Training for the Active dog
Rebecca Rose, the owner and founder of InClover, began her professional career in biotechnology research and human healthcare. She soon began to wonder if she could create supplements to address many of the health issues that occur in dogs and cats. The resulting supplements were some of the first to be scientifically formulated, and each product was produced with the best possible materials in a human-grade facility. To this day, every InClover supplement is formulated with an integrative approach that considers the complete health of the animal.
What do we like about their products?
- Unlike most supplements (human and pet), In Clover Supplements are scientifically formulated. They conduct gold-standard clinical trials, utilize independent testing to ensure the efficacy of each formulation. They don’t use gimmicks or trendy ingredients, just good science.
- All In Clover products are made in the USA in FDA-registered facilities. In Clover sends samples from potential ingredient suppliers to an independent lab for testing to ensure our quality and purity standards are met. Materials are tested and screened for harmful levels of heavy metals, bacteria, pathogens, molds, yeasts, pesticides, and contaminants.
- All bioactive ingredients undergo additional purity testing by an approved, third-party laboratory in accordance with In Clover’s standard operating procedures. InClover ensures the pureness of each ingredient using a process called Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS). Just as a fingerprint can identify any individual based on a series of unique biomarkers, NIRS can identify every ingredient in a formula by its distinctive chemical markers. This extra step ensures that InClover’s high standards are met by every supplier.
- In Clover products are not heat-treated during production, preventing degradation to the active ingredients during the production process.
Instituted Quality Standards that Shaped an Industry - Rebecca is a founding member of the National Animal Supplement Council Board of Directors. Pet supplements aren’t as highly regulated as those for humans, so Rebecca works with other members of the industry to self-regulate and strengthen supplement standards. At InClover, Rebecca oversees every aspect of each supplement’s production. She meets the growers and creators of the raw materials, audits the facilities that make her products and regularly interacts with customers to get detailed feedback.
As members of the NASC, InClover also participates in a voluntary Secret Shopper Quality Assurance program. Products are randomly pulled from retail shelves and tested by the NASC for ingredient purity and safety. This program adds an extra level of quality assurance by providing additional independent verification of InClover’s testing methods and results. In Clover has earned the right to display the NASC Quality Seal on all our products, passing third party audits in February 2005, December 2007, September 2009, May 2013 and June 2015, August 2017, and January 2020 with an “A” Superior Rating every time. This seal demonstrates a company’s commitment to safety, transparency, and quality above and beyond industry requirements. The NASC also tracks adverse event reports across the entire pet supplement industry, allowing for early identification of any ingredient concerns across a broad spectrum. In Clover is a dedicated participant in this process, adding yet another layer of quality and safety standards to their products. In the event of an ingredient safety issue, the NASC is able to identify and notify any member company that uses that ingredient, ensuring a rapid response and the protection of pets. This level of traceability is not required even in the human dietary supplement industry
- Works to Support Socially Responsible Causes - Part of InClover’s in-office team is a group of adults with various cognitive, physical and developmental challenges. This hard-working crew assembles samples and builds kits including the Optagest 60 stick box and 7 stick pack. InClover is also a regular donor to reputable non-profit organizations improving the lives of abused or abandoned animals and helping to send veterinarian supplies around the world.
Demonstrates a Commitment to Environmentally Responsible Business Practices - As members of the Pet Sustainability Coalition, InClover packages their products in recyclable, BPA-free plastics and reuse shipping materials whenever possible. The company also runs their office off 100-percent wind energy. InClover has earned the Top Impact Award for Supplements from PSC for the past two years and continues on the path towards attaining B-Corporation status, which demonstrates the company has met the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, legal accountability and public transparency.
Michael Florian, the founder of Taplow Feeds and FirstMate Pet Foods, started his career as a commercial fisherman aboard his fishing vessel, the Taplow. First, as a deckhand and eventually, as the owner, he fished for halibut, salmon, and herring, in the North Pacific. It became evident that the depletion of fish stocks was not just an East Coast phenomenon but an issue here in the PNW. It was this concern about fish depletion that lead him to become interested in aquaculture and started Taplow Ventures Ltd., manufacturing fish feed for the salmon farming industry in British Columbia. Keeping the name ‘Taplow’, he called his food and business Taplow Feeds. The initial years of providing feed to the salmon farms proved to be interesting and he learned a lot. During his first years in the industry, dogs were on the farm sites to guard the stock against predators. However, the guard dogs enjoyed feeding themselves with the high-quality fish feed. The owners of the farms were concerned about their expensive fish feed inventory and asked us to develop a dog food that would satisfy the dogs and keep them away from the high protein fish feed.
In 1989, Michael and his staff, including professional nutritionist Dr. Brad Hicks, went back to work and developed a high-quality food for dogs. FirstMate was born. Since then FirstMate has grown into a worldwide brand. Taplow Feeds continues to manufacture fish feed and uses the same, high-quality ingredients used to feed salmon to make their FirstMate and Kasik's pet foods. Their manufacturing facility has grown into a large, modern facility located in Chilliwack, just outside of Vancouver. The modern machinery and advanced technology assure quality control. From the beginning, Michael realized that he wanted control of production and ingredient supply. He did not wish to become just a marketing company and has always stayed true to these roots. He always had pets and wanted to ensure that they, and all FirstMate customers, had access to great food. Most recently, Taplow Feeds purchased a human-grade cannery in British Columbia, Canada. Now owns and operates both a dry and canned facilities.
It has now been over 26 plus years since the company’s founding, it continues to be a leader in simple and great quality nutrition for dogs and cats. They have loyal employees and suppliers, but above all, they have loyal customers.
What do we like about their products?
- FirstMates executive vice presidents is a DVM, and pet nutritionist with Sc (Zoology), MSc (Veterinary Pathology) from the University of Guelph, DVM from the Ontario Veterinary College, 20 years experience in pet nutrition.
They believe to produce a truly superior product, you need to have control over the ingredient sourcing and the manufacturing process. That is why FirstMate has invested in owning and operating a dry facility and human-grade cannery.
Vacume Infusion of fats and essential oils and temperature-sensitive ingredients. These are added after the kibble has been cooled and "sucks" them into the kibble reducing the chance of oxidation.
All kibble is processed at a low temperature of 194 degrees vs. the typical 205-280 degrees. This makes it more digestable and has less degradation of nutrients and less production of toxins from high heat processing.
Canned meats are not precooked. They are cooked once in the can itself, which helps to improve the palatability of our canned diets naturally. The end result is a loose pate that is easily mixed with kibble or can be used as a standalone, complete and balanced diet.
The meat meals are not processed using high temperature flame drying (as most meals are). Instead, FirstMate and Kasiks meat meals are produced using a much gentler steam drying process. Using lower processing temperatures helps to ensure that the quality of the protein remains intact and continues to be an easily digestible source of nutrition.