Do you really know what’s in that food you’re feeding Fido or your favorite feline?
If not, pet food expert Danielle Moats can fill you in on the details.
Danielle and her husband Jason Moats, of Perry Township, are owners of the new Pet Wants store in Chardon. The business offers delivery for parts of Cuyahoga, Geauga and Lake counties.
The couple also owns a Pet Wants territory in Solon with delivery services to Hudson, Aurora, Twinsburg, Streetsboro and surrounding cities.
A jar of duck heads is shown at the Raw Bar in the new Pet Wants store in Chardon. The safe, digestible duck heads along with other animal parts such as chicken feet and beef tracheas are good sources of minerals and nutrients for dogs.
In the well-organized store at 209 Center St. patrons will find several varieties of natural dog and cat food sold by the pound. Also available are numerous healthy treats, calming balms, paw wax, pet toys, and offerings from the “Chew Bar” and “Raw Bar” such as duck heads, turkey necks, beef tracheas and lamb ears.
Moats said that pet food sold in large stores can consist of less than optimal protein sources and is mass produced (often by the ton) and cooked at high temperatures which burn out vitamins. More nutrients are lost from the lengthy time it sits in warehouses before finally being shipped to stores, purchased and consumed.
The main ingredients in Pet Wants food include salmon, duck, whitefish, chicken, lamb and others that exceed nutritional levels set by the Association of American Feed Control. Free from sugar, corn, wheat, artificial colors, animal by-products and fillers, it’s cooked slowly in small batches to stay fresh and retain healthy elements.
Pet Wants staffer Dawn Elersic of Madison Township fills a bag of nutritious kibbles for a customer. The natural dog food is sold by the pound and available in many flavors.
Moats contends that the store’s fresh kibble --ground ingredients shaped into pellets -- complements other diets including those that are homemade or using raw or wet foods.
Among popular choices are puppy kibble and a chicken and rice recipe, each at $2.60 per pound.
While she was well-versed in the care of animals prior to joining the company, Pet Wants instruction and training added to her bank of knowledge.
Moats and her staff often provide patrons with facts on how proper nutrition can help to correct various issues dogs or cats may be experiencing.
“Pet Wants provides an opportunity for us to help pet owners understand what’s in most commercial, mass-produced pet food and offer them better options…it also allows us to help pet families take a more holistic approach to pet health through both our food and our other unique products,” she said.
Information listing the benefits of Pet Wants products is displayed in the new store in Chardon.
Moats’s passion for animal care began as a youngster while growing up in Texas where she brought home stray dogs. As a college student she managed a pet-sitting business and later initiated a non-profit organization catering to street dogs.
Thus, when she sought to seek a change from her career in the corporate world of finance the transition to a pet-centered business was a natural one.
Moats tells of working with a customer whose dog was gaining weight and dealing with an auto-immune disease. The expert suggested switching to natural chicken and rice food kibble and also provided information on hemp products which she said might help.
On the new feeding regime the dog lost weight and blood levels stabilized in less than two months.
“That’s why we do what we do,” Moats said. “Once we educate customers what’s in the food it gives customers a different perspective.”
Dawn Elersic of Madison Township works with Moats. She claims to have noticed that her pit bull Jameson eats less since his switch to healthier food.
“He gets fuller because he’s eating higher protein and because he gets the proper nutrition,” she said.
During a recent visit to the store Stephanie Kampf of Trumbull Township said that her cat, Mew, had health issues and allergies. Following a natural diet she said that Mew “is back to playing with me. He’s completely back to normal and has gained back weight.”
Moats said that in the future she plans for the store to become involved with animal shelters and other related organizations that assist animals.
The Moats have four children and four rescue pit bull-mix dogs -- Harlem, Star, Brooklyn and Sadie -- as well as a 12-week-old French bulldog named Cookie.
For more information on the store, visit www.PetWants.com/Chardon.
