Our Story

We whole-heartedly believe that pets are cherished members of our families, and we would do anything for them.  This is the inspiration behind Bona-Fido®.  In September of 2010, our 4-year-old family dog, Lucy, suddenly became very ill.  In just a matter of days while at the animal hospital, she experiences lethargy and seizures and slipped into a coma, causing neurological damage.  We discovered that she had developed a serious autoimmune disease that caused her own immune system to attack her.  Our veterinarian suggested that it may have been triggered by toxins in her body coming from any one of a number of sources - including the chemicals and additives present in the commercially-made kibble we were feeding her.

Determined to do everything we could to try to save our young Lucy, we immediately stopped feeding store-bought kibble and treats as part of our efforts to eliminate any sources of chemicals that might have triggered her autoimmune reaction.  We began making home-cooked meals for our dogs using fresh, natural ingredients from the grocery store so we knew exactly what they were eating.  Sadly, despite our best efforts and the best care we could provide her, we lost Lucy just two months after her diagnosis.  Our family was devastated. 

This experience helped us to become more aware of the factors impacting the health of our pets.  Bona-Fido® founder - our mom Cheryle - has an educational and professional background in chemistry and biology with many years of experience and training in animal care, including as a veterinary technician, state wildlife rehabilitator, and zoo docent.  After the loss of Lucy, she  was inspired to turn her focus to animal nutrition.  Cheryle immediately got to work researching the commercial pet food industry and the important factors impacting animal nutrition.  Her research uncovered many alarming facts and clear deficiencies in commercially-produced diets.  We think our pets deserve much better.  Using her knowledge and training, Cheryle began developing all-natural balanced meal and treat options.  What started out as a means to care for our own beloved family pets soon developed into a passion for educating others and providing better, more nutritious diet options for pet parents.  And this is how Bona-Fido was born in 2012.

Today, Bona-Fido® is committed to providing products that are not only tasty, but are developed with the health contributions of the ingredients as a priority.  From our kitchen to yours, we are honored to help you provide your cherished furry companions a happy and healthy life.