Greg Scotchburn walks Strider, his Welsh Springer Spaniel, in Toronto, on Feb. 12. Mr. Scotchburn said he hasn’t struggled to find Canadian pet food options, but spends roughly $20 to $30 more a month for a domestic option.EDUARDO LIMA/The Globe and Mail
Cathy Farr never thought twice about the bag of kibble she bought each month for her cat, Annie. The brand became a staple in their home after being recommended by her veterinarian in Guelph, Ont., to help keep the 15-year-old feline’s teeth healthy.
But when U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to impose sweeping tariffs on Canadian imports, Ms. Farr, like many Canadians, wanted to show support for her country.
She began scrutinizing labels on everything from windshield wiper fluid to kitty litter, quickly learning that her go-to brands, including Annie’s food, were American. But she was shocked when she looked for domestic pet products on store shelves.
“I couldn’t find any Canadian ones,” she said. “Goodness, if we have to import kitty litter into this country, then maybe Mr. Trump has a point!”
The United States is a dominant player in Canada’s pet food market. Trade Data Monitor found that in 2024, the U.S. was Canada’s top pet food supplier with US$1.2-billion in imports – almost 1,400 per cent more than the second-largest supplier, Thailand.
Close to 50 per cent of pet food sold in Canada comes from the United States, according to the Pet Food Association of Canada. Most of the rest is produced domestically, though some ingredients may be imported.
For Canadians looking to buy domestic, pet food will be a tougher category to shop. American brands such as Pedigree are not only the most easily available and recognized options by veterinarians and pet owners – they’re often the most affordable.
Experts say if Canada-U.S. trade tensions escalate, American pet food in Canada will get more expensive. Canadian brands, which are often harder to find, may get costlier owing to entangled supply chains, creating both affordability and potential health risks for pet owners who quickly swap products without doing their research.
Ms. Farr said when she finally found Canadian pet food options, they were generally more expensive. It was also harder to make a case for economic nationalism with her cat. When she first tried switching Annie’s kibble, the cat wouldn’t eat it.
“She took one look at it, looked up at me and said, ‘No! I’m not doing that,’” she said.
Tariffs would drive up prices and put further strain on pet owners, “especially those already struggling to afford high-quality nutrition for their pets,” said Michael Lloy, a senior research analyst at Mintel, a market research firm.
For consumers relying on budget-friendly international and American brands such as Pedigree, Purina and Friskies, tariffs could significantly limit affordable choices in the market, he said.
Vets may see more cases of nutritional deficiencies or health issues linked to lower-quality diets as pet owners resort to cheaper alternatives, Mr. Lloy said. The added costs could also limit the availability of specialized or therapeutic pet foods that are often imported.
According to Mintel, 44 per cent of Canadian pet owners choose budget-friendly pet food because of affordability pressures. That number is about 50 per cent for those earning below $70,000 a year.
Greg Scotchburn in Toronto said while he hasn’t struggled to find Canadian pet food options for Strider, his Welsh Springer Spaniel, he spends roughly $20 to $30 more a month for a domestic option.
For him, the trade-off is worth it. “In addition to supporting Canadian jobs, I do believe if you do an apples-to-apples comparison of the ingredients, Canadian-made food is competitive.”
There isn’t a shortage of homegrown brands for pet food in Canada. Companies such as ACANA, Orijen and FirstMate, for example, make products in Canada emphasizing high-quality, locally sourced ingredients often without artificial additives.
But Canadian brands often skew toward premium products and so are more expensive, Mr. Lloy said. Additionally, pet food in Canada is unregulated, whereas in the U.S., the Association of American Feed Control Officials has set standards for pet food for years. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration also requires that dog food meet or exceed AAFCO’s minimum requirements to claim it’s “complete and balanced.”
Canadian pet food brands can choose to conform their product to AAFCO guidelines, but it’s not required, said Toronto-based vet Doug Doyle-Baker.
Dr. Doyle-Baker said he’s been getting more questions from pet parents looking for Canadian options. “The biggest concern will be for pets on specialty or prescription diets.”
For prescription diet food, often recommended for common conditions such as allergies, urinary issues and kidney disease, two major American brands – Purina and Hill’s Science Diet – as well as Royal Canin, a French option with production in Canada, are often recommended by vets here.
Dr. Doyle-Baker recommends transitioning pets to new food slowly, mixing new and old brands in increasing proportions.
It’s also worth putting patriotism aside momentarily to look for domestic products that meet AAFCO standards. “It’s become the standard for the minimum nutritional requirements for pet food – I would be wary of any food that doesn’t have [it].”