Global Pet Expo+

• Thanks for all the Global coverage. Even though we go, we still miss things and don’t have time to do interviews and ask all the questions. You help fill in a lot of gaps for us! — Jennifer Larsen, Firehouse Pet Shop, Wenatchee, WA
• Thanks for posting all the videos from Global. Since I didn’t get there, it was really helpful. I have a list of vendors to contact because of it! — Diana Farrar, Fifi & Fidos Pet Boutique, San Antonio, TX
• We loved going through the Global interviews and seeing everyone’s faces! Thank you for putting them all in one place! — Jennifer Flanagan, Pacific NW Pets, Sherwood, OR
• Thanks for the great coverage of Global! It was so helpful to see so many of the new products and hear about them from the company reps. — Shane Somerville, Paddywack, Mill Creek, WA
• Please tell the Global Pet Expo folks to stop letting in pet influencers. They don’t even have tax IDs and credentials to buy from the vendors, and they prevent stores from buying. — Dorothy Evans, Bushwick Bark, Brooklyn, NY
• We love all that you do, especially all of the videos that you did at GPE! Thank you for such a great magazine and content. — April Meier, Pawsitively Scrumptious, Crestview, FL
• I just love everything PETS+ does for the industry. Highlighting winning stores, store displays and layouts, covering new companies and products, and I love love love the videos and interviews at trade shows. — Beth Kidd, Dogs by Design, Irwin, PA

You’re Welcome

• Thank you once again for all that you do to keep us well armed and well informed. — Doug Staley, Pet Palace of New City, New City, NY
• Thank you for all your hard work. I love spending 15-20 minutes reading each edition. I know publishing physical magazines isn’t cheap, but I love having it in my hands. I go to the corner coffee shop or sit outside on a bench and read while relaxing for a bit. — Dana Julian, Furbaby Boutique, Holly, MI
• I’ve learned a lot from my peers being part of this community. I appreciate the dedication of the staff at PETS+. — Brett Foreman, euPAWria Holistic Pet Center, Owego, NY
• Still love getting it. It’s one of the only things I get that isn’t bills or junk! It’s like a letter just to me! — Keela Huotari, Yellowstone Kennels, Sidney, MT
• Loved the calendar in the JAN-FEB issue! Thank you for taking the time to put together and share such a valuable resource. — Lisa Kirschner, Sit, Stay, ‘N Play, Inc., Stroudsburg, PA

Industry Thoughts

• It’s 2026, and distributors need to stop with exclusivity and tier pricing. Other industries have retailers pay the same price so everyone can be competitive. Distributors are trying to shut down us micro businesses with ancient rules and increased minimums. I guess they only want corporate and franchise stores. — Nicoll Vincent, For K-9s & Felines, Westfield, MA
• I’m always disappointed at how distributors pack $100 bags of freeze-dried food with cases of canned food on top. — Rebeca Santos, Pets, Love and Happiness, Huntsville, AL
• Not sure how the rest of the country is holding up, but in our area things are dicey. Some months are OK, others not so much. I have contemplated a coordinated effort with another pet business where we could share a space. So far, there have been no takers but would love to know if others are doing that. — Alexis Quiroga, PAWsitively Sweet Bakery, San Antonio, TX

DIGITAL EXTRAS

• Just thank you for always giving us a voice! — Pamela Holbert, Powell Pet Food and Supply, Powell, TN
• I hope we see more innovative things coming out in the near future. — Ruth Sturgis, Dog Daze, North Syracuse, NY
• When I talked to various distributors and store owners at Global, we all agreed a lot of products were the same thing, different brand. I have no solutions on how to make things more unique, but that was the biggest thing I noticed. Also, whoever the girl was at the New Products Showcase that was telling everyone “No Pictures” really needed to chill. The brands had no problem whatsoever with people taking pics at their booths, so why would they care about pictures in the New Products space? — Theresa Moreno, For Healthy Pets, Montgomery, AL
• Other than PETS+ coverage, it seems like not very much news came out of Global this year. I feel like I didn’t miss much. — Katherine Ostiguy, Crossbones, Providence, RI
• We’re growing more concerned about the continuous out-of-stocks of certain proteins in the raw food category. We’re equally concerned about the heavy-handed push of brands going direct to consumer and big box. — Janet Cesarini, Pupology, Georgetown, TX
• I always enjoy and learn from every publication. Thank you! — Tamie Waugh, Cobber’s Pet Pantry, Enumclaw, WA
• So many shortages and supply-chain issues! I feel like it was a broken record at the trade shows. — Jennifer Silverberg, Fetch Pet Supplies, Springfield, MO
• I think it is worthy to really dig deep on a Global Pet Expo post-mortem. The chatter inside the booths seemed positive for independent pet, but once outside the halls it sounds different. We are seeing expansions in lines at a frequency and capital commitment that doesn’t align with a small retail footprint. — Robert L. Critselous, Drooly’s Dog Bakery, Bentonville, AR
• THANK YOU as always for your support and collaboration. — Lacey Welcher, Firehouse Pet Shop-Puyallup, Puyallup, WA
• Thank you for sharing Global. — Jodi Miranda, Paw’d Pet Supplies, Coral Springs, FL
• Thank you very much for providing so much information from Global Pet Expo. The updates you provide are a significant asset for those of us who cannot be there in person. — Diane Mullen, Winni Paw Station, Wolfeboro, NH
• The 2026 Ultimate Calendar has been a huge help planning events for the year! — Loree & Danielle Shirazi, The Original Paw Pleasers, San Diego, CA
• Out-of-stock items have increased sharply across several brands I sell and multiple vendors that I use. I’m curious if others are seeing this, and if this is a regional or nationwide issue. — Amber Hudson, The Aquarium Pet Store, Weatherford, OK
• I see some big inventory issues going on with certain brands. I think some of it is poor management and gaps because of fill rates and rebranding getting behind schedule. These lines can come up with new items all day long, new innovation, great ideas, but at the end of the day, if they can not keep their standard line of items in stock and available to consumers consistently, they will see a decline and lose customers. It seems like this is a running theme this year. — Morgan Monty, The Cheshire Horse, Swanzey, NH
• We always enjoy the content you provide to us retailers, and we thank you for the fine job you all are doing to help us!!!! — Doug Staley, Pet Palace of New City, New City, NY
• My managers have been really getting into PETS+ and taking advantage of all the great info shared. — Michelle Smith, Natural Pet Center, Fargo, ND
• I am seeing that I am losing more and more business to on line companies like Chewy and Amazon. — Pam Alerine, Style Mutt, Cleveland, OH
• I love the Tip Sheet in the January/February 2026 issue. I found myself reading each tip several times because each one is very helpful for how I personally manage my time and respond in my business. — Amy & Pat Schiek Lucky Dogs, Skaneateles, NY
• My favorite stories are always about the other stores. I love seeing how they merchandise products or promote them. — Beth Kidd, Dogs By Design, Irwin, PA
• Just keep doing whatever you are doing to have the BEST pet publication out there! It is our #1 go-to read each month! We learn so much from it with all the wonderful comments from readers and great articles about the special pet stores and brands out there today! — Sherry Cassin, Meow Mini Mart, Weehawken, NJ
• As a professional pet sitter who is frequently recommending products and tools to improve pet lives — we don’t have a retail offering, but we often purchase products for our clients — it’s good for us to know what the trends are and then we see (boots on the ground) what REALLY works and doesn’t. Thanks for asking! — Kimberly Maevers, Fun Fur U – In Home Pet Care, Lancaster, CA
• PETS+ is the best for keeping indies up to date on the pet industry and the constant changes. I would love an article about pet brands that are still family owned. The mergers and acquisitions are increasing, and it is hard to keep up with which brands are best for indies to partner with and support. — Victoria Park, Park Pet Supply, Atlanta, GA
• The PETS+ Facebook page is a wonderful resource. — Diane Mullen, Winni Paw Station, Wolfeboro, NH
• I wouldn’t have known about any of the recent brand acquisitions if it weren’t for you guys! — Jennifer Flanagan, Pacific NW Pets, Sherwood, OR
• Not sure if this is happening all over, but the DCM rumor is making its way around again. Vets won’t leave it alone. — Paul Lewis, The Green K9, Mount Dora, FL
• The industry feels a little fragile right now. Lots of mergers and acquisitions, lots of out of stock items, specific protein shortages, and many reps moving between and into and out of the industry. And of course, price increases. — Molly Lewis, Dog River Pet Supplies, Hood River, OR
• Always impressed with the selection of stories and new things that even I’ve never heard of! Great job. — Lori Colburn, Nature’s Pet Market Orenco, Hillsboro, OR
• Some very interesting consolidations and movements are happening. I’ll be interested to hear how everything shakes out. — Cassie Nilsson, The Mill Stores, Whiteford, MD
• I think we’re all going to have our work cut out for us this year. Between online and big box, we’re going to have to work to retain (and grow) our customer base. Customer service is going to be key to this, so we’re really working on upgrading our customer experience. — Diana Farrar Fifi & Fidos Pet Boutique, San Antonio, TX
• Always on topic and on trend, PETS+ is the best magazine out here in the pet industry. — Janet Cesarini, Pupology, Georgetown, TX
• Industry feels like it’s really gravitating toward big box more than ever. Economy playing a role and people are cutting corners on quality. — Brett Foreman, euPAWria Holistic Pet Center, Owego, NY