A Simple Cruelty Free Guide for your Pet

Have you ever stopped to think if your pet's products and food are cruelty free?

If you are only just asking yourself this question, don't be ashamed. Admittedly, I started wondering if my dog's shampoo and conditioner were cruelty free back in 2020; three years after I began my cruelty free journey. Then in 2024, I discovered that Pet Food is also a product that is "tested" on animals - which left me confused and disappointed; disappointed in myself for not knowing sooner, disappointed that food is tested in cruel labs, and disappointed in brands that I used and trusted for years.

Do not blame yourself (like I did) for not knowing the facts sooner. New information is available to us daily, meaning every day is a new opportunity for improvement. Slow and steady is usually better than rushed and burnt-out.

Look at your beautiful little pet. Don't you love the way they make you smile and warm your heart without doing a thing? It's a blessing to have a pet and it is natural to feel protective over them. Providing them with a safe and loving home and medical care is a huge part of being a pet owner, but the other part is selecting the right food and pet care products that will benefit them and keep other animals safe from harm by choosing cruelty free options.

Let's cut to the chase with one of the easiest ways to find out if a product or brand is cruelty free or not. I discovered the Cruelty Cutter App through the Beagle Freedom Project IG account. This is a free app that you can download on your phone to easily search a brand by either typing the brand name in the search bar or scanning the product's barcode. The app will immediately show you if the brand is cruelty free with a green checkmark or if it's not with a red X. If the app doesn't recognize the brand, simply submit a request with the barcode and product name through the app, and a representative will email you back within a few days to thank you for the update and notify you if weather or not the brand is cruelty free. Your feedback helps improve the app and helps save animals.

After I discovered that the pet food I was feeding my fur babies for years was not cruelty free, besides being heartbroken, I was determined to find a clean and cruelty free replacement. Coincidently, I was also looking to replace their dry food (aka kibble) for a more natural diet to move away from highly processed food. With Cruelty Cutter in one hand and Chewy in the other, I was able to update my Chewy Auto-ship order with food, treats, and grooming products that were all certified cruelty free... meaning not tested on animals. After all the pet food and treats in my home had been consumed from the brands I was no longer going to support, I ordered all the new brands that were cruelty free.

If you are wondering what my dogs are eating these days, I now feed my fur babies Freshpet for breakfast and dinner (preferably two different varieties). The reasons I support Freshpet is because it is conveniently available at Publix and on Chewy, it has clean ingredients, my pets love it, and it is cruelty free. For their dinner, I also like to add freshly chopped cucumber or green beans mixed with their Freshpet with a tablespoon of organic pumpkin puree, one pump of cruelty free Natural Dog Company Skin & Coat Omega-3 & Omega-6 Oil Dog Supplement, and a tablespoon of cruelty free Brutus Bone Broth Hip & Joint Formula Supplement (thankfully, this is one product I had already been using and didn't have to replace).

As for their cruelty free treats, some of which serve as their daily supplements (*), I give them *Ark Naturals Soft Dental Dog Treats first thing in the morning to freshen their breath. After their breakfast and their morning walk, I give them a *Zesty Paws Probiotic Supplement to keep their gut health in top shape- especially with the random things they eat in the yard. After an hour or so of running around outside or barking at everything that passes by the window, I give them a *Zesty Paws Advanced Vision Bites Supplement to help prevent poor vision as they age; I believe this helped prevent my late dog (Chiqui) from getting Cataracs. Then to reward them for their good behavior throughout the day, I give them either fresh organic blueberries or Fruitables Pumpkin & Blueberry Flavor Dog Treats. If we have a special birthday, I give them a little something special from Claudia's Canine Bakery Birthday Peanut Butter Cookie Treats.

(* daily supplements are only given once a day)

Food was definitely a product that I didn't suspect of animal testing in the past, but now I am relieved to have different sources of information that I can rely on to help me in my cruelty free journey. Though the brands I used before were and still [unfortunately] are tested on animals, I am able to forgive myself because it wasn't due to willful ignorance, it was due to a complete lack of knowledge. Thankfully, I was far more educated when it came to their hygienic products.

When it comes to bathing products, I recommend fragrance free for the following reasons. Firstly, a dog's sense of smell is roughly 10,000 times more sensitive than a human's. So, using fragrance free is the kinder option for their olfaction. Secondly, dogs already have a unique scent and bathing them should make them smell like a clean version of themselves rather than anything fragrant. Their Frito like paw smell is perfect as it is. Thirdly, if your pet has sensitive skin, fragrance free is the best option for them. The cruelty free bathing products I trust is Earthbath Oatmeal & Aloe Itch Relief Fragrance Free Dog & Cat Shampoo and Earthbath Oatmeal & Aloe Fragrance Free Conditioner. And of course, we also want to keep up with their dental health. The cruelty free toothpaste my pets enjoy is the Petsmile Professional Say Cheese Flavor Dog & Cat Toothpaste.

Taking into consideration that a pet can consist of various species such as canine, feline, reptile, rodent, fish, and so on- I realize that my post is mostly centered on canine products being that I currently own two dogs, but know that you can still achieve a cruelty free nutrition, wellness and hygienic lifestyle for your special pet. As caring pet parents and pet lovers, we want what is best for our loving companions as well as protecting other animals from cruel testing. Let me know in the comments what type of pet(s) you have.

Signing off with love,

Mrs. Ladybug

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