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In 1995, Cheryl and Jerry Van Meter's twelve-year old Schnauzer, Heidi, developed a brain tumor. The traditional treatment recommended by their veterinarian was medicines, steroids and radiation. Cheryl and Jerry did what was recommended, taking their beloved Heidi to Tucson for radiation treatments. After taking the treatments, the steroids and the medicines, Heidi was just "out of it". "We looked at her in this condition and decided that she had no quality of life. We knew the treatment was not going to save her life, only pro-long it. We decided to halt treatment. Heidi passed away in 1996. Cheryl and Jerry also owned Heidi's daughter, Schnapps, who, at the age of twelve years, started showing signs of aging. Her stiff joints were making it painful and difficult for her to get around. Treatment included injections of chemicals, which eventually caused skin eruptions, her little body's way of ridding itself of the chemicals that had been injected. Because of what had happened to Heidi and to help Schnapps through her senior years, Cheryl began researching an alternative treatment she had read about -- feeding pets a nutritional diet. She found a holistic veterinarian in Chandler, Arizona, Dr. Judy Stolz of Desert Animal Wellness Center, and took Schnapps for an assessment. Immediately, Dr. Stolz put Schnapps on an alternative treatment, which consisted of putting her on a nutritious meal plan and taking her off all chemicals. That was the beginning of Cheryl's quest to find the perfect nutritional balance for her dog. In her research, Cheryl discovered that studies have proven that the cause for many chronic and degenerative diseases seen in humans may be a poor, inadequate diet. She also learned that poor nutrition can impact your pet's health. This knowledge intrigued Cheryl. During the continued treatment provided by Dr. Stolz, Cheryl's insatiable desire to learn everything she could about her pet's nutrition lead her to research what ingredients were actually in the "traditional", "supposedly healthy" food she had been feeding her pet. She had been buying what was considered in the pet food industry to be the most nutritious food available. What she found out astonished her. Cheryl found that pet food labeling is done using the honor system. She also found that the ingredients in her so-called healthy pet food included poultry by-products, which could mean feathers, heads, feet, necks, and even underdeveloped eggs. The only meat that might be in poultry by-products is what might be left on the necks. The same pretty much holds true with all meat by-products. Other ingredients included chemicals, fillers and pesticides. That was all Cheryl needed. She and her holistic veterinarian worked together to develop nutritious recipes, consisting of the highest quality beef steak, beef heart, and chicken thighs, liver and gizzards on the market, along with organic cheese, organic eggs, organic whole grains, organic vegetables and organic fruits. Cheryl began cooking those healthy, nutritious meals for her pet. Within six months, Schnapps was completely free of the skin eruptions, her coat was healthier and shinier, her eyes were brighter, her energy level was much higher, and --- Schnapps had no "doggie breath". When Cheryl's family and friends saw what the nutritious food had done for Schnapps and how much Schnapps enjoyed the food, they asked Cheryl if she would cook for their pets, also. She did. It seemed that her weekends were filled with cooking. It didn't take long for her to realize that she wanted to provide this healthy food for everyone who loved and treasured their pets but didn't have the time to cook for them. In the fall of 2002, Cheryl started her new homemade pet food business, Bon A-Paw Tete. Bon A-Paw Tete provides organic, nutritious, gourmet food for pets. These products are produced in an environment that would meet the highest health standards for human-consumed foods. The meals are fresh frozen and vacuum sealed to ensure the highest quality food. For more information, log on to www.bonapawtete.com, or call 877-591-9242. |
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