476 Search Results

Where can I find out more about raw feeding?

We have a lot of articles and information in our Raw Education section. For great external resources and books, check out:

• Dr Karen Becker
• Rodney Habib & Planet Paws
  
• Raw Meaty Bones by Tom Lonsdale
• Pet Food Politics by Marion Nestle

Where are your stores located?

We have 17 stores across New Zealand - in Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Wellington & Christchurch. Check out our Stores page for locations, hours, and contact details. We love it when you bring your pets in, too!

What are your opening hours?

Most of our retail stores are open 7 days a week (opening hours vary). Check out our Stores page for your local store hours.

You can shop our online store 24/7 and we monitor our online chat during usual store hours.

How can I contact you?

Check out Contact and Find Our Stores for store locations, opening hours, and contact information. You can also reach us through the chat during usual store hours (look out for the blue icon in the right bottom corner of your screen!).

I have a shop, can I retail your products?

For the time-being, we do not wholesale our products.

Thanks for enquiring though!

I can't access Raw Essentials, how do I raw feed my pet?

Check out When You Can't Access Raw Essentials for tips and tricks.

Do you have a returns policy?

Due to the perishable nature of our frozen product, we are unable to accept returns for individual product units that weigh more than 1kg, and ask that you select and purchase your product carefully.

See our Returns Policy for more information.

Will a raw diet solve my pet's health problems?

At Raw Essentials, our experienced staff will offer you dietary advice and support. A well-planned, species-appropriate raw diet may be very beneficial for a range of health problems, however we are unable to offer you clinical veterinary support.

For this reason - if your pet has a medical condition, is medicated, or is seeing the vet often - we strongly recommend that you talk to your regular veterinarian BEFORE changing diets.

Our resident vet is able to offer a 'specific and limited range of veterinary services' (in accordance with the VCNZ Code of Professional Conduct) in the form of nutritional support and advice. You will still need to have a regular veterinarian.

If you need help finding a vet who is familiar with raw feeding, we may be able to suggest one. Contact us for more information.

I'd love to work for you, how do I apply?

If you share our values and have a passion for raw feeding, we'd love to hear from you! Check out Careers for current vacancies or reach out to us at hr@rawessentials.co.nz if you'd like to keep your CV on file for future opportunities.

What happens if I am not home for delivery?

We suggest you're close to home at the time of delivery so the product can be popped straight into your freezer (we can not take any responsibility for the package once it is delivered).

If you are not going to be home at the time of delivery, please leave instructions for the courier at the checkout so we can ensure your delivery is left in a safe and cool area of your property. You will be notified by our couriers once the delivery has been made via text message.

How does the food stay frozen during transit?

We've worked hard to find sustainable (i.e. non polystyrene) packaging solutions to minimise defrost within the various delivery windows we offer. For our longer delivery runs we pack orders with ice packs and wool liners to help insulate the product.

We use Urgent Couriers and NZ Couriers to deliver your order in the North Island and Kiwi Express Couriers and NZ Couriers to deliver your order in the South Island. Once delivered, we can not take any responsibility for your package so we advise you to be close to home at the time of delivery so your product can be put straight into the freezer.

When do you deliver?

We have a range of delivery days and timeslots available. For delivery information in your area, check out our Delivery page.

What areas do you deliver to?

We deliver nationwide (excluding rural addresses). Refer to our Delivery page for more information.

How much does delivery cost?

Our delivery fees start at $9.99 per order and varies based on total order weight. Check out our Delivery page for delivery costs in your area.

Is there a minimum order for delivery?

As our product is frozen, we have worked hard to find sustainable (i.e. non polystyrene) packaging solutions to minimise defrost within the various delivery windows we offer. However, due to the length of some delivery runs, we have implemented some minimum order requirements to maintain product quality and reduce the chance of defrost.

• North Auckland / Whangarei - 6kg minimum order
• Auckland Metro & Outer - 4kg minimum order
• Auckland Regional (Tuesday - Friday delivery) - 6kg minimum order
• Auckland Regional (Sunday delivery) - 8kg minimum order
• Auckland (Waiheke) - 12kg minimum order
  
• Waikato - 6kg minimum order
  
• Bay of Plenty - 6kg minimum order
  
• Wellington Metro & Outer (Tuesday - Friday delivery) - 6kg minimum order
  
• Wellington Metro & Outer (Sunday delivery) - 8kg minimum order
  
• Rest of North Island - 6kg minimum order
  
• Christchurch - 4kg minimum order
  
• Rest of South Island - 6kg minimum order

We suggest you be home (or close by!) for the delivery as the product will need to be put straight into the freezer. Some of our larger or bulk orders will be okay to be left outside for a couple of hours if in a cool place.

Can I recycle Raw Essentials packaging?

YES! As part of our delivery service, we have tried to minimise waste wherever possible (no unnecessary packaging!).

Our packaging can be recycled as follows:

• Cardboard box - can be recycled via normal residential recycling
• Ice packs - can be re-used or returned back to one of our 17 stores
• Product (mixes, bones, fish, organ, fillets, tripe) bags - can be returned to one of our stores or to the collection bins at other retailers who are members of the Soft Plastics Recycling Scheme. Please make sure this plastic packaging is clean and void of any blood or food product
• Broth pouches and some ziplock bags (see back of pack) - can not be recycled so must be disposed of via your normal residential waste

How are you sustainable?

Raw Essentials is proud to be a member of the Soft Plastics Recycling Scheme and was founded as a sustainable and ethical model to change the way pet food is sold and consumed in New Zealand. With next-to-no marketing budget, but with expert knowledge at point of sale, we have opened 17 retail shops (and deliver nationwide), selling nutrient dense food to resolve health issues for pets with chronic disease.

Direct from farm and field, to processing plant, to retail, to consumer, we specialise in nutrient dense, species-appropriate food (including a healing bone broth) which pets love to eat, and owners love to feed. We are focused on soil health, animal health and welfare, plant health and resilience, and promoting the benefits of excellent quality, whole foods.

We examine our food chains to make sure they are equitable for hunters, farmers, processors, retailers, and customers. But, sometimes even the most sustainable and ethical option is not good enough, and we have to make a tough call. We've done this before and stopped using hoki. Despite being certified as a sustainable option, our staff began to have doubts when they did their own research into hoki and by-catch. As a result, the team made a decision that we were not comfortable stocking hoki, which is a common ingredient in mainstream pet foods.

We also looked into our poultry sources after a campaign for Countdown (now Woolworths) to stock only cruelty-free eggs. We discovered one of our sources had made changes and we were no longer comfortable with the ethics of their operation, so we stopped stocking their product. This was a popular and highly affordable product for our customers - yet we received nothing but support from them over our decision.

More recently, we have stopped stocking products containing palm oil (common in soaps and shampoos). The planting of palm is a major contributor to loss of biodiversity in world forests, and sustainability claims around palm are dubious to say the least!

Do you offer bulk pricing?

Yes, we do! A selection of our products are available in bulk, which is a great option to keep costs down - especially if you have a big freezer. Here is a full list of products available in bulk.

Do you have a list of vets who are supportive of raw feeding?

We're happy to suggest raw-friendly vets - it's best to contact us directly so we can consider your location. Contact your local store, give us a call, or chat to us online and we'll be happy to help.

Why does my dog or cat eat grass?

Dr Karen Becker explains why dogs eat grass here. The article is largely relevant to cats too!

Is my pet over or under weight?

Read our article Healthy Weight For Pets for more information on assessing your pet's weight (and what to do about if they need to change).

Are there risks with raw feeding?

We have a variety of articles on the safety of raw feeding in our Raw Education section. Check out

• The Safety of Raw Feeding
• The Safety of Processed Food
• Raw Feeding and Risks
• Food Safety Tips

Does raw feeding make dogs aggressive?

There is no evidence that raw feeding promotes aggression in dogs. For centuries, dogs have been fed on a diet of the very same livestock that they are charged with herding and guarding. Farmers know that feeding sheep to their farm dog will not turn them into a sheep-killer.

The advice for raw-feeders is the same as it is for those feeding processed diets:

• Do not interfere with dogs while they are eating, and
• ALWAYS keep children away from dogs while they are eating.

How can I make sure my raw diet is balanced?

Variety is key! We recommend you feed a mix of meat, green tripe, organs, and raw meaty bones from at least three different prey sources per week.

See our article on Balanced Raw Diets for more information

How much should I feed?

We work out a suggested amount to feed per day based on your pet's age, weight and activity level. As an example, for an adult dog that has an average activity level and wants to maintain current weight, we would recommend they feed approximately 2% of bodyweight per day.

Check out our suggested Feeding Amounts for both cats and dogs.

Remember, though, every pet is different. Monitor their condition closely, and adjust their intake as needed (and let us know if you need help with this too!)

When should I feed my pet?

Fully grown dogs do not need to be fed more than once a day. You can feed them more often if you wish, but just make sure that ‘more often’ doesn’t mean extra food! Some people prefer to feed very active, or very lean dogs twice a day. You may want to feed minced product at one meal, and then a meaty bone with a cube or two of tripe later one. Or you may feed minced product on one day, and a meaty bone and tripe the next day. It will all depend on how much food your dog needs. Remember - you are aiming to get a range of nutrients into them over time, not in the space of any one meal.

Cats do better on two (or sometimes more) meals a day - they may eat several times in a day in the wild.

We suggest putting food into a sealed container in the fridge, and letting it defrost overnight before feeding. In the interests of hygiene, use a sealed container that is for your pet’s food only.

Can I feed biscuits alongside a raw diet?

We believe fully raw is the way to go. Even though it may be convenient at times, we don't advocate combining raw with other dry or processed foods as it interferes with the digestive process. A raw food diet requires a stomach with high acidity. The carbohydrates found in processed foods, like biscuits, can lower stomach acidity and impair digestion.

If you want to add meat into the diet of a biscuit fed dog, we recommend using one of our boneless meat products, but be sure that boneless meat does not make up more than ⅓ of their daily food intake.

For more info, see Mixed Feeding & Gastric Acidity.

Can I feed table scraps?

For the most part, we recommend feeding against table scraps because it keeps the diet simple and easy to control if we follow the rules of well planned, raw, species-appropriate diets.

DOGS: If your dog has any health issues, we strongly recommend against feeding scraps. The best chance we have of helping you improve your dog's health lies within a tightly controlled diet plan. Any inappropriate nutrients or ingredients can be enough to cause a very annoying set-back. For example - a dog with sensitive skin may be doing really well on their novel protein diet, until someone gives them a crust from their toast, and suddenly the dog is super itchy again.

Wild dogs often have robust constitutions. Domesticated dogs have been subject to many of the same pressures (highly processed foods, antibiotic overuse etc) that have correlated with the rise in allergies and chronic disease in humans. Our pet dogs may be less able to thrive on a diet that includes some scavenged food, compared to their wild counterparts.

If your dog is very robust (no gastro upsets, no itchy skin, so other health issues) and you make the decision to feed them some scraps - please be very selective: make scraps a small part of the diet. Some human foods are toxic to dogs (such as onions, grapes, chocolate and avocado) and some are dangerous (cooked bones).

CATS: Cats are very rarely interested in table scraps. And being true obligate carnivores, table scraps are seldom suitable. They are unlikely to provide any nutritional value to your cat.

Can I give vegetables to my pet?

Raw-feeders in the US routinely feed vegetables, but they tend not to be able to access green tripe (which contains plant matter that has been pre-digested by the herbivore that ate it). We are fortunate in New Zealand as we can access a ready supply of high quality green tripe for our pets. We generally don't recommend adding vegetables as we recommend providing your pet with a raw diet based as closely as possible to whole prey.

Although it is possible that some pets may benefit from the addition of vegetables. If you choose to add vegetables to the diet avoid starchy vegetables (such as kumara, potato, chickpeas, pumpkin), and fruit, as they might interfere with digestion and nutrient absorption and potentially toxic fruit and vegetables such as onions, avocado, grapes/raisins, rhubarb, garlic. If adding vegetables it is better to blend, cook or ferment plant matter before feeding, to make the nutrients more available, as they would be from their herbivorous prey’s gut. Also consider Zoopharmacognosy, where you allow your pet to choose whether they eat the plant matter, rather than trying to hide it in their meal.

Read Feeding Vegetables for more information.

Can I feed raw fish to my cat or dog?

Raw fish is an excellent source of nutrients, including essential fatty acids. Some species of raw fish contain an enzyme - thiaminase - which destroys a B vitamin required by cats and dogs for good health. For this reason we suggest limiting raw fish to no more than three times a week. Read this for more information about thiaminase and raw fish.

When can I start raw feeding my puppy or kitten?

Puppies and Kittens can do very well on a raw diet from 8 weeks of age. You will need to monitor growth closely and adjust the food intake to suit (we can help track this).

Come in store to chat to us ahead of bringing your puppy or kitten home. Also, check out our article on Feeding Puppies and Kittens for more information.

Will my pet's stools be different?

Great news for raw feeders - when dogs change to a raw diet, their stool becomes much smaller, firmer, and less smelly! Because the stool is harder, dogs appear to strain a bit more to pass them. It can take a bit of adjusting to get the diet just right for your dog. Too much bone in the diet can lead to constipation. Too much tripe can cause loose stool.

If your dog is straining a lot, and if they are attempting to pass a stool, failing, re-positioning themselves, and trying again - they may be constipated. Let our staff know - they might suggest increasing the ratio of tripe to bone, in order to loosen the stool.

Conversely, if the stool is too loose, our staff might suggest reducing the amount of tripe.

Anything other than mild, transient diarrhoea or constipation must be checked by a vet. If you have any concerns about your dog's toileting - please talk to us, so that we can suggest a dietary tweak, or a vet check-up if need be.

Why does my pet drink less water?

The moisture content of a raw diet is variable, but is usually greater than 70%. Dry pet food (biscuits / kibble) is only around 10%.

If you have changed your cat or dog to a raw diet from one that includes dry food, they will have increased their water intake significantly via their food alone. It is normal for pets on raw to spend less time drinking from their water bowl. If they are healthy and energetic, with normal toileting habits, than it is not a cause for concern.

If they seem unwell, or if you notice unusual toileting behaviour (such as passing urine more often, or in inappropriate places), get them checked by your vet.

Cats in particular benefit from having more moisture in their diet. They do not have a high thirst drive, and struggle to drink enough water on a dry diet. There is evidence to suggest that dry diets are a causal factor in urinary tract diseases.

Do I change to raw gradually or all at once?

In general, yes you can just convert your dog to raw food (a straight swap), however the transition does need to be carefully managed especially if your dog (or cat) is showing signs of digestive stress or under current veterinary care.

At Raw Essentials we will quiz an owner about the health of their animal and put them on a feeding plan that best fits their history and life stage.

Will raw feeding help my pet's digestive issues?

Farting, belching, burping, vomiting, and diarrhoea are signs of digestive issues. These are often related to a microbial imbalance or leaky gut.

We have a number of dietary protocols in place that can assist. It can take some time to resolve these issues (we usually go off a rule of thumb of one month for each year they have been around) but in general we see great results with the switch to raw with the appropriate protocols being followed.

More information available in our Raw Education section on Common Health Concerns.

How do I know what mixes to feed?

Feeding a raw diet is a bit like feeding yourself: you eat a variety of foods, with the expectation that this will meet your nutrient needs over time.

Our biggest tip for balanced raw feeding is to offer a mix of meat, bones, organ & green tripe from a variety of prey sources. As a rule of thumb, we recommend feeding from at least three different prey species over a week. Wild populations of cats and dogs eat meat, bones, organs, and often tripe. They do not just eat meat. Feeding an all-meat diet will cause mineral deficiencies, and is dangerous to your pet's health.

What does 'novel' protein mean?

A novel protein is a protein source that your pet has not eaten before. For pets previously fed on processed diets (which often contain chicken, lamb, and beef products) rabbit will likely be a novel (or new) protein for them.

Can I serve a mix of proteins in one meal?

Some care does need to be taken when transitioning onto raw food, so as not to overwhelm the gut. As a general rule we recommend feeding a variety of 3 - 4 proteins over a week to make sure your dog or cat is increasing its nutrient range. These can be in one meal or spread out.

Can I give my dog food poisoning?

Healthy animals deal with large amounts of bacteria (just like they would in the wild). Stomach acid, bile and gut microbes control pathogenic (disease causing) bacteria. A raw-fed carnivore’s stomach is highly acidic and there aren’t many organisms that can survive it.

Factors that can contribute to salmonella disease can include: age, poor nutrition, quality of food, presence of other diseases, stress etc. We find that the risk of disease caused by salmonella can be controlled by having a healthy animal on a well planned raw food diet combined with sensible meat hygiene practices at home.

How do I store my food?

In the freezer. Lots of our customers buy a chest freezer to take advantage of buying in bulk. It will also last 3 days in the fridge once defrosted.

Can pets eat frozen food or is it best defrosted?

We generally recommend feeding defrosted product, but there are exceptions.

It is ok to feed frozen cubes, but you need to be sure that your dog is good at taking their time and chewing. Don’t feed frozen cubes to a ‘gulper’ as they may try to swallow it whole.

Tripe is pretty smelly - some people really struggle to deal with defrosted tripe. In this case, you may wish to feed it frozen, but you need to be sure that your dog is good at taking their time and chewing. In the heat of the summer, food will defrost quickly outside. Again, if your dog is not a ‘gulper’ you may wish to put some frozen food outside and let your dog treat it like a meaty-ice-block.

Some dogs have not had much practice at chewing meaty bones and they will try to ingest them too quickly. Feeding frozen meaty bones can slow a dog down, giving them a chance to get used to using their jaw muscles properly.

We usually find cats prefer their minced products to be defrosted.

Do you need to add supplements?

In most cases there is no need to add supplements to a well-planned raw diet, which means:

• food sourced from NZ-grown animals
• variety of prey-sources (at least three different sources over a week)
• whole prey (a selection of raw meat, bone, organs and tripe)
• highest quality prey sources possible (human-grade and wild products, not stripped out leftovers).

Some pets do well on a course of probiotics, or fish oils. In most cases, this supplementation is a temporary measure to control inflammation, and populate the gut with beneficial microbes in order to assist immune function.

However some cats and dogs have a very compromised immune system, and a major microbial imbalance in their gut. These are the animals that will suffer deficiency even on a really good raw diet, or a processed one. Unless the gut health of these animals can be significantly improved, they may benefit from continuous supplementation.

Is feeding raw more expensive?

A Raw Essentials diet should cost about the same as a ‘premium’ veterinary diet, but this can vary with costs based on product availability, what you are feeding and the age and condition of your pet.

Costs can vary based on

• Seasons: Carefully planned raw feeding is seasonal - this is how our pets would eat in the wild.
• Product: Some product costs more than others - there will be considerable variation.
• Availability: Sometimes our products are hard to get hold of. For example, rabbits are particularly scarce in winter because they go underground.
• The age and condition of your pet: For example, puppies require a LOT of food while they are growing; and itchy pets may need a special diet for a while.

If you are worried about your costs, please let us know. We may be able to help you find ways to save money, without compromising variety and quality.

Can I still give my dog treats?

Absolutely! However, we recommend natural, minimally processed treats, with no additives or preservatives. They can be a great way to introduce variety into a diet. We have a range of natural treats to choose from that we deliver throughout all of New Zealand.

What if I travel on holiday with my dog and cannot store meat?

This is always a common one for customers. We recommend feeding a freeze dried product if you cannot access a freezer. We have a range of freeze dried products in our stores.

Some research does suggest that feeding a freeze dried diet long term can impair gastric acidity in dogs and cats (a key factor in digestion), but short term for convenience is absolutely fine.

Do you have vets or vet nurses?

We have a strong team in place that can help change a diet, with different levels of support available depending on the complexity of the case.

However, we only offer dietary advice and support and cannot offer you veterinarian support. If your pet is unwell, please contact your regular vet. Likewise, if your pet has a medical condition, is medicated, or sees the vet often we strongly recommend you chat to your vet before changing diets.