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 Is it safe to give my dog plant-based and vegan treats?  

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Absolutely! It's a good thing for dogs to have a balanced mix of dog-friendly fruit & veg in their diet including things like apple (with seeds and core removed), banana (flesh only), blueberries, pumpkin, carrot, cucumber, and sweet potato - many of the ingredients in the treats we stock. You can see a full list of dog-safe fresh food here. But if in doubt about what's right for your dog, ask your vet.

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 Are all the products you sell vegan?  

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Yep. Everything at The Dog Shoppe is vegan, although not everything comes from vegan-certified companies as this process can be expensive for many small businesses.

While we fully support exclusively vegan companies by stocking their products, we also believe in the positive things that can come from buying vegan products from mainstream companies. The more people buy these products, the higher the demand and the more they'll manufacture - ultimately helping to tip the balance in favour of plant-based, cruelty-free products.

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 Aren't all dog products cruelty-free?  

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Sadly not. Just like many beauty and body care products for people, many dog shampoos, sprays, perfumes and balms contain animal-derived ingredients and are tested on animals in cruel laboratory experiments.

 

This practice is NOT necessary, but some companies and regions around the world still insist on it as a way of confirming a product's safety credentials. Modern research shows this is an outmoded and ineffective method - inflicting unnecessary suffering on animals, including dogs, cats, rats, mice, birds, and guinea pigs to name a few. That's why we only buy into brands committed to protecting the safety and wellbeing of all animals by being vegan and cruelty-free.

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 Isn't leather just a natural by-product?  

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The leather industry is an industry of its own and often involves cruelty to all kinds of animals. Some people might argue that these animals are killed 'humanely' for leather and/or meat, while others will use leather by-products from the meat industry to save wastage. But at The Dog Shoppe, we think all life matters and making fun things for dogs shouldn't involve the loss of any life. That's why we don't sell toys, collars, leads or anything made of or including animal-derived materials - such as fur and suede for toys; leather for toys, collars and leads; and bones, ears, feet, snouts and other animal body parts for chews. 

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 Are all the products you sell eco-friendly?  

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Yes, all the brands we sell are actively doing things to support the environment. That's why we want to support them. From using recyclable biodegradable or compostable materials, to ethical and sustainable manufacturing processes, all the brands we choose are doing big or small things to help. While some are only starting, others are leading the way.  But whatever the case, you can see what they're doing in the 'Why it's good' section featured with each and every product in-store. 

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 What else do you do that's good for the planet?  

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As well as making considered choices about the products we stock and sell, we make sure all the postage and packing material we use comes from sustainable sources and is recyclable, biodegradable and/or compostable. What's more, all the rubber stamps and inks we use in printing are vegan, biodegradable and safe for recycling. We have plans to do more in the future too.

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 What should I do with my old dog toys rather than binning them?  

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There are a couple of things you can do to prevent your old dog toys from going into landfill. Firstly, if the toy is still in good condition but your dog's lost interest in it, donate it to a dog rescue charity. There are plenty around the UK who would appreciate it -not to mention the dogs. Secondly, if the toy is not safe for re-use, you could pull it apart and recycle the bits that can be recycled. Most textiles and fabric can be recycled at your local recycling centre. And many plastic parts can be recycled too - but best check with your local council or recycling centre first. 

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 What measures are you taking to keep customers safe against Covid-19?  

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With customers' safety in mind, we started The Dog Shoppe online. This means you can shop with minimal or no contact at all with others. Masks and gloves are worn during the picking and packing process, and couriers delivering parcels are also adhering to safety guidelines. And as much as we'd like to reuse packing material for our orders, we're only using new (but eco-friendly) postage and packing materials for the time being. 

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 Couldn't I just get similar products from large online retailers?  

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Yes, you probably could. We used to buy things all the time from one big online retailer in particular for the sake of convenience. But as soon as we learned about the unethical work practices driving this mega corporation, we decided to buy from smaller businesses instead and support our local community as much as we can. We then went one step further by becoming one of those businesses too. So now people like you can shop online with a business that shares your values and cares about the things you do.

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