Supporting Independent Pet Stores

8/11/2008

For the last 75 years, the local independent pet store has been the heart and soul of small communities. We can remember growing up and riding our bikes to the pet store, owned and operated by people who lived in the community, where the service was consistent, they greeted you by name, and their knowledge was impeccable. There were usually several people standing around talking about their day, playing with the puppies, watching the birds flying around, mesmerized by the fish, or gathering around the hamsters who were taking their morning jog on their wheel. Who can forget the unique smells only available at these stores! Those of us who grew up loving pets will never forget these fond memories.

Local independent businesses are the backbone of our communities. Without them, we lose the personal touch and expertise that we all want when choosing products for our beloved pets or shopping for other goods and services. If we are to keep unparalleled customer service and superior product knowledge alive, we must support our local independent businesses.

Today, we are faced with the real possibility that the local independent pet store might not survive into the next generation. If our communities stop supporting our local pet stores, we as the consumer will lose the large selection of products we now enjoy. We will lose the specialized service. We will lose the uniqueness that only a local independent store can offer.

We will be forced to purchase from among the narrowed selection of brands they choose for us. We will be forced to pay what will often be higher pricer for lower quality products. We will not receive the hands-on knowledge and advise that we enjoy at our local stores today. We will become just a number on a card the clerk swipes so they can track and lure us back in with multi million dollar advertising budgets, that we in turn pay for with higher prices.

Here at CANIDAE Pet Foods, we feel it necessary to let you know why we have always and will always continue to support our local independent retailers, and hope that by adding our support to yours we will keep our local Independent Retailers active in our communities for generations to enjoy.