FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. — Supply shortages continue to impact many aspects of our lives, including the food we give to our pets.
Around the country, many stores have empty shelves and many popular pet brands are also sold out online.
From the cans to the ingredients inside them, the shortages are even impacting pet stores in our region.
”Specifically with canned food, wet food, I think a lot of places are struggling with a canning issue and getting the cans that way and producing that way,” said Miranda Namrow, the retail manager at Bark + Boarding.
Miranda Namrow, with Bark + Boarding in Northern Virginia, said another delay is caused from items traveling in from outside the country.
“We are so fortunate that a lot of our foods are from right here in the U.S. and so are their factories. Everything from the farms to where they grow the food to the production is all in the US so we have not had a huge issue with that,” said Namrow.
If you are finding your pet’s favorite food is now out of stock, Miranda said she looks for comparable brands when shopping for her three pups.
“If you are having an issue finding a certain brand that your animal does well with, find a comparable one. Particularly, you might have good luck if it’s something that is U.S.-made. You want to look at having the same proteins source, so if your animals love chicken, keep them on chicken, etc. You want to find a product that will have the same similar ingredients because you don’t want to switch that up,” Namrow said.
Before making a big change in their diet, experts say it is a good idea to check with your veterinarian first.
“If you’re going to be switching foods, make sure you are do it slowly and incrementally. If you just change it right away, that definitely can throw off their digestive system,” said Namrow.