Alameda See Spot Run carries only natural and holistic pet foods made from high quality ingredients. Everything we stock is sold with the health of your pet in mind, so we decided long ago to only carry brands that are free from corn, wheat, and soy, which are common sources of allergy problems in pets. You’re not going to find what we stock at your local supermarket, and our product standards are far higher than the big box pet stores, so you won’t find yourself wondering which product is okay for your pet and which one isn’t when you shop with us. At our store you’ll find premium pet food brands that help your pet stay healthy including Orijen, Acana, Nulo, Fromm’s, PureVita, Lotus, Evanger’s, and Taste of the Wild.
Not Just for Cats and Dogs!
Whatever type of pet you choose to share your life with, we can help you keep them happy and healthy. In addition to dog and cat food, we also have food for birds, chinchillas, rabbits, chickens, hamsters, and guinea pigs. As always, if we don’t have it in stock, we can get it for you pretty quick so you don’t have to go order it online.
Why Buy Holistic and Natural Foods for Your Pet?
The most compelling reason for buying holistic pet food is the absolute shock you’ll feel when you discover what’s actually in ordinary pet food, whether it’s wet or dry. The pet food industry is regulated by the FDA, but nowhere close to the way that food for human consumption in the U.S. is. Current regulations allow the use of diseased livestock and fish, along with grains and other food products that have become contaminated and are no longer fit for human consumption.
Labels are also deceiving. Natural is a term with zero regulation and manufacturers apply it to products that may seem natural, but are far from healthy. The only label on pet or human food that the USDA regulates carefully is food that is Certified Organic or made with Certified Organic Ingredients. Although holistic pet food may not necessarily always be organic, it is still a healthier alternative, since it rarely contains ingredients that would otherwise be discarded.
Most commercially prepared dry pet foods rely heavily on grains to add bulk and calories. Even canned pet foods contain grain and vegetable products. Feeding pets dry food where corn or grains are the first ingredient listed on the bag is a convenience for everyone except the pet, and it does nothing to promote pet health. While dogs can tolerate more plant-based foods such as grains in their diets, cats are strictly carnivores, since they naturally create vitamins that a meat diet doesn’t supply.
Veterinarians are beginning to correlate higher rates of physical problems with the food that pets currently eat. Dental and kidney disease, heart problems, and hyperthyroidism in cats may be the result of feeding pets commercially prepared pet foods that meet the nutritional labeling requirements, but contain substandard ingredients. Some researchers are attributing the obesity epidemic in cats and dogs to the starchy fillers that these pet foods contain, along with the fat that is sprayed over the dry food to make it more palatable. Just like other pet food ingredients, those fats, which are often promoted as “healthy”, can come from meat or vegetable oils that are not fit for human consumption.
Although holistic pet food may cost more than commercial food, it can help keep your pet out of the veterinarian’s office and provide the basis for a longer and healthier life. If we are what we eat, then it’s certainly true for pets, too. Holistic pet food manufacturers adhere to the nutritional requirements that the animal needs, not by using chemicals or contaminated foodstuff, but by balancing the food with ingredients that are carefully sourced and safe for human consumption.