PETS+ Readers Talk Global Pet Expo, the Economy and an Upside to Avian Flu

On Global Pet Expo 2025

• We were so impressed by how involved the PETS+ magazine crew was in spotlighting products and vendors live from Global Pet Expo. We just love and are so very grateful for the support. — Jusak Yang Bernhard, Wag Heaven Pet Supplies and Self-Serve Dog Wash, Georgetown, TX
• Thank you so much for all of the videos from GPE! Phenomenal. — April Meier, Pawsitively Scrumptious Bark Bakery & Boutique, Crestview, FL
• There were a lot of our brands at Global, and it was a very productive three days. It was one of the best Globals in terms of brand participation we’ve seen. — Jeffrey Jensen, Four Muddy Paws, St Louis, MO
• Keep on keeping on! Love getting info from the trade shows since we don’t participate. — Diana Farrar, Fifi & Fidos Pet Boutique, San Antonio, TX

On the Industry

• We are finding that our guests are becoming very concerned about the economy. Since we are a dog-training center, we are making ourselves a needed and valued service for not only training, but also as the go-to in the community for all things dog related. — Lisa Kirschner, Sit, Stay, ‘N Play, Stroudsburg, PA
• I think the tariff issue has customers holding back on spending. — Alexis Quiroga, Pawsitively Sweet Bakery, San Antonio, TX
• Learn about mushrooms for yourself and your pet. What was quietly gaining momentum is now going mainstream with national commercials for humans. Be ready to tie them together for the health of pets. — Cindy Samartino, Wiggle Butt & Whiskers, Leesburg, VA

Good Reads

• We took your advice from the Mar-Apr Calendar section to increase our relationships with pet sitters. We are now working with the largest dog daycare facility in our area to offer their customers free same-day delivery of their dogs’ food to the daycare. It saves them time at the end of the night. Instead of rushing from the store to the daycare or vice versa, their food is at the daycare waiting for them when they pick up their dog. — Michele Saharic, Barkley’s Gourmet Marketplace, Flemington, NJ
• I was very glad to see the Mar-Apr Real Deal about veterinarians who promote the same “Big 5” pet food brands and how others have dealt with this. — Mary Ellen Owens, Delchester Feed and Pet Supply, Holmes, PA

You’re Welcome

• Community is how we all survive. Having a committed community that wants to see everyone succeed is how wheels keep moving forward. Comm-UNITY is PETS+. Ten years in business for us hasn’t happened without community. Thank you for all the tips, tricks, advice and dedication! It is seen and felt by us. — Roxane Cann, The Dapper Hound, Mount Airy, NC
• Thank you for all you do to keep us busy retailers up-to-date with everything going on in the industry. We really appreciate all you do for us! — Sherry Cassin, Meow Mini Mart, Jersey City, NY
• It would be great if there was a source list for all brands made in the USA. — Dana Julian, Furbaby Boutique, Holly, MI

Online Extra: More Reader Mail

• The market is terrifying right now. Business is down significantly. People are not buying as much as they were or at all. What we offer is not needed … more luxury items for pets. Hopefully we can break into the wholesale market so we have a constant flow of orders. — Cassandra Erickson, A Barkery Unleashed, Marysville, WA
• I just wanted to take a moment to say how much we appreciate PETS+ for keeping us informed on industry trends. The insights and articles help us stay ahead of the curve, giving us a competitive edge and allowing us to implement new strategies that benefit both our business and our customers. One thing I would love to see in future Brain Squad surveys is data broken down by region. This would provide even more value by helping us compare our store’s performance to others in the same area. Regional trends can vary, and having access to that level of detail would make it easier to tailor our approach to local customer needs. Thanks for all you do to keep independent pet retailers informed and thriving! — Victor Santucci, Garden State Pet Center, Audubon, NJ

• You folks always do a stellar job in keeping the retailer well informed, and it is refreshing to see all the effort you commit to the cause! Thank you thank you thank you! — Doug Staley, Pet Palace Of New City, New City, NY
• I love being a part of PETS+! My employees look forward to the samples, and we all like to come together during a meeting to talk about the pros and cons of the productS sent to us. It’s a fun activity for my team! — Gabrielle Bumpus, The Jungle Pet Supply, Dallas, OR
• Things are HARD for the smallest of us in rural areas. Sooner or later, our customers may have NO options if we go under. Brands and distributors used to give us a little more attention and even sometimes a little leeway or extra care/incentive. We are just an afterthought now. “ALL Hail Chewy & Amazon in the rural areas.” — Amber Hudson, The Aquarium Pet Store, Weatherford, OK
• Our competing PetSmart/Petco locations both recently closed. Currently figuring out how to cater to those customers without compromising on our strict standards for nutrition. Excited to see what happens with the ASC acquisition, I noticed that the ASC logo pinned to our taskbar has changed to the PFE logo. I hope we can get our ASC exclusives back. Anyone else hearing complaints of Chewy shipping taking super duper long? — Jennifer Flanagan, Pacific NW Pets Sherwood, Sherwood, OR
• It would be great if there was a source list for all made in the USA brands. — Dana Julian, Furbaby Boutique, Holly, MI
• I have noticed several vendors who now have a paid yearly membership in order to have access to a discount on every order and either discounted shipping or a lower shipping minimum. As a business that also wholesales, I would like to know if my peers find value in this option. — Jennifer Thomas, Lucky Dog Pet Grocery & Bakery, Lawrence, KS
• PETS+ readers are so informed that I am hearing breaking news from them before anywhere else! I appreciate the great and knowledgeable community that you have built! — Shane Somerville, Paddywack, Mill Creek, WA
• Looking forward to SUPERZOO. I think it will be an interesting event this year with all the instability in the marketplace. Loree Shirazi, Paw Pleasers, San Diego, CA
  We have an issue with breeders telling people to not get their puppy groomed till it’s a year old!?? — Aimee Ranard, Good Karma Dog Spa, Duvall, WA
• We love evaluating the sample boxes! — Jeff Manley Wag Heaven Pet Supplies and Self-Serve Dog Wash, Georgetown, TX
• Y’all are awesome. Keep up the amazing work. — Melissa Loy, Bark & Co., Blowing Rock, NC
• I love all the stories and information provided in each of the articles. You all do great! — Rachel Mcginnis, Leo & Lucky’S, Parrish, FL
• As a business, we are constantly looking at how best to rationalize our SKU lineup in order to balance customer demand and business success. However, there are so many pet companies out there that seem to be doing the exact opposite, and are currently trying to make “all the things.” I would just like to sit in on some of those meetings and try and understand the logic behind it, particularly when it seems to come at the expense of some of the tried and true items that appeared to be doing well. — Cassie Nilsson The Mill Stores, Whiteford, MD
• With more manufacturers selling direct to consumer from their own websites, I would like to know what they are doing to continue promoting customers to purchase from indies as well. — Becci Scott, The Fetching Dog, Scottsdale, AZ
• I’m enjoying the stories and photos featuring 2025 America’s Coolest Stores. — Janet Cesarini, Pupology, Georgetown, TX
• A look at the limited-income sector would be good: how cost of living can change pet spending, or how it makes retailers change their inventory/selection, or things of that general idea. — Megan Kurzwell, Forepaws, Minooka, IL
• Tariffs. Where do we all stand? What steps are you taking to continue to support those companies that have been good to us? — Maria Cetrola, Buddy’s Pet Shop, Beach Haven, NJ
• We loved seeing Carlos from the Wenatchee Firehouse Pet Shop on the cover! We have a black shop kitty as well. Her name is Carla! Although we are independent from each other, we loved the idea of our shop kitty also being a black cat for Firehouse Pet Shop Puyallup. Keep up the great work, we appreciate all you do!! — Lacey Welcher, Firehouse Pet Shop-Puyallup, Puyallup, WA
• I keep seeing all these new products for health and well being, things that are popular in the human world i.e. functional mushrooms, herbal remedies, etc. that are what? Tested, truly safe for pets, how do we know? As we are learning, CBD has a positive benefit, but THC is BAD, but in humans the combination is a better form. So are these next supplements good or bad or just simply available? It is very overwhelming and confusing at times. — Amy Wolf ,The Dog Spot, Joseph, OR
• Thank you to PETS+ for the support of small businesses. — Jennifer Stanislawski, Eden Garden & Pets, West Allis, WI
• More cat items and stories! — Teresa Scarpace, The Feed Bag Pet Supply, Mequon, WI
• Thought the new products were slightly lacking in 2025. Curious to see about SUPERZOO, have heard there are some indie-only items possibly coming from a couple of brands. Seems brands are trying to start out DTC then come to the stores to carry the items. — Eric Mack, Purrrfect Bark, Columbus, NC
• Thanks for all you do for us indies! — Brett Foreman, Eupawria Holistic Pet Center, Owego, NY