Raw Stories

Chewie & Julie

Our wee boy, Chewie, was repeatedly getting tonsillitis. After multiple vet visits (including the specialist vet), loads of antibiotics and anti-flammatories, he was diagnosed with aerodigestive disease. The prescribed medication had horrendous side effects for him so I sought the help of Veterinary Holistic Healthcare and was introduced to Raw Essentials via Dr Jacqui Snell.

We were put in touch with the Raw Essentials team vet, Rebecca, who put together an elimination diet plan to introduce him very gradually to a raw diet and find out what works for him. Chewie has been on raw rabbit along with a few holistic tinctures for a few months now. The changes in him over a short period of time have been quite remarkable. We've been able to maintain his weight, he's very happy, his energy levels have increased and he hasn't had tonsillitis or reflux since a few weeks after changing to raw food.

Our journey is only just beginning, and we'll be slowly introducing other raw proteins while building up his natural stomach flora. The support from Raw Essentials has been amazing in helping make the transition to a raw diet. If you want the best for your furbaby, I highly recommend Raw Essentials!

Kobe & Reia

Kobe was introduced to a raw diet by his breeder as a young puppy, on the day he started eating solid foods. It was them who recommended that we continue to feed him a raw diet as a pup. Before we brought Kobe home, we popped into our local Raw Essentials to learn more about raw feeding and see the products. We took so much knowledge home with us from the helpful staff, there is so much to learn!

Kobe is now 7 months old, and as he grows we continue to monitor (and adapt) his weight, growth, daily physical exercise, what he likes, what he doesn’t like, what works for us and our budget. We love to mix it up for him by changing and adding variety to his meals, learning which bones we can feed him, and getting him to try new things (and delicious treats)!

We are still learning so much with the help of the staff. Kobe has been enjoying the full benefits of a balanced raw diet, he is such a healthy and great looking pup! We have even inspired others to transition their dogs to raw by sharing our journey of raw feeding. Raw feeding really is the best, you can't go wrong with food that is 100% natural and all the nutrition their bodies need.

Tiger & Rebekah

Our Tiger is a very healthy (and 8kg!) tom cat that still lives his best life at 12 years old. Unfortunately, he had some rough times in his life resulting in injuries and surgeries. The vet suggested better quality kibble and supplements for him. I wasn't so sure about this plan though but my local cafe in Hamilton happened to be next door to Raw Essentials. So, I popped in to talk to the staff about Tiger.

I was 100% convinced this was the best plan for Tiger and he has now been on a raw diet since the end of 2019. One of the greatest things, about the change, is that you would never know the injuries he's experienced in the past. His coat is so shiny and smooth now and there are no more furballs that we have to clean up. His energy levels never cease to surprise me even for his age, he often acts like a kitten! He has the brightest eyes now and I just know its a sign of good health. We put this 100% down to his diet. Tiger will always let us know when its time to get up in the morning, as he will meow louder until he gets served his breakfast. At dinner we also add some of the Raw Essentials Power Mix and Bone Broth to his minces for the extra goodness.

Recently we also got a new furry puppy sibling for Tiger, and it was a no brainer that he would be on a raw diet too. When feeding the puppy, Tiger is right there trying to eat his food too. We can't recommend a raw diet more. Thank you Raw Essentials!

Frankie & Molly

Frankie is 2 and a half years old and, like other Brachycephalic breeds, has a very sensitive tummy. We have been on such a journey with her diet and it wasn't until we found Raw Essentials and worked closely with the staff that we were able to find what works best for her.

She is in the best condition she has ever been in with her skin, allergies and weight. With slow transitions and carefully selected proteins we have been able to get Frankie to a place where she has plenty of variety in her diet and we can even include bones, which we really wanted to incorporate into her diet for the dental benefits. The team at Raw Essentials have all of Frankie's information and notes on hand so they are across her journey and can assist no matter the situation.

Frankie loves all of their treats, especially the rabbits tails and lamb ears. She is a very happy and healthy dog thanks to the Raw Essentials team!

Morty & Emily

When we first got Morty, he was very sick with calicivirus, a cat flu that affected his eyes, nose and overall breathing. He wasn’t eating or drinking, so I had to syringe water and a type of meat paste into his mouth each day. As a kitten he was constantly on antibiotics from the vet due to respiratory infections and any type of food he ate upset his digestive system so much that he was constantly suffering from vomiting and diarrhea.

One day I came across Raw Essentials, and after speaking to the very knowledgeable staff and communicating with their supportive team vet, we got Morty onto a gut healing protocol. This consisted mostly of bone broth with gently cooked meats before gradually moving onto raw mince cubes over time.

Within a week or so of following the protocol, Morty was a different cat. He was toileting normally and overall seemed much happier. Now 2 years on, Morty is so much healthier, has no issues with his digestion and although his calicivirus will be a lifelong condition, he very rarely has a flare up. If he does, he recovers much more quickly.

Thank you Raw Essentials for making such a huge difference to Morty’s health and quality of life!

Prin & Madison

I transitioned Prin to a fully raw diet a few months ago as processed food (especially dry kibble) made him bloat like crazy after eating. Since transitioning, the bloating has stopped completely and I find that he has so much more energy now!

You can’t beat a natural raw food diet, the thought of feeding dry kibble which is filled with so many preservatives and nasty ingredients (some that I can’t even pronounce) has really put me off. I could never ever go back to it now.

I contemplated raw feeding a couple of years ago but it all seemed quite confusing and difficult to make sure it was properly balanced. But with the help from the Raw Essentials team it was actually so easy! They even helped me to tailor a meal plan suited specifically to Prin and his needs.

Bree & Sharyn

Bree is my treasured 14-year-old Border Collie, who has been with me since she was only one year old. For over a year she had digestive issues - including lots of ongoing diarrhoea. The vets were at a loss as to what was wrong. She had lots of tests and they all came back saying there was nothing wrong with her. She was put on a special diet food to help with her digestive issues but I really felt that it wasn’t the right solution for her long-term.

I started doing lots of research on raw diets and decided that it made much more sense for her health than a processed food diet. I also loved that I could try her on single proteins to check if she was allergic to them or if they were trigger proteins for her digestive issues. I switched Bree to a raw diet with the help of Raw Essentials, and she has been fantastic ever since! All her digestive issues have disappeared, and she has gleaming white teeth and no smelly breath. She is very healthy and happy - thank you Raw Essentials!

Blue & Marleze

It was only about a week after switching Blue to a raw diet that we started to see the benefits. His coat was so much softer and shinier! His energy levels were more balanced, there were no more sudden energy level spikes. He stopped randomly vomiting completely, and his poops no longer smelled awful.

He’s such a happy and healthy kitten now, and we could not have done it without the friendly, knowledgeable staff at Raw Essentials!

Everest & Chantel

We got our sweet Everest when she was just 7 weeks old. She had quite a sensitive stomach as a kitten...most of the food we tried her on didn't agree with her and would go straight through her. Finally, we decided to try her on a Raw Essentials diet. We wish we'd found it sooner! As soon as we started her on the raw diet, we noticed a huge difference. Her fur is so soft, her breath doesn’t smell and best of all, it doesn't upset her tummy. She loves the variety she gets through the diet and has so much energy in her now. We still continue to see the difference in her every day, we're so happy we switched her to raw. Thank you to the staff at Hobsonville for all their help and advice in getting us started!

Phoenix & Kylie

Phoenix came into my life as a rescue cat about three years ago, and he is now around 5 years old. When I adopted him, he was suffering from urinary tract issues. After multiple relapses and emergency trips to the vets, he was precribed a 100% biscuit diet. At this point I decided enough was enough, and researched his condition and how to keep him alive and healthy for myself. Then I found Raw Essentials. The concept is great for me as I am a vegan and I love keeping my beloved pet as naturally as I can - close to an animal’s nature. The team at Raw Essentials helped me find a diet that suited him, and we haven't looked back. He has now been on the raw diet for over a year and has still not relapsed, which makes me (and him) so happy!

Bandit & Katie

Our cat Bandit had been struggling with inflammatory bowel disease for a few years and was gradually losing weight and his spark. The vet recommended feeding him a special diet of hypoallergenic biscuits to try and help with the vomiting and gut issues. The vomiting stopped on the biscuits but the weight loss did not. He was barely eating and he seemed miserable.
We decided to look into other options and found our way to Raw Essentials for help.
On their advice, we started him off on the gut healing protocol with bone broth and poached meats. Our boy was in heaven getting real meat after those awful biscuits!
Fast forward a few years and the IBD is no longer a problem. He is such a happy boy, and he absolutely inhales his meat at every meal. His coat is lovely and shiny and he has gained some weight back.
We are so glad we gave Raw Essentials a go, thank you!

Indy & Martine

I turned to raw for my 8 month old German Shepherd X Husky, Indy. She turned her nose up at her dry biscuits so we went fully raw - and haven't looked back. The Raw Essentials team at the Wellington branch were super helpful and gave me all the information we needed to get us going.

They continue to email and check in on how Indy is going and if I have any questions or need any help with planning her diet. They are wonderful and Indy really enjoys the variety of food she now gets.

Her coat is amazing and she loves it!

Benji & Rajinder

Benji is our 5 year old mastiff with skin allergies and a sensitive stomach. Our vets put him on a diet of hypoallergenic kibble to help with these issues, but he was never a big fan of the food. He also put on a lot of weight - but cutting down the amount we were feeding just left him hungry. Eventually, he started hydrotherapy sessions to try to help with his weight loss. He lost some weight through these, but still not enough. There, they recommended for us to give a Raw Essentials diet a try.

We visited the team at the Drury store who were amazing and gave us a lot of advice to help with Benji's weight and health issues. Benji loved his new diet, and - best of all - he finally started to lose weight! He's now down 5.5 kilos and still going strong. He is more active, feeding him is a breeze, and his coat is so shiny.

I gave him a turkey wing for his birthday and he loved it - thank you Raw Essentials!

Mili & Aileen

Mili was an overweight little dog for a good few years before we decided to change her diet. I had tried every brand of weight loss dog food on the market and nothing seemed to work for her. When Raw Essentials opened in Christchurch, I popped in just for a nosey. I had always been skeptical of raw feeding (mostly because I didn't have a great understanding of it), but after talking to the lovely staff there I was convinced to give it a try.

I started off just giving my dogs some boneless options along with their biscuits to see if they liked it. They loved it! After seeing them enjoy the raw food so much, I decided to transition them onto a fully raw diet, and I will never look back. I now have the shiniest, happiest, most energetic dogs who get so excited for meal time! Their poops are much smaller, they scratch way less and their teeth are much cleaner than before. And, after 6 months on the raw diet, Mili had finally lost the weight she needed to (1.5kg), and is looking happy and healthy again. I cannot believe not only the difference in her appearance, but also in her behaviour. I have my old Mili back again.

I would recommend raw feeding to anyone who has been considering it. The staff at Raw Essentials are super helpful and will support and guide you through the whole process, thank you Raw Essentials!

Bruno, Kevin & Liz

About a year ago, we visited the Hobsonville store to look into changing our Miniature Schnauzer, Bruno, onto a raw diet. The team in the store were super helpful with suggestions and knowledge, and helped us to find the best mix for him to start on. Since the change, not only has his continual scratching stopped completely, but he's dropped from 12kg to 9.7kg (over 20%). It was easy to get some weight off him on the recommended diet and feeding plan, and he's maintained it really easily.

On his previous diet of biscuits, he was somewhat disinterested in food, but now he jumps around with excitement before every meal... and wolfs it down like there's no tomorrow! Thank you so much to the Hobsonville team for your expertise, advice and interest in Bruno, every time we visit. Talk about a win-win... we're a family that's hooked on Raw Essentials!

Lara & Natasha

Our 4 year old spoodle, Lara, has been on a fully raw diet from Raw Essentials since she was about 1 year old. We initially bought her from a pet store along with a bag of dog biscuits. After having an accident and ending up under vet care she then developed skin allergies. She had a rash and hot spots which drove her crazy and also got regular ear and eye infections.

That’s when we came to Raw Essentials where we got great advice and started her on a balanced novel protein diet, with plenty of bone broth included. It probably took around 18 months to see a big change, but she is now completely clear of skin ear and eye issues which is a big relief for both her and us. She also has a lovely shiny coat which people comment on.

Thanks to the friendly and passionate Raw Essentials staff who are always there to help and advise us along the way. Lara especially loves the Turkey drumsticks, they're her favourite!

Dobby & Lorraine

Our rescue boy, Dobby, is a parvo survivor, on top of having leaky gut syndrome, grass allergies, and associated yeast problems. His feet and lower legs were always pink and often raw where he had been licking and chewing, and his breath and coat were quite smelly. I decided to give raw a go out of desperation to get him healthier and happier.

As he had Parvo as a pup, his gut is extremely sensitive, so with the help of the Raw Essentials team we have taken the transition very slowly. He has been on a raw diet for around six weeks now and the transformation is starting to happen, we are seeing results!

A huge thank you to the team at the Howick store who have been amazingly patient in providing great advice and guidance, long chats, regular emails and phone calls!!

Tui & Erin

Our Raw journey began in March 2017. We'd had Tui for about 6 months and she had ongoing skin rashes that we were trying to resolve. She was miserable and we wanted to sort the cause. She had also gone off her dry food completely, it would sit in her bowl most of the day. She was 7 and had always been on dry food and occasional brisket bones, which gave her really bad wind. She could clear a room in seconds!
I contacted the team at Raw Essentials Glenfield for help as I had no idea what I was doing. They were so helpful in teaching us what to do. Despite still having bad wind, Tui was loving her new food!
More recently Tui became really unwell with a bad case of pancreatitis, and spent 3 days in hospital on IV antibiotics, which made her very unhappy.
On release she was prescribed dry food, and our problems began again. She was covered in a rash, itchy and miserable. We had to persevere for a month, after which I contacted the team at RE to help get us back on track again with a diet she loved. We were put in touch with their vet, Rebecca, who suggested Tui start on the gut healing protocol.
Since then, we have been giving Tui bone broth, boneless meat only and Bowel Biotics. It is going really well and Rebecca has also managed to cure Tui’s wind issue! The whole family is grateful for this. We are still on the healing journey and very thankful for Rebecca and the RE team's help. We have a much happier and healthier Tui as a result and hopefully no more hospital visits.

Beckett, Lanie & Lisa

We heard the benefits of raw feeding, and glowing recommendations of Raw Essentials, so we started feeding raw almost as soon as we adopted our cats.

We got Beckett, our older one, close to her first birthday. Since we switched her to a raw diet, her coat has gotten more glossy and super soft, like velvet.

Our second cat, Lanie was a skinny little kitten when we got her. We knew she was healthy but also worried about how bony she was. She was keen on food but would always leave behind a little of her kitten kibble. We started giving her some raw food too, and she took to it like a fish to water! She scoffed it down and never left any behind, and gained a good amount of weight quite fast and steadily - now she has just the right level of chubs. Her mild allergies are also very much at bay, which I believe the raw diet is helping with!

We can also definitely vouch for the better poops. Due to our house layout, we could smell Beckett's poops from the couch during her initial kibble days, and it was not the fragrance you want to watch TV with! But after she switched to raw, we couldn't smell her poop at all anymore. This was a huge bonus for us! They're well formed and never messy - both cats have not had any stool issues since starting raw!

Thank you Raw Essentials

Comet & Peter

Comet is a different dog in so many ways! We rescued Comet almost 2 years ago and he came with some trust issues - skittish, nervous generally, very touch sensitive, and a natural ‘runner’. When we adopted him, he didn’t have any medical problems, but he just wasn’t emotionally stable. I saw the RE sign during lockdown in 2020. Once I spoke to the staff, I realised that his nervous behaviour might be diet related to some extent. I was sceptical, but decided to give a fully raw diet a try.

We cannot believe the difference! Comet is now calmer, more settled, and doesn’t try to run away! We can safely walk him on a loose lead. He’s no longer trying to jump the fence and go scrounging for food. He is a totally different dog behaviourally & emotionally. His coat is gorgeous and his eyes are bright! He smiles and wags his tail all the time!

My friends and family who didn’t know we’d switched foods commented on how much of a difference there was in both his physical looks and his personality – transformation!!! We started noticing these significantly in the first week we switched to raw. Comet has gone from strength to strength, all thanks to the knowledge and help from the team at Raw Essentials in Mount Maunganui.

Shadow & Dayna

I started Shadow on Raw Essentials when she was just a wee 2 month old puppy because of a recommendation from a friend. Before we started on the raw diet, she was super itchy all the time and I couldn't figure out why.

She has just turned 1, and since changing her diet she hasn't been itchy since! We have also seen a great improvement in her overall health - she's so healthy and so shiny I get comments from everyone. She looks forward to coming into Raw Essentials every week to get new and exciting treats (and all the attention from the staff), it's the highlight of her week.

We're so happy we found Raw Essentials, thank you for all the recommendations and advice!

Tate & Katie

Tate has been loving Raw Essentials for a few years now. At a recent annual check up he has now gone from a mouth full of tartar and a recommendation of going under anaesthetic for a full clean to only a small amount of tartar on his back tooth which was able to be chipped off with no sedation.

Previously Tate's diet had always included 'dental support biscuits'. Goes to show how false that product claim is.

Thanks so much for all that you do. Especially your Grey Lynn staff who have helped us from the beginning.

Bandit & Rebecca

We adopted Bandit last year and were feeding him kibble. He was shedding a lot of hair and had hot spots. A friend recommended Raw Essentials so we went to the Wellington store and their recommendations were amazing. He LOVES mealtimes and especially loves possum and rabbit. His coat is shiny and soft - he hardly sheds now and there are no more painful hot spots on his skin.

Also, he is way less thirsty and his poos are less messy and smaller, indicating to us that much of what he was eating with dry kibble was not used by his body and was coming straight out again.

We get sooooo many comments about how healthy and beautiful he is. Thank you Raw Essentials, we love feeding natural food to our fur baby!

Turbo, Brydie & Levi

Turbo is our 11 month old American Staffy. We absolutely love raw feeding our boy as he's become a happy, healthier pup since changing his diet.

Turbo had big hot spots on the back of his neck and tail, which he constantly scratched, making them bleed until they became raw and infected. This meant multiple trips to the vet and while the treatment did relieve the itch they never went away completely and he still had red patches.

Since making the switch to a raw fed diet we have noticed a significant difference in him - and we no longer have the need for regular vet trips! He is looking leaner and his hot spots have healed incredibly well. His coat has a healthy shine and his skin condition has really stabilised. Raw feeding has also positively impacted his digestion and he finally has regular poos.

The staff have been really helpful at our local store. They are really informative and have given us great recommendations.

Chai & Megan

I got Chai as a small puppy. She was eating dry food which worked fine the majority of the time, however, some days she wouldn’t be fussed on it at all. Chai's fur was drying out and not growing as much as it should - and that’s when I got recommended raw food by another Spitz whose coat was amazing!

I had a talk with one of the amazing staff members in-store who also told me how they change the diet to match the pup. They also explained how they help nourish Chai with everything she needs while growing and for when I decide to breed her.

From that day forward I haven’t looked back. Chai pretty much begs at the fridge around breakfast and dinner time and she loves it. She is way more energetic and I find her mental energy has upped too - she is much more focused when I am training her which was a struggle before making the switch to raw.

Chai's coat looks incredible (it's almost glowing) and she has never had any issues at all on the diet!

Simba & Kat

Simba was 16 weeks old when we adopted him and his brother, Mouse. He had stitches, a stump where his tail used to be, but he was the sweetest little boy I'd ever seen. We fell in love with him immediately.

His weight fluctuated in his first year of life, he went from a normal weight, to skinny, to a bit porky, and back to skinny again. But the most concerning thing is that he scratched around his face and neck constantly, to the point where he had bald patches and scabs. Before going raw, I took him to our conventional vet who said it is most likely a food allergy causing his itchiness, and that an elimination diet or novel protein diet could help.

I found Raw Essentials through an online search and haven't looked back. We go to the Hamilton branch, and the resident vet Rebecca has been so wonderful, we really feel cared for - she always asks after Simba and how he is going and has given so much guidance. I'm pleased to report that Simba's coat is noticeably softer and has grown in beautifully from where he was scratching, he now absolutely goes nuts for his food and is a healthy weight. Currently he eats a raw meat diet including organs and bones, even bone broth and probiotics which is a better diet than for me, his mum!

We have a little way to go yet, but I'm confident we will get to perfect health with the raw diet and the amazing team that is Raw Essentials. Keep up the good work!

Willie & Adrianne

Willie has suffered Irritable Bowel Disease (IBD) all his life, which was well controlled with a specific dry food diet.

In November last year, Willie suddenly went off his food and began vomiting regularly and losing weight rapidly. I was at my wits end with what to feed him. I tried cooked chicken and different wet foods - which he would eat once then wouldn't touch it again. My Vet recommended trying a raw diet, so I visited Raw Essentials in Hamilton and they put him on a gut healing protocol. From then on he's been amazing - loving his food and never missing a meal.

I'm a vet nurse and had been skeptical of raw feeding but my mind has changed completely. I now make bone broth for our sick inpatients and we stock veal meat onsite for our sick raw fed dogs.

I'm so grateful for Raw Essentials - their help and care has been a life saver

Floki & Gemma

Floki always had allergies - mainly seasonal and from grasses. He did okay on a good quality kibble but would get an unsettled tummy for no real reason, and would have us up in the night to eat grass. The one time we did try a different kibble and introduced it slowly (like we were told to do) his stomach was very upset.

For this reason, I always just thought he had a very sensitive stomach and put off the people who told us to switch to raw for his allergies and tummy. I honestly thought his stomach would be all over the place with such a big change.

However, around 3 months ago, Floki had a terrible bacterial skin infection and I felt I had no choice but to make the change. So we finally made the leap and switched to raw - it happened to fall on a long weekend so we had 4 days at home with him in case his stomach didn’t settle.

We went to Raw Essentials and the staff were amazingly helpful and gave us all the info we needed. We switched him according to the recommendations and he had zero stomach issues. I was honestly thrilled.

His coat is looking lovely and his fur grew back within a month. He loves the food and is super excited to eat. His poop is smaller, and his stomach seems so much more settled than it ever was on kibble. Super happy we made the change to raw!

Digby, Griff & Merran

When our first dog (Digby the Lab) was a puppy I put him on to what I believed was a high-quality kibble as raw feeding options were somewhat limited in our area. He was always a large puppy and is a particularly big lab however by the time he was a year old he was approximately 10kg overweight.

In switching him to a raw diet, at a recommended weight-loss quantity, the weight came off him quite easily and he is now at an appropriate weight which our vets are satisfied with.

Our 2nd puppy Griff (Staffy X) was rescued at approximately 10 weeks old and was underweight at that time. We put him straight on to the same raw diet as Digby and he was very quickly a much healthier and happier puppy. He had some stomach upsets early on but with a good diet this has settled to just occasional bouts.

Weight, gut, dental and general health are all benefits we’ve noticed with raw feeding and we’d certainly recommend raw feeding for all these reasons. They love all the food and their shiny coats and eyes are a great testimony to the health benefits of their diet.

Jasper & Paula

Jasper was a 4-year-old rescue cat that we adopted in 2008. He felt at home straight away and fitted in happily with our other two kittens, also recently adopted from the same place. Jasper was fine on a diet of biscuits and tinned for awhile but, in 2010, he developed asthma and was a regular visitor to the vets, including frantic 1am visits.

We persevered with various medications for awhile but we wanted a different approach. So, I researched raw feeding and made the change. He swapped over without fuss and loved it all! I stopped his medication and it wasn't long before he stopped having attacks. Jasper stayed on the raw diet for five years without a single asthma attack and was medication free before he passed in 2017.

I know he appreciated feeling better without regular asthma attacks... you could just tell. I am very grateful that Raw Essentials were available, so I could make that choice for him.

Gretch & Amelia

We adopted Gretch in mid-2018 and she weighed over 9kg - pretty hefty for a wee sausage dog! After trying multiple food brands and making no dent in her weight loss we decided to give raw feeding a go... fast forward to now and Gretch is down 2kg and counting! Her renewed energy levels and thirst for life has made her a completely different dog to the one we adopted back in June.

We can't thank your team in Wellington enough for their advice and help along her journey.

Khan & Cassandra

This is my old boy Khan. He’s coming up 15 years old. I adopted him when he was much younger. He would gulp his kibble down and then spew everywhere. He was also constantly thirsty and drinking water - which seemed like forever!

Since changing him to a raw diet many years ago he hasn’t spewed once and rather gulping it down he has to chew and work through the meat and bone. His teeth and fur look amazing for his age!

Radar & Ellis

Radar had been on biscuits most of his life and after about 5 years, his body started to reject them. He was overweight but would vomit after most of his meals and wouldn't keep food down. I tried a prescription diet for a few months but, still, he kept vomiting.

I started him on a raw diet 3 years ago when I got my dog, who was not interested in biscuits either. Radar is now 9 years old and has lost weight and almost never vomits. Thank you Raw Essentials

Diezel & Jen

We found Raw Essentials in Wellington over 8 months ago. We have 3 dogs, Stella, Diezel and Lucy. Since they've been on your raw food they've all thrived, maintained a good weight and are so happy. Most so, Diesel. He was a massive 40kgs, and for a Border Collie Huntaway cross that is very overweight! He's lost over 15kg just from being on raw food.

All our dogs are so happy and healthy now. Thank you, Raw Essentials, Lynnie and the staff members in the Wellington store are amazing!

Harley & Megan

Harley is our crazy tortoiseshell cat who didn't have the easiest start to life. This little girl had been waiting all alone at the pet store for three months - so we abandoned our plans for an SPCA adoption and took her home to join the family! 10 months in she developed cystitis. Our vet recommended more meat to help with water intake, so we stopped feeding biscuits and fed her meat only - including supermarket cat meat.

Harley rallied, but fast-forward a year and she was diagnosed with feline leprosy. She had 13 lumps surgically removed and looked like 'franked-kitty'. Her changes of survival didn't look so good either. Months of treatment later, she was still with us but had allergies. Itchy scars made her scratch continuously and her fur fell out.

Our friends who'd recently started their dogs on Raw Essentials recommended switching Harley - as they thought her allergies could be related to fillers like wheat that can be found in supermarket cat meats. After very little convincing with the Power Mix, Harley quickly adapted to her new diet. Her skin was no longer irritated and she stopped scratching - finally giving her scars time to heal. Her fur grew back so soft and shiny! She now loves feeding time and you can see she's a happier, healthier cat. I'm so glad we made the switch.

Chewy & Fiona

We got Chewy when he was 11 years old, through the Humane Society in 2017. Soon after getting him, he started to itch. The vets put him on veterinarian approved dry biscuits and we religiously fed him only these on their recommendation. After 6 months on this diet, he was still itching. We went back to the vets several times during the following 2.5 years, where he was prescribed Apoquel and various antibiotics to try to help the itching. While the pills sometimes helped short-term, he was still constantly itching. He was also very unsettled, and had short temper. In early 2020, we thought there must be something else we could try for him, so we looked into changing his diet. A friend suggested Raw Essentials so I contacted the helpline at Raw Essentials, and what a godsend this was! After a number of emails with Lizzy, who was very passionate about raw feeding and provided ‘easy to understand’ expert knowledge, we decided to give raw a go. Lizzy was genuinely interested in Chewy and keen to help him. She explained that Chewy probably had a leaky gut, and made a plan for Chewy including lots of Bone Broth and novel proteins. After a month of his new raw diet, we started to notice a difference. We now have a totally different dog! There has been no more itching and he is so settled, calm and happy. His eyes are bright and he is generally a much healthier boy. He loves his food and the variety that he is getting. I am always excited to feed him the broth as I feel this is an absolute healer and I can imagine it ‘repairing and lining the holes in the gut’ (as Lizzy explained) which had been damaged by the processed food. My grateful thanks to Lizzy and the rest of the Helpline team for their care, support, and expert knowledge!

Charlie's Story

Charlie came into our lives about a year ago as a kitten, scared and stressed after a long plane journey. We were told to continue with his dry kitten food, so we did. Charlie loves his food - but after a while we started noticing his poos had become runny. We took him to the vet and they did the usual tests, all of which were normal. They changed his food to a more digestible brand which made very little difference. His poos continued to be runny, smelt foul and were bright yellow. He ended up with bloody stools and was put on anti inflammatory medication which helped, but the thought of him staying on this medication seemed crazy.

Our dog trainer suggested for us to try a raw diet, so we went and saw the helpful team at the Hamilton store. Charlie was banned from biscuits from that day on. With the help of the staff, we started him on boneless meat and bone broth (he was eating better than some humans, I'm sure!) to introduce the diet gradually. We added some probiotics and then slowly introduced some raw minces. He loves meal times now and our once quiet cat now meows for his food. And we finally had solid poos again! It was a joyous moment.

Recently while in vet care he was given dry food and medication, which resulted in runny stools and vomiting immediately. Once home I put him straight back on his poached meat and bone broth and overnight he was back to normal.

I can't speak highly enough of the raw diet for our boy. All my other animals are now also enjoying Raw Essentials. The team at the Hamilton store have been so caring and supportive with us, checking in on how Charlie was going regularly and offering advice. Great product, amazing result and exceptional customer service!

Muay & Renee

Muay really struggled with her food when we first got her. We kept her on the same diet as her breeder as we heard it was good quality. However, she would only occasionally graze at it. She became very skinny and it was tough to get her to eat. I spoke to someone else who had a similar experience with their puppy and they recommended we try Raw Essentials. When they switched their dog to raw food, it made such a huge difference and their dog loved food for the first time.

It’s only been a week since we switched, but the change is incredible. She is SO excited about food and never leaves anything in her bowl. Her nose is moist and her skin already looks incredible. We are looking forward to continuing her raw journey, especially after seeing what a difference just a week makes. The support we received from our local store has been amazing. They gave us great recommendations, come up with a feeding plan, and have checked in with us. I’m so glad we found Raw Essentials!

Louie & Deena

Our Boxer puppy was struggling to gain weight, not interested in his dry food and in and out of the vets' for various allergy flare ups and gastro upsets - which we suspected were IBD or colitis. After researching we decided to give Raw Essentials a try before going ahead with a colonoscopy and invasive therapies. We had constant reassurance and help from the minute we stepped into the Glenfield store.

As Louie took a bit of time adjusting and had a few residual gut flare-ups during his transition, we were put in contact with Rebecca, Raw Essentials' vet, who is an absolute gem! She called almost daily to check on him and gave the best advice if he had any flare-ups and at each new stage of his transition. It just really felt like she genuinely cared for our boy.

He was 16kg, skin and bones when restarted, had dull fur, gunky eyes, and was either completely backed up or popped 5 times per day. Less than 3 months later, he's 23kg, has the softest coat, looks strong, bright eyed and is THRILLED at mealtimes! We could not be happier and are so grateful to Rebecca and the team. Our boy is a totally new dog!

Astro & Bhavika

Astro, our 5-year-old German Shepherd, has been on a Raw Essentials diet for over 3 years now.

When we first got him, he was suffering from many health issues, such as skin allergies, eye allergies, ear allergies, and a super sensitive tummy. We were taking him to the vet every second week or so for rashes, red eyes, and ear infections. The vet had also given us a steroid based cream for his rash, which we were applying regularly. Then we found Raw Essentials and everything changed! His skin cleared up, his eyes were brighter with no more infections and he stopped getting diarrhoea. His immune system greatly improved, and we were able to stop using the steroid cream and other medications that he had been on, and were only going to the vets for his yearly check in. His hair even grew in on his stomach...we didn't even know he had hair there!

Starting him on a raw diet really saved him, so thank you to the team at Raw Essentials Ellerslie!