Written and medically reviewed by:
Dr. Sarah Wilson, BScH, DVM, DACVIM (Nutrition)
The World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) published a series of questions to ask when selecting a new dog food for your pup. Many pet parents use the WSAVA guidelines to inform their decision, and we want to support them in making our answers easy to find! Below are The Pets Table’s answers to the WSAVA questions.
A. The Manufacturer’s Name and Contact Information
The Pets Table
28 Liberty St., 10th Floor
New York, NY 10005
Contact us via live chat here
Call us at +1 (929) 429-4025
1. Do you employ a full time qualified nutritionist?
Appropriate qualifications are either a PhD in animal nutrition or board-certification by the American College of Veterinary Nutrition (ACVN) or the European College of Veterinary Comparative Nutrition (ECVCN). What is this nutritionist’s name and qualifications?
We employ a Board Certified Vet Nutritionist® who is boarded with the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM – Nutrition subspecialty) which was transitioned from the American College of Veterinary Nutrition in 2021 . She has a combined 24 years of experience in veterinary medicine and nutrition, and she helps formulate and reviews all of our recipes.
2. Who formulates your foods and what are his/her credentials?
A nutritionist as well as our veterinary nutritionist (ACVIM Nutrition), whose name is available upon request.
3. Are your diets tested using AAFCO feeding trials or by formulation to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles?
If the latter, do they meet AAFCO nutrient profiles by formulation or by analysis of the finished product?
Yes, The Pets Table meets AAFCO nutrient profiles, both by formulation and by laboratory analysis of the finished product.
4. Where are your foods produced and manufactured?
Our Fresh food is developed at a USDA-inspected human grade food facility in the US. Our Air-Dried food is developed at a facility in the US as well.
5. What specific quality control measures do you use to assure the consistency and quality of your ingredients and the end product?
The Pets Table recipe’s undergo many quality control measures to assure the safety, consistency, and quality of your pets food. Ingredients are evaluated prior to use in a recipe and final products are tested as well. Testing includes nutrient analysis to ensure your pets food provides not only all the essential nutrients including vitamins, minerals, essential amino acids, and fatty acids, but also in the right amounts. Additional testing for potential pet or human health hazards such as E. coli, Salmonella, and Listeria is performed. Shelf-life testing and digestibility trials also provide additional quality assurance and are performed on all final products.
6. Will you provide a complete nutrient analysis for the dog food in question?
(Can they provide an average/ typical analysis, not just the guaranteed analysis which is only the minimums or maximums and not an exact number)? You should be able to ask for any nutrient – e.g. protein, phosphorus, sodium, etc. – and get an exact number. This should ideally be given on an energy basis (i.e. grams per 100 kilocalories or grams per 1,000 kilocalories), rather than on an ‘as fed’ or ‘dry matter’ basis which don’t account for the variable energy density of different foods.
Yes, we have complete nutrient analyses for all of our products, and we’re happy to share them upon request.
7. What is the caloric value per gram, can, or cup of your foods?
The below is based on formulation as of 4/15/2025. Nutrient values for each recipe can be found here. Just click on “see details” on each recipe for a full list of ingredients and nutritional information.
Fresh:
- Beef Stew with Carrots – 1,567Kcal/kg
- Chicken Casserole with Green Beans – 1,457Kcal/kg
- Turkey Casserole with Broccoli – 1,355Kcal/kg
- Chicken Entree with Brown Rice – 1,516Kcal/kg
- Pork Stew with Butternut Squash – 1,462Kcal/kg
Air-Dried:
- Beef & Berries – 4,355Kcal/kg
- Chicken & Sweet Potato – 4,105Kcal/kg
- Salmon & Whitefish with Pumpkin – 4,202Kcal/kg
- Lamb & Beef with Brown Rice – 4,105Kcal/kg
8. What kind of product research has been conducted?
Are the results published in peer-reviewed journals?
We have not yet published any peer-reviewed studies on our dog food, but we hope to. If you represent a university and are interested in collaborating on a research project, please fill out the following form: The Pets Table Research Inquiry Form.
B. AAFCO Adequacy Statement
In some countries (including the US), the AAFCO adequacy statement is included on the label. This statement confirms three important facts:
Whether the diet is complete and balanced.
All over- the-counter foods should be complete and balanced. If the statement reads ’for intermittent or supplemental use only,’ it is not complete and balanced. That may be acceptable if it is a veterinary therapeutic diet and is being used for a specific purpose – e.g. in a case of severe kidney disease – but should be avoided in over- the-counter pet foods.
Yes, The Pets Table recipes are formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for All Life Stages, including growth of large size dogs (70 lbs. or more as an adult).
If the food is complete and balanced, what life stage is it intended?
AAFCO provides nutrient profiles and feeding trial requirements for growth, reproduction, and adult maintenance, but not for senior/geriatric pets. A food that is formulated to meet the AAFCO profiles for all life stages must meet the minimum nutrient levels for both growth and adult maintenance.
As of May 2023, TPT is formulated to meet the AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages, including growth of large breed puppies.
If the food is complete and balanced, how did the company determine this?
Labels may include one of two statements regarding nutritional adequacy: “[Name] is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog (or Cat) Food Nutrient Profiles for [life stage(s)].” (Analysis of food.), “Animal feeding tests using AAFCO procedures substantiate [Name] provides complete and balanced nutrition for [life stage(s)].” (Feeding trial evaluation of food.)
The Pets Table is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO dog food nutrient profiles for maintenance. This is confirmed by laboratory testing of the final product.
Formulated foods are manufactured so the ingredients meet specified levels, either based on the recipe or on analytical testing of the finished product, without testing via feeding trials. While feeding trials help to test for the food’s nutritional adequacy, the use of feeding trials does not guarantee that the food provides adequate nutrition under all conditions. It is important to ensure that the criteria in section A also help to ensure that the food is made by a reputable and knowledgeable company with strict quality control measures.
About the Author
Meet Dr. Sarah Wilson, our Board Certified Vet Nutritionist® with a combined 24 years experience in vet medicine and nutrition. Fun fact: there are only about 100 Board Certified Vet Nutritionist® in the US, so we’re incredibly fortunate to have her on staff!
Nutrition and food safety are our highest priorities. That’s why we work with Sarah and other expert formulators to ensure our products are held to the highest industry standards. All of our recipes are formulated to meet your dog’s nutritional needs and fuel a happy, healthy lifestyle. Learn more about her.