Pets Pantry FAQ’s

Questions: Our Home Delivery service

1. What is Pets Pantry ?

2. How many years has Pets Pantry been in business ?

3. What brands do you carry ?

4. How much does it cost to have my pet’s requirements Home Delivered by Pets Pantry ?

5. Do I need to be home to accept delivery ?

6. I live in a flat or secured apartment, how do I get my order ?

7. Why should I use Pets Pantry instead of my local petstore?

8. If I use Pets Pantry will I miss out on any Special Deals that are offered at my local store ?

9. Can you answer questions about my Pet’s Diet & Health?

10. Are there employment opportunities with Pets Pantry ?

Answers: About our Home Delivery Service

1. What is Pets Pantry ?

Pets Pantry is a retail pet supplies home delivery service operating its own fleet of delivery vans in the Melbourne Metropolitan area & Mornington Peninsula.
Outside of Melbourne we offer customers a fast mail order service utilising Australia Post. We specialise in super premium pet foods, animal health preparations and pet accessories for dogs, cats & horses.

The business is operated by a team of trained professionals qualified in the fields of animal health & nutrition. Michael O’Hara, the proprietor, holds tertiary qualifications in Marketing (Monash) and Agricultural Science (Melbourne). Prior to establishing Pets Pantry he held senior sales and marketing positions with The National Australia Bank (Rural Markets Manager), Hoechst Australia (Veterinary Product Manager) and Bayer Australia (Technical Sales Manager).

A team of veterinarians & technical representatives from major pet suppliers including Nestle Purina, Eagle Pack, Advance, Hills Science Diet, Iams, Merial & Bayer supports him & his distributors & franchisees.

2. How many years has Pets Pantry been in business ?

Michael established Pets Pantry in Melbourne, Australia in December 1996. Our Sydney operation commenced in June 2009.
Our web store was one of the first on-line pet retail sites in the world & has been running successfully since 1997.

3. What brands do you carry ?

We carry Australia’s most comprehensive range of pet products including super premium pet foods such as Eukanuba, ProPlan, Hills Science Diet, Advance, Eagle Pack, Royal Canin, Iams, Nutrience & Nutro. Our animal health preparations include Frontline, Advantage, Advocate, Revolution, Drontal, Sentinel, Proheart & Heartgard. Choose from our wide range of accessories from manufacturers such as Plush Puppy, Fidos, Dermcare, Hagen, Weatherbeeta, Sprenger, Black Dog, K9, Snooza, T&S, Nylabone, Petmate, Breeders Choice & Kong.

4. How much does it cost to have my pet’s requirements Home Delivered by Pets Pantry ?

We charge $5.00 for our Express delivery service in the Melbourne Metropolitan areas. The delivery fee is a flat rate regardless of the dollar value or number of items in your order. Customers in other states are charged by weight using the Australia Post parcel rate.

As more distributors come on board we will be expanding our Express delivery service into other capitals & provincial centres. Bookmark this page and keep coming back to check on changes. If you’re interested in becoming a distributor click on the Distributors wanted tab.

5. Do I need to be home to accept delivery ?

No you don’t. As long as you’re happy for us to make the delivery to a designated address & there’s a safe place for us to leave it (ie your front porch, veranda, carport, garage, next door neighbour, friend, relative etc) there is no need for you to be there.
If it looks like it might rain or if we feel the need to disguise your delivery it will placed it in a black garbage bag.

Be assured by our track record. In the 13 years we have been in operation we have never had a delivery lost or stolen.

6. I live in a flat or secured apartment, how do I get my order ?

Let us know this in the comments section when you place your order. Also give us an indication of when you might be at home for the following week. We’ll call you to make suitable arrangements.
We can also drop your order off to another location of say a friend, neighbour or relative if this suits.

7. Why should I use Pets Pantry instead of my local petstore?

There is no easier way for busy people to get what they need. Pets Pantry is a virtual Pet Shop in your home. Let your fingers do the shopping and discover everything you need for your family pet without moving from the comfort of your home.

No need for you to ever carry a heavy bag of pet food home again!
No need to fight traffic congestion & fight for a park !
No more waiting in queues !
No need to get wet or sweat it out in the heat !

We home deliver right to your door when it suits you.

No more worrying about the store being closed when you get there.

Our website store is open for shopping 24 hours a day seven days a week, so order online when it suits you.

How many times when, after you’ve battled the traffic, fought for a park & you’ve managed to get in the door of your local store, just before it closes, you find they’re out of stock of what you wanted ? And, what’s more they don’t care !

We carry 1,000’s of products with our more popular brands available for immediate delivery. If we haven’t got it in stock we’ll tell you quickly & let you know when we’ll have it. What’s more we can usually get it to you within 24 hours.

No more looking around for assistance or relying on untrained shop assistants who have no idea.

Call us or email us for friendly, intelligent and helpful service and advice from trained professionals when you need it.

We realize that we are not for everyone, but in today’s world of two-income, time stretched families …the convenience of our home delivery service, simply saves you time!

8. If I use Pets Pantry will I miss out on any special deals that are offered at my local store ?

Absolutely not! How many times a year would you visit your local store to see what’s on special ?... do they notify you as soon as they find out about a special manufacturer’s deal or do you just happen to be there at the right time ?
Because of our ability to notify you immediately of special offers via email, as a Pets Pantry customer, you will be aware of more special deals than from your local store.

9. Can you answer questions about my Pet’s Diet & Health ?

Yes we can. Our trained staff will be able to answer most of your questions. If not we’ll refer you onto someone who can. However the information we provide is of a general nature only & we do not provide technical veterinary advice. Customers should always seek a second opinion.

10. Are there employment opportunities with Pets Pantry ?

Yes we’re always on the lookout for good people to act as distributors for us. Click on the Distributors Wanted tab for more information.

About our Mail Order Service

1. How much does it cost to have my order delivered outside of Melbourne ?

2. Can I work out for myself how much it costs to have my order posted without having to place an order ?

3. What if I’m not at home when my order is delivered ?

About our On-Line Store

1. How do I find products ?

2. How do I place an order on-line ?

3. Can I place my order by phone ?

4. Once I’ve placed an order how long will it take before I receive it ?

5. What do you accept as payment & how do I pay ?

6. Can I cancel an order ?

7. Can I arrange for a standing order or regular repeat delivery without having to place an order on-line ?

8. I’m after a product that’s not listed on your website, are you able to source if for me ?

9. What happens if a product I’ve ordered is out of stock ?

10. I don’t live in Australia, can I order on-line ?

11. I’m an International customer, what’s the cost of your products in my currency?

12. How are International orders sent?

13. I’ve ordered from Pets Pantry before, but I want my next order to be delivered to a different address. How do I do this?

14. I’ve forgotten my password ?

15. Do you offer guarantees on your products ?

16. What is Pets Pantry’s Return & Refund Policy

17. Is my Personal & Credit Card information secure?

18. What do you do with the Personal data you collect ?

19. I’ve received a Coupon Code, how do I redeem it ?

20. When I try to checkout my shopping cart is empty ?

21. How do I claim Pets Pantry Loyalty Rewards ?

About Super Premium Pet foods

1. Why should I feed a Super Premium pet food ?

2. What’s the difference between Dry & Canned Diets ?

3. How much does it cost to feed a Super Premium pet food ?

4. I have a young puppy, older adult dog and a cat, what should I feed them ?

5. What varieties do you carry ?

Answers: About our Mail Order Service

1. How much does it cost to have my order delivered outside of Melbourne ?

Deliveries outside of Melbourne are charged at Australia Post’s parcel rate. Our shipping and handling prices are based upon the total weight of your shipment and the distance your order will travel from our Melbourne warehouse.

2. Can I work out for myself how much it will cost to have it posted ?

Yes you can. Our website calculates the cost of postage based on the weight of the items you are purchasing & the postcode it is being delivered to.
To get an exact cost you can prepare a “dummy” order on line & our shopping cart will calculate the postage cost for you. You don’t need to submit your credit card details. This way you’re able to view postage before you checkout. If you’re happy with the calculated postage then enter your credit card details & submit your order.
3.What if I’m not at home when my order is delivered ?

Pets Pantry uses Australia Post & various courier companies to deliver parcels outside of Melbourne. If you are not at home to receive the parcel, a card will be left so you can pick it up from your local post office. Sometimes cards get accidentally discarded, so if you believe your parcel should have arrived, check with your local post office first.
About our On-Line Store

1. How do I find products ?
There are 5 ways to search:
By typing in a Keyword in the Quick Find menu.
By Species (ie Dog, Cat, Horse, Fish).
By Category (eg Dry Dog Food, Worm Control, Collars).
By Brand Name
By Manufacturer

Search by Keyword: Simply enter the name of a species, a category, a brand name, a manufacturer etc into the search box (featured in the bar under the word Quick Find on the right hand side at the top of any screen) and click on the magnifying glass or press enter. You can also carry out a more specific search by clicking on Advanced Search.
Search by Species: Chose the species your pet belongs to under the Categories heading on any page. If the species has a sub-category eg Dog Food, click on the sub-category to drill down further to the product your seeking.
Search by Category: Once you’ve chosen the species a series of categories open up in the middle of the page. Chose the category your product belongs to and click on the category name. If the category has sub-categories eg Dry Dog Food, click on the sub-category to view products it contains.
Search by Brand name: Enter the brand name into the Quick Find box directly.
Search by Manufacturers name: Click on the “Please Select” tab underneath the Manufacturers listing on the right hand side of any page. A drop down menu listing manufacturers in alphabetical order appears. Click on the manufacturer you are seeking.
2. How do I place an order on-line ?
It’s easy. Each time you find an item you want to buy, simply click on the “Add To Cart” button and when you’ve finished shopping, go to the check out section and your order will be waiting for you to review. Once you have filled out your address and shipping information, simply click “Confirm Order” and your secure order is completed. It is that easy. No lifting, no trips in the car, no hassle.
3. Can I place my order by phone ?

Of course you can. Simply call our 1300-30-40-34 number and one of our customer service representatives will be happy to take your order. Our manned hours are 8.30 AM to 7.00 PM Monday thru Saturday, Eastern Standard Time. Out of hours you can leave an order on our recorded message service. We’ll return your call to confirm your order & details as quickly as possible.
If for some reason you can't reach us, please email us at orders@petspantry.com.

4. Once I’ve placed an order how long will it take before I receive it ?

We cover most areas of Melbourne at least once and often up to three times a week. Generally speaking allow at least 2 business days for Melbourne & Sydney metro deliveries. If you’re really desperate let us know & we’ll try & get it to you same day.
Allow 5 days for delivery outside of Melbourne & Sydney. International deliveries may take up to a fortnight.
If we suspect it will take longer because, for example we are out of stock, we will notify you by either email or phone.

5. What do you accept as payment & how do I pay ?

We accept credit card, cash, Paypal, cheque or bank deposit.
You can pay securely on-line or over the phone with Mastercard, Visa or Amex. We also accept Paypal. Note Amex & Paypal payments attract a 3% surcharge.

We only accept cash or cheque payment on local Melbourne & Sydney deliveries where Cash on Delivery was nominated as the payment method. We’re happy to make prior arrangements with you for payment should you not be at home when a delivery is scheduled. You can for example pre-pay by depositing funds into our bank account. Allow 2 days for clearance.

Please note that our distributors will not leave an order unless payment in some form has been arranged or received. Re-delivery will attract a $5.00 re-delivery charge.

6. Can I cancel an order ?

Yes you can as long as it has not been despatched. Notify us immediately by email orders@petspantry.com or by phone on 1300-30-4034. If you placed the order online using a credit card we will refund your payment back to your credit card.
If you’re order has been despatched you can return it but at your cost. We strongly urge you to use the original box we sent your order in. We will check that the goods have been returned in good condition before processing your refund. See our returns policy & procedure for detailed information by clicking on the Information tab containing the words Terms of Use & Condition of Sale.

7. Can I arrange for a standing order or regular repeat delivery without having to place an order online ?

Yes you can. Simply contact us on 1300-30-40-34 to make the necessary arrangements. We find that with most of the food products we sell our customers operate on a monthly to six week purchasing cycle. We use this information in conjunction with the sex, weight & life-stage of your animal to calculate out your requirements & set up a standing order & delivery schedule.

8. I’m after a product that’s not listed on your website, are you able to source if for me ?

Contact us with your enquiry at admin@petspantry.com. We’ll let you know within 24 hours whether we can source it for you or not & give you a price indication & cost for postage & handling.

9. What happens if a product I’ve ordered is out of stock ?

At Pets Pantry we try & ensure that every product we carry is in stock. If for some reason a particular product is not available we will notify you by phone or email. If we are unable to source the product within a few days we will provide you with the following options.
1. Are you are prepared to wait till the product is available ? We will provide a time frame & get it to you as soon as it arrives.
2. Would you like to substitute if for a similar product ?
3. Would you prefer a refund ?

10. I don’t live in Australia, can I order on-line ?

Yes you can. The postage & handling costs will differ as well as delivery times. International orders can take up to 2 weeks to arrive.

11. I’m an International customer, what’s the cost of your products in my currency?

Pets Pantry website prices can be altered to selected currencies from around the world. You can select you currency from the list provided under the “Currencies” tab, which is located in the bottom right hand corner of the screen. The conversion rates are calculated regularly using daily foreign exchange data. Once you have completed your order, your card provider will charge your credit card in your currency.
Pets Pantry is not involved in the currency exchange process.
The currency converted price on our website is an indication only of the actual price you will be charged.

12. How are International orders sent?

Pets Pantry has partnered with Australia Post to ensure a fast cost effective delivery solution. Our site calculates the cost of freight automatically once your order is completed, with the charge shown in Australian dollars or the currency you have selected. Depending on the country of destination you are usually given a choice of 3 methods of shipping.

13. I’ve ordered from Pets Pantry before, but I want my next order to be delivered to a different address. How do I do this?

Order what you require as normal and follow the prompts through the site. When you decide to Check Out you will first be taken to the Delivery Information page. If you wish to change the address, select the Change Address option and fill in the new details, then continue as normal.

14. I’ve forgotten my password ?

If you’ve forgotten your password enter your email address after clicking on the My Account tab. We will send you an email message containing a new password.

15. Do you offer guarantees on your products ?

Yes we do. We offer a 100% Guarantee on all our products !!

If you are not satisfied with any of our food products, for any reason, Pets Pantry will refund the purchase price (minus the initial shipping charge) within 30 days of purchase. No questions asked!

All other goods must be returned in the original box, unused & containing all original packaging and accessories.

Simply contact us by phone (1300-30-40-34) or e-mail: orders@petspantry.com. We will issue you a Returned Merchandise Authorization Number and special instructions for returning the product(s) to us. You are liable for the cost of shipping & delivery charges for returns. Your account will be credited once the goods have been checked after we’ve received them.

16. What is Pets Pantry’s Return & Refund Policy ?

Click on the Terms of Use & Conditions of Sale underneath the Information tab for specific details.
17. Is my Personal & Credit Card information secure ?

At Pets Pantry we want to give our customers a worry-free ordering experience. That's why our site uses Verisign’s Secure Server Technology (SSL 3.0), which encrypts all of your personal information. No one can obtain it as it travels through our shopping cart network. Your credit card number, e-mail address, and phone number are all protected. Your information is sent directly to the Commonwealth Bank’s Payment Gateway and is not stored in our Web site database; therefore it is safe from hackers.

If you’re still concerned about using your credit card over the Internet, simply call us on 1300-30-40-34 and give us the details over the phone.

18. What do you do with the Personal data you collect ?

Pets Pantry uses the personal information you provide to improve our service and capabilities in operating our business. We do not sell, provide, or allow our information to be viewed by any other person other than those employed by Pets Pantry. We only provide Australia Post and courier companies with your address details to assist in the successful delivery of your order.

19. I’ve received a Coupon Code, how do I redeem it ?
If you’ve received a coupon for use as a discount in our store you will need to enter the coupon code prior to completing the checkout process.

Add the items you require to your shopping cart. Then click on the View Cart link at the top right hand side of the page. This will redirect you into your shopping cart where you can see all of the items you have added to the cart. If you scroll down to the bottom of the View Cart page you will see a box in which you can enter the coupon code. You only need to enter the coupon code once and then we will automatically apply the applicable discount to your order total. When the coupon code has been entered correctly and submitted the shopping cart will refresh and you can see the coupon discount applied to your order total.

20. When I try to checkout my shopping cart is empty ?
When you use our site your shopping cart's information is stored in your web browser's cookies. You need to be able to accept cookies to place an order.

We use cookies to track your active shopping cart information.

If you are using Firewall Software like Symantec's Norton Internet Security or Norton Personal Firewall, you will need to re-configure it to allow Private Headers and Session Cookies.

If you have your browser security level set to not accept cookies, you can manually add Pets Pantry to your list of accepted websites.

21. How do I claim Pets Pantry Loyalty Rewards ?

Click on the Rewards Program tab for details.

About Super Premium Pet Foods

1. Why should I feed a Super Premium pet food ?

Super premiums provide complete and balanced nutrition and can be fed as sole diets. They are significantly better than the more popular but generally poorer quality products available from your local supermarket. Supermarket brands are almost always cereal based, with meat meal or meat by-product as the primary meat source. They are generally higher in fibre and lower in palatability and digestibility and contain artificial colours, flavours and preservatives. Larger amounts need to be fed to your pet and many are not complete diets.

Super premiums on the other hand are nutrient dense, highly digestible and palatable ensuring your pet receives the correct balance for the maximum nutritional benefit. Importantly and because of this, there is less odour and mess making backyard clean ups easier. The Pro Plan range in particular contains no artificial colours and flavours and is naturally preserved with Vitamin E. Other manufacturers are in the process of introducing preservative free lines.

2. What’s the difference between Dry & Canned Diets ?

The major difference between dry and canned foods is moisture content making dry foods considerably cheaper to feed. Dry foods contain around 8-12% water while canned diets contain 70-80% water. So, when feeding canned diets you are essentially feeding water. Because of this your pet must eat 2-3 times more of the canned food to obtain the same nutritional benefit as a dry diet. As a rule of thumb, feeding a canned diet of the same quality as a dry diet of the same brand will cost you approximately 3 times more to feed. Dry foods have two other advantages over canned products. They help keep gums and teeth clean and because they are cooked in extruders at high temperature offer significant improvements in palatability, texture and food quality.

3. How much does it cost to feed a Super Premium pet food ?

Because of their low moisture content, high digestibility and the quality ingredients used in their manufacture super premiums while expensive to buy are economical to feed and excellent value for money.

With reference to table 1 below, a 35kg Labrador for example would cost just under $2.00 a day to feed on a super premium like ProPlan. A 17kg pack if fed as the sole diet should last around 6 weeks. Similarly for cats a 3.5kg adult cat would cost just $0.56c a day to feed. A 9 kg bag lasting 7 weeks if fed as the sole diet.

Table 1 How much does a super premium cost to Feed ?

Adult Dogs Adult Cats

Body Weight
Grams/
Day Cost/
Day Days Body Weight
Grams/
Day Cost/
Day Days
5kg 100g $0.61c 170 1.5kg 30g $0.26c 300
10kg 175g $1.06c 97 2kg 35g $0.31c 257
15kg 225g $1.36c 76 2.5kg 53g $0.47c 170
20kg 280g $1.69c 61 3kg 60g $0.53c 150
25kg 325g $1.97c 52 3.5kg 70g $0.62c 129
30kg 350g $2.12c 49 4kg 75g $0.66c 120
35kg 410g $2.48c 41 4.5kg 88g $0.78c 102
40kg 470g $2.85c 36 5kg 100g $0.89c 90
45kg 510g $3.09c 33 5.5kg 110g $0.98c 82
50kg 550g $3.33c 31 6kg 120g $1.07c 75
55kg 600g $3.63c 28
60kg 650g $3.94c 26
65kg 700g $4.24c 24
70kg 750g $4.54c 23
75kg 800g $4.84c 21
80kg 850g $5.15c 20
85kg 900g $5.45c 19
90kg 950g $5.76c 18
95kg 1kg $6.10c 17
100kg 1.05kg $6.36c 16
110kg 1.15kg $6.97c 15
120kg 1.25kg $7.57c 14
Based on 17 kg pack of ProPlan Adult Formula for Dogs and 9 kg pack for Cats - recommended daily feeding guidelines. Serving sizes may need to be adjusted according to age, activity levels & body condition.

4. I have a young puppy, older adult dog and a cat, what should I feed them ?

The super premiums Pets Pantry carry gives you choice for life, from puppy to kitten through to adult and old age and from highly active to less active. Because puppies up to one year of age in most breeds and two years in giant breeds require up to twice the level of nutrition of adult dogs you need a formula which can provide increased fat, calories and protein for growth and energy. The Pro Plan Growth, Performance or Eukanuba, Advance & Hills Puppy formulations will readily satisfy the requirements of your growing pup. For older dogs, Pro Plan Adult, Natural, Lamb & Rice, Eukanuba Premium, Adult Maintenance, Hills Canine Maintenance or Pedigree Conditioning diet deliver balanced diets without the need for supplementation. For your cat the Pro Plan, Iams, Whiskas or Hills adult formulas are the ideal choice. The Pro Plan adult cat formula in particular contains low dietary magnesium, which helps maintain urinary tract health in your cat by reducing urinary pH.

5. What varieties do you carry ?

Most brands Pets Pantry carries are based on chicken because of its exceptional taste and digestibility. However should your pet require a change of diet you have a choice between turkey & barley, lamb & rice, salmon & rice in Pro Plan, lamb & ocean fish in Eukanuba, turkey & tuna in Advance, lamb, pork, salmon & duck in Eagle Pack & lamb & duck in Nutrience.