Pet Food Supply COVID-19 Update
Pet Food Supply and Safety Update:
3 Weeks Into The COVID-19 State of Emergency:
April 7, 2020
Claudia Loomis, co-owner Cherrybrook Premium Pet Supplies
Many pet parents did a wonderful job heeding advice and preparing during the early weeks of the COVID-19 Emergency and stocked up on pet food and pet supplies. Whether you shopped online, in one of our Cherrybrook stores, or at any other independent pet supply retailer, you were most likely able to find what you needed. But now we are 3 weeks into the state of emergency and running low on some of the food and supplies we purchased. It is once again time to stock up as we all settle into spending another 4 weeks under the current COVID-19 Emergency. Will the food and supplies you need still be available for purchase?
This is a worry for most regular online shoppers, who now are greeted with these messages when they go to their favorite sites:
A message about current events:
Dear Pet Parents, Chewy is always here for you. Due to high demand, current delivery times are running considerably longer than usual on food and supplies. Stay well and thanks for choosing us.
Can I place an order? Will Amazon deliver the package?
Yes, Amazon's activities are currently continuing. However, delivery times may be longer than usual and our selection of items ... may be temporarily reduced.
We know the shipping and out of stocks issues with online retailers are real; because Cherrybrook is happily welcoming back customers who in the past few years have chosen the convenience of shopping online. Most all have found the supplies and the pet food they needed in our store. In addition, they have earned loyalty points, enrolled in a frequent buyer program for their brand which is not available from their online retailer and been surprised to find our prices are better than they were paying online.
Cherrybrook is receiving regular weekly orders from our distributors. There are a few out of stocks and we are experiencing a couple shortages on varieties of food within brands. If your protein or formula is not available, switching the protein or formula within the brand, or switching to a different brand with a similar nutritional philosophy and similar ingredients is an option. Our team members are extremely well versed in the ingredient profiles of the foods we carry and can help choose a substitute. We can also recommend digestive enzymes to minimize any stomach upset that your pet may experience from an abrupt change in diet.
The COVID-19 Virus has not caused any significant disruption in the pet food ingredient supply chain or the manufacturing process. The Department of Homeland Security has listed animal food as critical and pet food workers as essential. So, with minimal disruption in ingredient supply and pet food workers reporting for duty, our trusted pet food manufacturing partners are continuing to make the pet foods we rely on. Therefore, the few out of stocks we are experiencing now should be short term.
But can pet food consumers be guaranteed that the pet food they are purchasing is safe and free of COVID-19? The FDA center for Veterinary Medicine has reiterated in this crisis their continued commitment to ensuring the safety of the animal and pet food supply. It should also be noted that COVID-19 is transmitted from human to human. The FDA Food Safety and Coronavirus website states that there is no evidence that COVID-19 has been transmitted via food or food packaging.
If you need pet food or supplies, please call or visit your local Cherrybrook store. We can help you find what you need. We have many shopping options available based on your comfort level. You can shop in our stores from 10am-6pm each day, we also offer Curbside Pick-up or Home Delivery as well as the convenience of shopping online 24/7 and having the products you need shipped to your home. Cherrybrook is open and ready to lend a helping paw!
