MANILA, Philippines – If one could spend P75,000 for a Louis Vuitton handbag, surely one would also not think twice about paying good money for the food of the dog or cat he or she professes to love.

That was Romy Sia’s thinking when he decided to open Bow & Wow several months ago, a vast high-end natural pet food and supplies store. His growing number of patrons seems to prove him right.

Sia, the man behind the natural foods and product chain Healthy Options, began developing the idea for Bow & Wow two years ago, following the pet food recall in the United States that killed many pets.

He also blamed mass-produced, supermarket-bought pet foods for the demise of one of their cats. (Sia’s wife, who’s English, introduced him to feline love; they have three rescues at the moment.) Before that incident, people were simply buying the cheapest pet foods.

With his new venture, he seeks to target the same affluent market as Healthy Options’. “Since Healthy Options is upscale, our customers are predisposed,” he says. “They understand what’s good nutrition. They think: ‘What about my pet?’”

Sia likes to think that, in the 350-square meter store, he’s built a “heaven for pet lovers,” with an immense selection of all-American pet food brands for dogs and cats, either grain-free and human grade or organic.

“Human grade” means the ingredients used are fit even for humans, and no by-products, fillers or extenders are added. Fillers, typically, are grains like corn, cereal by-products, bird feathers, etc., that bulk up the food but have little or no nutritional value; some pets are unable to digest these and it can make them sick.

Food categories

The food categories are broken down according to pets’ age or health requirements. There’s AvoDerm, for instance, a premium health food that uses avocados and is prescribed for pets with sensitive skin. It also has the entire range of Merrick, a family-owned gourmet food products line, and the grain-free Taste of the Wild and Nature’s Variety.
Pet owners who buy supplies abroad will also be familiar with some of the other brands, some previously unavailable here: Natural Balance, Canidae, Felidae, Pinnacle, Wet Nose, Pet Promise, and the organic Pet Guard, among others.

“Owners of these pet food companies are not big corporations, but pet owners who love animals and want what’s best for them,” he says.

It also has a full range of food supplements and other pet supplies: toys, clothes, leashes and accessories, nappies, beds, doghouses, cat furniture and even strollers. In fact, it has recently sold the most expensive item in the store, a P14,000 dog stroller.

But what Sia is especially proud of is his five-member staff, made up of licensed veterinarians or Veterinary Medicine graduates. “My only requirement was that they had to be pet owners, but I lucked out,” he says. “They all love animals and they can relate to customers. They’re not just trying to push products...Anyone can build a pet store but others aren’t prepared to pay a high salary for Vet grads.”

Educating the market

As in Healthy Options, he is also investing extra in educating his market by also producing an in-house magazine, The Bow & Wow Times, which includes tips and articles on the benefits of a holistic pet diet, animal adoption, understanding pets, the effects of chaining dogs, and other issues.

“I always say, an educated customer is a good customer,” he says. “It’s extra cost to us, but it brings long-term benefits. If they’re not knowledgeable, they’ll just look at the price and say, ‘Ay, mahal!’”

Of course, it’s a small and niche market, he concedes, but it’s a market that understands why it’s expensive. “It may be expensive now but you’re investing in the health of your pet in the long term. How much will you spend at the vet when it gets sick?”

Bow & Wow is in a hidden corner in the Shangri-La mall’s fifth level, right by the parking lot, but works well with owners who want to bring their pets as they can go directly in the store (Shangri-La mall doesn’t allow animals). Owners can have their pet’s photo taken in the store to personalize their membership and discount card.

He adds: “We always tell people—even the rich ones—not to give pets as gifts just because they’re cute; they’re not toys. How can a child look after it? Then the yaya (nanny) ends up taking care of the dog. And the yaya doesn’t know how. A dog is a big responsibility. You must own one because you want one. In fact, we encourage you to adopt instead of buying. There are so many abandoned animals in rescue shelters.”

In partnership with the Philippine Animal Welfare Society and CARA Welfare Philippines, Bow & Wow customers interested in adopting a cat can browse through a log in the store.

“Animal welfare here isn’t high on the list because we’re a poor country. And there are even cultures that still eat dogs...We educate and encourage people to be vocal if they know someone who is hurting animals. They should get involved.”

Bow & Wow is located at the Shangri-La Mall in Mandaluyong (5/L; 638-3372). Another branch will soon open in Greenbelt 5 in Makati City.