GREENBRIER COUNTY -
Our animals are more than just pets.
"He's my best friend in the whole world. He's the most important thing," said Donna Lavelle of Lewisburg.
"If you are here by yourself you never get lonely if she's here because she just makes you happy," said sixth grader Hallie Nemcik.
"We love our dogs," said Donna Norman of Ronceverte.
"She's loveable and really playful," said fourth grader Coriann Nemcik.
But when money gets tight, should we consider using a low-cost, generic dog food to feed man's best friends?
"Would you buy cheaper brand for your children? That's the way I think about it, no," said Lavelle.
"We do not feel that cutting cost in the dog food department would be beneficial to the dogs. We just buy a high quality dog food, which trickles down as cutting cost in our dog food department because we don't have to feed them two huge buckets of dog food," said Layla Georgopoulos with the Greenbrier Humane Society.
"You need to do whatever you can to save money, whether it's your pets food, or your grocery bill or anything. I think you also have to know what's best for your animals too," said Dee Ford of Ronceverte .
Lewisburg Veterinarian Mary Ann Mann said higher quality dog foods have less corn fillers and will keep your dog full, which means you can cut your dog food bill in half.
"You want to stick with the name brand foods, Purina, Iams, because those companies have invested in research to have the correct ingredients in their product," said Mann.
Although buying generic brands seems less expensive at the store, Dr. Mann said you can buy a higher quality dog food and still get the most bang for your buck.
"The number one way to save is you don't have to feed your pet as much as you think you need to feed your pet," said Mann.
By controlling your pet's food intake by using a higher quality food product and serving them smaller portion sizes, you're not only going to save money on your pet food at the grocery store, you are also going to keep your pet from becoming obese, which ultimately saves you money on future medical bills.
Dr. Mann said dog food companies are trying to sell their product, and usually the label advices to feed the animal more food than they need.
She said veterinarians can check your pet to give you the accurate food serving size.
"If you're looking to save more money, just leave the treats on the shelf," said Mann.
She said if you are looking to treat your pet, consider feeding them apple slices or carrot sticks.
They are both cheaper and more nutritious for your dog.
Still looking to save money?
"Bathe them yourself. I hate to take money out of the groomer's pockets, but when money is short, you can do some of these things yourself," said Lavelle.
"I think you have to make sure that it's within your budget, the animals that you have, that you are able to take care of them," said Norman.
Your pet will love the higher quality food, and you will love saving money.
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