Back in 2014 a pet supply store owner in the Pacific Northwest made headlines for putting her money where her mouth is.
Dorothy Hunter, owner of the Paw’s Natural Pet Emporium stores in Richland and Kennewick, Washington, made the decision to go on a dog and cat food-only diet for 30 days to prove the food products she sells for pets are indeed healthful.
“We sell holistic, natural foods — good ingredients, USA products — at Paw’s Natural Pet Emporium,” Hunter explained in a video on her store’s YouTube channel. “I believe in our products and how good they are.”
Hunter told NBC affiliate KNDO the idea came to her one day while she was working at one of her shops.
“I didn’t have time to get a snack, so I grabbed a bag of treats off the counter, and I was like, wow, you know, these read better than normal people treats,” she explained. “So I started eating the treats and I was like, you know, I could do this for 30 days.”
For those who cringe at the thought of munching on their Hound’s chow, the food at Hunter’s stores actually sounds pretty tasty. From fresh, freeze-dried chicken and salmon to fruity treats.
“I’ve also been doing our oven-baked blueberry treats, as well as freeze-dried green beans, carrots,” said Hunter. “I’m even doing some canned cat food, one is a succulent chicken, and it actually tastes really good. So I’m really happy with that one.”
But Hunter isn’t just doing this diet for kicks.
“Learn about what you’re eating and what you’re feeding your pets,” she told pet parents. “I think if we can get the awareness out of reading the ingredients, and really understanding what is in the pet food, that that will eventually carry over,” she explained. “If you’re feeding your pet healthy, maybe you’ll start reading the ingredients of your own foods, and maybe you can start eating healthy too.”
Hunter says that with the right diet, our pets can eat better than us.
“You would be surprised how tasty dog and cat food can be when it’s made right,” Hunter told the Tri-City Herald. “You really are what you eat and it’s the same for your pets.”
“I decided to eat this food for a month just to prove how good it tastes, as well as showcase its nutrition.”
But even a passionate canine and feline foodie like Hunter has her limits; the pet supply shop owner stayed away from raw food.
What do you feed your dog?
