dapper Hound, Mount Airy, NC
• Concerns about receiving expired goods from vendors- this has happened three times in 2024. Trying to be more vigilant on expiry dates. — Kelly Lawrence, Barkingham Palace Pet Grooming, Houma, LA
• We had an amazing year in 2024 with many new customers getting pets and many people just happy to support the local independent businesses. — April Wright, The Dog and Cat, Essex Jct, VT
• Thank you for making the big survey so easy to complete. Love that it doesn’t take too much to do and the insights are great! So worth the time. The whole bird flu and raw food sales might be worth talking about more soon. I think it will get worse and will impact sales on raw food which is sad. — Jennifer Larsen, Firehouse Pet Shop, Wenatchee, WA
• Thanks for all that you do to help us succeed! — Molly Lewis Dog River Pet Supplies, Hood River, OR
• I would love to explore the roadblocks pet parents have in accessing low-cost vaccines for their pets and why, if all vaccines (other than rabies) do not need a DVM to administer, can’t pet supply stores offer the vaccines for sale? — Megan Kurzwell, Forepaws, Minooka, IL
• I am so grateful for finding you and all the info you provide. My business is 100% better with you guys in it! Thank you!! — Keela Huotari, Yellowstone Kennels, Sidney, MT
• I absolutely LOVE the calendar! Fantastic reference and SUPER cute. I also appreciate your coverage of the recent recall, and all of the information provided. — Jennifer Flanagan Pacific, NW Pets Sherwood, Sherwood, OR
• Dealing with direct-to-customer sales by manufacturers. Basically a large portion and growing numbers are entering this route of selling. Harder and harder for independents to compete, hence stores closing. Some stores can’t afford to carry food anymore, especially with such low margins and bigger competition. For example, A Pup Above does direct-to-consumer with large discounts. Their social media buying effort encroaches on our customers and our own social media pages. They make little effort to encourage supporting independent and local stores. Customers have to go through several steps to see where they can purchase locally. I see this with Square Pet and others as well. — Jusak Yang Bernhard, Wag Heaven Pet Supplies and Self-Serve Dog Wash, Georgetown, TX
• Our store loves the PETS+ magazines. My employees love looking through it and reading up on the latest. — Paula Gorman, Pet Supplies ‘N’ More, Muskego, WI
• I feel we need more education for grooming for the public. — Debbie Sanders, Pippa’s Closet, Beaumont, TX
• Just concerned about the bird flu in pet food. We have a file with statements from manufacturers about what they are doing to keep the bird flu out of the supply chain. — Alison Chandler, Noble Beast, Phoenix, AZ
• When our staff has more experiences with our store products, they can give first hand experiences to the customers — in what ways do other independents do this? Staff feed programs? Deep discounts? Do certain vendors (other than dog food ) have something like this? It also helps us keep our good employees! — Shari Wilkins, Lake Dog and Their People, Eufaula, OK
• Disappointed in the trend of having to compete with brands for customers, with them offering S&S discounts, free shipping and 2,302 emails a week with a different sale offer. Then turning around and offering nothing to stores who place several hundred + a month in product. — Eric Mack, Purrrfect Bark Market, Columbus, NC
• Virtual Global or Super Zoo for people who can’t attend.  A real feel experience, maybe interactive in some way, and able to take advantage of the deals. — Jennie Dudley, Hairy Winston, Mount Pleasant, SC
• Thank you for all you do to report on what’s happening in our industry! I love getting my PETS+ magazine in the mail! — Cynthia McKinney, Loyl’s Natural Pet Grocery & Groomery, Houston, TX
• Thank you for doing all the research for us to help us be more successful!!! — Lisa Kirschner, Sit, Stay, ‘N Play, Inc., Stroudsburg , PA