PETS+ Inbox: Pet Food’s Impact on Ospreys, SUPERZOO Coverage and More

Industry Thoughts

• Price increases are no longer just nickels and dimes. — Rebeca Santos, Pets, Love and Happiness, Huntsville, AL
• We’re nervous about customer buying habits between now and the end of the year. The ‘buy nothing’ groups are very vocal in our area — and, unfortunately, customers take it to heart. We try to encourage them to shop small and support local whenever possible. — Loree Shirazi, Paw Pleasers, San Diego, CA
• As someone who lives on the East Coast, osprey populations are taking a hit. One of the contributing factors is a decrease in menhaden populations. It makes me wonder how much pet food is contributing to this decline. I find it frustrating when companies tout their fish as being “wild caught” and “sustainable” in the same sentence, because, in my opinion, any wild-caught fish is not sustainable. Wild-caught fish cause competition with native species and have environmental impacts that many companies don’t recognize or acknowledge. — Cassie Nilsson, The Mill Stores, Whiteford, MD

You’re Welcome

• A big thank you for covering SUPERZOO in real time on social media! We weren’t able to attend this year, and really valued the brand interviews and product videos you posted. — Amy Schiek, Lucky Dogs, Skaneateles, NY
• The Jul-Aug To-Do List was very helpful, as the article allowed us to form our own to-do list. PETS+ is a great resource for us and our shop — we always value the tips, tricks, advice and, of course, the Sample Boxes! — Roxane Cann, The Dapper Hound, Mount Airy, NC
• Thanks for the Jul-Aug Made in the USA section. — Alexis Quiroga, Pawsitively Sweet Bakery, San Antonio, TX

We’re On It!

• A lot of people are struggling right now for sales. It helps to see we are all in this together and not alone. We are all fighting for every sale, so ideas on what is working right now, what people have found success in, would be inspirational and helpful. We get some ideas on socials, but maybe a bunch of success stories and how/why they worked? All could benefit from that. — Jennifer Larsen, Firehouse Pet Shop, Wenatchee, WA
• One area I’d love to see more focus on is the disconnect between independent retailers and some national brands when it comes to MAP enforcement, in-store support and margin protection. We’re out here building relationships, educating customers and creating trust, and we need vendor partners who recognize and protect that. Keep doing what you’re doing — you give our community a real voice. — Victor Santucci, Garden State Pet Center, Audubon, NJ

More Love For PETS+

• I’m in the thick of the design phase with my new shop, and I’ve been reading back through old articles and picking out shops and shop owners either to contact directly or to stalk on social and pin their images to my Pinterest to show my architect! I super appreciate articles or tidbits on tiny stores and how we make it work. I think we are our own special breed (no pun intended, but I’ll take it). — Adina Silberstein, Queenie’s Pets, Philadelphia, PA
• I love the stories in PETS+. I also like the surveys; they make me feel my feedback helps make the industry better for the business owners and for our pets. — Emeteria Lozano, SBC Queen Pet Supplies, Alamo, TX
• I love seeing everyone’s thoughts on different topics, and getting a glimpse into other stores. — Beth Kidd, Dogs By Design, Irwin, PA
• I love the magazine! It’s honestly the only one I read anymore after more than 32 years in the industry. It’s laid out so well, and I know what to expect and where in every issue. — Shawna Patton, Petropolis, Camarillo, CA