What pet supplies do pet stores carry?
Animal care can be divided into two major groups: Those kept indoors and those only kept outside. If a pet can be kept in the house, a pet supply store will have everything you need to take care of it. If the pet is normally only kept outdoors, like llamas and horses, then pet products will need to be purchased at an agricultural supply. It’s not uncommon for a farm supply store to carry indoor pet food, but even online pet stores will rarely deal in equine products.
Pet supplies can be divided into six major categories:
- Pet Food
- Toys
- Grooming tools
- Pet safety products
- Medicine
- Housing and kennel equipment
Some physical stores will also have pharmacies, pet salons, and obedience classes.
Are toys sold as pet products safe?
Toys designed for pets must meet guidelines for humans. However, whether or not this is sufficient to protect small animals is up to debate. That doesn’t mean pet products aren’t an improvement over non-pet products. For example, since a regular tennis ball isn’t intended to go into anyone’s mouth, it can have a much higher lead content than one intended as a toy.
Small toys can be a choking hazard for larger pets. Dog toys will have size recommendations that should be followed carefully. Toys made for different animals can also pose a problem: While a cat will happily play with a string, a dog will try to eat it.
Can prescription medicines be ordered online?
Yes. The process is much like buying human prescription medications: The pharmacy will need confirmation of the prescription from the veterinarian. Most pharmacies ship within a day of ordering, but shipping times can make the total time from order to doorstep as long as ten days. As with human drugs, some veterinary medicines will need to be signed for when receiving the shipment.
Look for pharmacies certified by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) under their Veterinary-Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites (Vet-VIPPS) program. Pharmacies with this certification have undergone on-site scrutiny, procedure reviews, and license verification by the NABP.
Some veterinarians will have relationships with more local online pharmacies, either as a supplier for their own office, or indirectly. These will be certified in your state.
What are the major firms in the pet supply industry?
Petsmart is the largest brick and mortar pet retailer in North America, followed closely by Petco. Both have big box locations, but PETCO has recently added “Unleashed by PETCO” boutiques specializing in high-end pet products.
1-800-Pet-Meds is the largest mail order pharmacy in existence, but they also carry a wide selection of pet food and other supplies.
There are also several companies that specialize in one type of pet, offering hard-to-find products:
- Aquatic pet supplies – Aquacave and Marine Depot
- Avian pet supplies – Bird Supplies and Bird Guys
- Reptile pet supply – LLL Reptile and Supply Co. and Snake Estate