Animal Essentials is about Plants, Pets & Passion. Founded by world-renowned herbalist and author Greg Tilford, one of the most respected names in the field of natural pet care.
Our Value
Most pet lovers know that companion animals bring joy and many lessons of unconditional love into our homes. But that is only part of a much larger gift they present to us. Companion animals stand between two worlds, that of animal and that of human, and from their position, they offer us a precious opportunity to see beyond the ways of humankind and into the circle of life that sustains us all.
Our mission isn’t just to provide the finest supplements for animals, but also to create an interlinked community of well-informed animal lovers that are connected by common bonds of compassion and deep respect for animals, their natural needs, and the sustainability of the products they use.
Our commitment is to support and strengthen these bonds by providing people with the information and education they need, through on-site educational events and webinars, social media and links to holistic veterinary resources within their communities.
Our Commitment to Earth, Animals and the People who Live here
At Animal Essentials, we believe that all life on Earth is interconnected by a system of wellness that has been here since the beginning of the planet itself. From this perspective, holistic health cannot be achieved through diet, exercise or natural supplements alone. It requires real inclusiveness in the system, beginning with recognition and respect of the circle of life; the system of wellness that we are all a part of. The medicinal plants that we use in the formulation of our products stand as fundamental components of “Earth’s health care system”, and our goal is to bring them into the lives of animals in a sustainable manner that also supports the wellness of the ecosystems and communities in which they live. Therefore, our bigger goal is not just with healing animals, but also with healing the natural environment that sustains all life on Earth. To learn more about how we are working to accomplish this, please check out our affiliations and supply chain partners:
Certified Organic
With few exceptions, we use Certified Organic herbs that are sourced from within the USA in almost all of our herbal products. In cases where "USA certified organic" is not an option, such as with myrrh gum (Commiphora myrrha), a component of our Healthy Gums formula which is wild-harvested in Northeastern Africa, we purchase only from sustainable and socially responsible sources that are transparent of their practices. Whether the certifying body is USDA, OCIA, Oregon Tilth or another well known entity, the designation of "certified organic" means that the herb or other material has been produced by standards which prohibit pesticides, herbicides, genetically modified organisms (GMOs) or synthetic chemical fertilizers.
Certified Plastic Neutral
Animal Essentials is removing as much plastic from the environment as we put in, while at the same time supporting dozens of families and the communities they live in.
Roundtable for Sustainable Palm oil
We use vegetable glycerin, a derivative of palm or coconut oil, in all of our tincture products. Sustaining and protecting the rainforests in areas where it is cultivated is very important to us. Read more here.
Friend of the Sea
Our fish oil, kelp and Seaweed Calcium are all sustainably harvested from the cold, clean waters of Iceland, the most sustainably managed fishery in the world. We support the mission of Friend of the Sea, as do our suppliers.
Pet Sustainability Coalition
We are proud to be an accredited member of the Pet Sustainability Coalition, a pet industry stakeholder organization whos mission is to advance business through profitable environmental and social practices.
The Animal Essentials Human Rights Policy
At Animal Essentials our goal is not only to produce quality products from the best ingredients available, but also to support the people and ecosystems from which each ingredient is sourced. We believe in a concept of holistic wellness and healing that encompasses all elements of nature and the condition of all creatures, large and small. From this perspective we realize that each recipient of our products will be influenced by the health of the environment, and the health of the communities and the cultures from which each ingredient is derived.
While environmental sustainability and the ethical practices of bringing our ingredients from field to market are at the forefront of how each supplier and raw material we employ is selected, we also require that our supply chain assures that the economic, social, political, cultural and civic rights of the people whodepositphotos-423520936-xl-2015.jpg produce each ingredient are free from want and fear. We believe that all human beings, indigenous or foreign, are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood, as should we--- because the goodness of such act will benefit every downstream user of Animal Essentials products. To this end, we fully recognize the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
To learn more about the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights: https://www.un.org/en/udhrbook/pdf/udhr_booklet_en_web.pdf
To Learn More about Un Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights: https://www.ohchr.org/documents/publications/guidingprinciplesbusinesshr_en.pdf
Sustainability
At Animal Essentials, the process of sourcing quality natural ingredients is preceded by our commitment to use those which are sustainable and upholding of our socially responsible business practices that respect the Earth and the environment. The fish oils we use in our Ocean Omega products are sourced from Friend of the Sea certified fisheries in the North Atlantic, using a diversity of sustainable fish species that are harvested by the strictest standards in the world. Our herbs are selected from certified organic growers, or are ethically wild-harvested in a manner that honors environmental sustainability and helps improve the quality of life in the communities of their origin.
No Artificial Preservatives, Fillers, Flavorings or Color Added… In any of our products!