Local raw pet food services

[LTS3]

Kind of related to my other thread http://www.thecatsite.com/t/292335/blue-ridge-raw-meat

Does anyone use a local raw pet food distribution service / raw pet food club / co-op? There are two local services for the Blue Ridge raw meats in my area. One looks like a membership type service with an annual fee. There are set monthly delivery pick up points so I guess you just go there to pick up your order.

 

[LTS3]

Any thoughts on using such a service vs buying from HT or pet store or supermarket/butcher shop?

I compared prices from one service with HT. Ground duck with feet and organs is $5.10 for a 2 lb chub vs $8.98 at HT for a similar product.  Most of the single ground meats are with bone except beef, pork, and lamb. It looks like items are made to order, not a specific premade brand of chub like Bravo or Primal. And there's no shipping cost since there are monthly local pick up locations.

I found this list of other raw pet food co-ops and groups: http://www.dogaware.com/diet/rawgroups.html Most are probably geared toward dogs (RMB, specific dog performance formulas, etc).

 

[sophie1]

I tried a raw feeding coop in my area, but it's focused on dogs and most of what they carry isn't appropriate for cats.  But they did have whole ground chicken and rabbit, so I put in an order.  The rabbit failed to materialize, so between the pickup charge & cost of going to the pickup site I ended up paying more for the chicken than if I'd ordered from HT, and with substantially more hassle.  And I had a lot of trouble getting reimbursed for the cost of the not-delivered rabbit.

Safe to say I'm not ordering from that coop again.

 

[LTS3]

I emailed one service about their products and this is their response:

Yes appropriate for cats as well. The bones are fine enough…just need to let me know in the comments section fine grind.

No other ingredients. If it’s chicken legs with liver and hearts….that’s whats in it.

livers and hearts for poultry

livers kidneys for beef, pork etc

Meats are from mountaire farms, mapleleaf farms, Turkey valley, etc. Restaurant human grade and quality…and in date. Nothing is ever expired or close to expiration either. We buy our products fresh to make them to order.

Our beef is from NY and VT dairy cattle. We have agreements with 41 farms to pick up their retired dairy cattle…whether they have 1 or 10, we pick them up. This summer when the market prices soared, I didn’t have beef because our farmers found it more profitable to take it to market…and I couldn’t blame them. The prices were insane. So we had beef but it was mixed with beef heart as well. If you have any further questions, please feel free to call me at [phone number].

Our tripe is from local farmers who bring their cows to auction for their own consumption or for farmers markets…so the animals they come from are top quality.

I might give this service a try later. I just restocked the freezer with Bravo, HT, and Blue Rdige chubs

 

[maureen brad]

I joined a co-op through Yahoo groups. I have never ordered from them. What they do is sell big cases of different proteins. I have read that many people communicate before ordering and then they meet up and split their orders.

 I eventually will give it a go but, I have to remember to order by the 7th of the month and pick up is about an hours drive from my home. I am pretty busy these days and just don't have time.

 I am glad you posted this because I had totally forgotten that I joined the co-op and need to go back in to it and see what they have available as it varies.

If I ever get a grinder I will most certainly buy from them provided I can find people to split orders with.

 

[LTS3]

The one I'm intereted in sells by the chub (2 or 5 lb) or in 40 lb cases. Splitting up an order among several people is cost-effective but I don't know of anyone who feeds their cats or dogs raw food

My co-workers who have pets feed commerical dry and canned food. I did get one to stop feeding HIlls dry and feed Stella and Chewy's instead (and it solved her cat's daily vomiting

) but she's not interested in frozen raw.

 

[joleca]

LTS3, where do you live, I'd b interested if you're in or close to me.. I'm in Denver.

 

[LTS3]

LTS3, where do you live, I'd b interested if you're in or close to me.. I'm in Denver.

Too far from Denver - I'm in the New England area.

 

[maureen brad]

LTS3- if you join a BARF group through yahoo groups you would more than likely be able to find people who would spilt their orders with you at time of pick-up.

I read the communication in my group and people do that. They can do it as there is only one weekend a month for pick ups.Apparently what is available is a changing thing in my group.

 Yesterday I saw cases of Cornish hens, chickens, etc available as well as quail, venison and some ground food. For now I need the easiness of having HT delivered to me but that may change. It is just that I work 10 hours a day 6 days a week and do not want a commute to get food.Still, it seems like a good thing especially with my spare freezer

 

[LTS3]

 
LTS3- if you join a BARF group through yahoo groups you would more than likely be able to find people who would spilt their orders with you at time of pick-up.

The service I'm looking at does have a Yahoo Group but there has been no activity on the group since early 2014

There's aslo a FB page but I don't use FB. I did find a raw diet for cats group on Yahoo and will check that out.