About Animal Essentials
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
The Animal Essentials Human Rights Policy
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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 who deposit 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
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!
About Founder Greg Tilford
Herbalist/Product Formulator: Greg Tilford is CEO and formulator of Animal Essentials Inc., and serves as industry consultant and custom formulator for hundreds of veterinarians worldwide. Animal Essentials and Greg Tilford are renowned for their integrity, quality, sustainable sourcing and green business practices.
An Authoritative Author: Greg is the author of five books, including the acclaimed Herbs for Pets, the Natural Way to Enhance your Pet’s Life (i-5 Publications, second ed.2009). Other books include Edible & Medicinal Plants of the West, From Earth to Herbalist, and The EcoHerbalist’s Fieldbook. He’s also published numerous articles on herbs in consumer and trade magazines.
Since graduating from the Vancouver Academy of Homeopathy in 1997, Lee has studied with some of the most renowned international homeopaths including her mentor Dr. Susan Armstrong, Mark Elliott and John Saxon in England, George Vithoulkas in Greece, and Rajan Sankaran in India.
Holistic Veterinary Educator: Greg presents educational lectures, seminars and training to veterinarians, vet techs and office staffs. He has taught courses at several veterinary medicine institutions, including Colorado State University Teaching Hospital; the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University; University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine; and the nationally accredited Healing Oasis Wellness Center in Sturtevant, Wisconsin. He presented to the annual conference of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association and many other veterinary conferences.
Worldwide Lecturer: Greg has developed a global reputation as an expert on herbs and holistic care of pets. He was keynote speaker at PetFood Forum in Bangkok, Thailand. He serves as honorary advisor to the Japan Animal Wellness Association for international pet care professionals. He has presented seminars to industry retailers including Global Pet Expo 2015, and to consumers at pet expos.
Industry Expert: Greg is a charter member of the Scientific Advisory Committee of the National Animal Supplements Council (NASC). He founded the Animal Products Committee of the American Herbal Products Association designed to promote and protect responsible commerce of herbal products intended for use in animals. He has also served on Health Canada’s Expert Advisory Committee for Veterinary Natural Health Products.
Animal Essentials General FAQ
Have a question? Think of us as your go-to resource on everything that will help you keep your pet as healthy as possible. With over 25 years in the pet health industry, we have developed an intensive collection of information! We want to empower you with the knowledge you need to succeed as a pet parent.
Below features some of the most commonly asked questions we have received over the years. If there is a question you have that isn’t addressed here, please reach out to us via the contact page and we’ll do our best to provide you with the most accurate and up-to-date information we can.
Will Tranquility Blend sedate my pet or affect his coordination?
Can I overdose my pet with Tranquility Blend?
In 20 years of marketing this product we have responded to only a few minor adverse events that are generally limited to nausea (from excessive use). That said, it is important to remember that too much of ANYTHING can lead to toxicity. Use common sense.
Are there any contraindications with concurrent use of pharmaceutical drugs?
What is the best way to administer Tranquility Blend?
How much oleuropein is in Animal Essentials Olive Leaf tincture?
We do not standardize to oleuropein. Instead our goal is to produce an extract that represents the entire chemistry of the leaf, including oleuropein, the content of which is variable by nature. Generally speaking, we can expect anywhere in the range of 15-25mg of naturally occurring oleuropein per 1 ml of our tincture. Its important to know that although oleuropein has been proven as a powerful component of olive leaf, it does not singularly guarantee the efficacy of a product. The antmicrobial/antiviral activities of oleuropein were discovered many years ago, and several studies since have shown that although it is an important component, it is not the only naturally-occurring component to consider. Oleuropein acts in relation to several other compounds which must also be present in order for olive leaf to work its magic. So again, the key to producing a good olive leaf extract is to assure that the entire chemistry is represented in the formula. Standardizing to assure a guaranteed, higher-than-natural amount of oleuropein is unnecessary and in my mind, expensive and misleading to the consumer.
An herbalists rule: The whole plant is greater than the sum of its parts.
Do any ingredients in Animal Essentials products originate from China?
Yes. Unbeknownst to many, about 95% of ALL vitamins used in USA manufactured animal OR human supplements come from China, ours are no exception. Be weary of any other brands that claim their vitamins originate in the USA. While its true that quality can be an issue with foreign sourced ingredients, you can rest assured that the vitamins and chelated minerals we use in our products are of the HIGHEST HUMAN-SUITABLE quality available anywhere. Each ingredient we use is tested for its identity, quality and freshness before it can pass our quarantine. Proof of quality is determined by analytics; not just by where an ingredient comes from. Believe me, there are plenty of garbage ingredients manufactured in the USA, none of which will ever go into our products.