About the Woof

We believe in doing well by doing good, and embrace sustainable business practices.

We Are Passionate About…

Good Food

What is good food and why is it important?

At The Big Bad Woof, we believe food is medicine, and as such, the better the quality and sourcing of our food for both ourselves and our companion animals, the better their health and longevity. We take into consideration a number of factors when making determinations on what foods we stock in our store including:

• Transparency - Where do the source of ingredients come from and can they be be verified by a third party? Many of our premium and raw diets show that ingredients come from identifiable growers and producers. Just ask us if you have questions about a specific food or company and we will get the answer for you!
• Fair Labor Conditions - Labor conditions should meet, if not exceed basic standards. We work with a number of producers who are working to maintain ethical production.
• Simple, Wholesome Ingredients - The product is free from ingredients requiring intensive commercial processing such as preservatives and stabilizers.
• Sustainability - Ingredients can be USDA or Oregon Tilth organic standards, but many of our foods are added based on additional considerations that protect the environment. Certified Humane is an important marker for many of our meat products, as an example.
• Non-GMO Ingredients - Non-GMO means non-genetically modified organisms. GMOs are novel organisms created in a laboratory using genetic modification/engineering techniques. Scientists and consumer and environmental groups have cited many health and environmental risks with foods containing GMOs.
• Local - When products are manufactured, grown and sold locally, our customers see the direct benefit of supporting their neighbors. These products are supporting their local economies, reducing transportation impact and increasing accountability.

If you have questions about any of our product offerings please let us know and we will get an answer or put you directly in touch with the manufacturers.

Shopping Local

Local independent businesses are the backbone of our economy. They are better positioned to respond to the needs of our community and are inherently tied to the future of Washington DC Metro area. Local businesses also make daily decisions that address issues of economic, environmental, racial, and social equity.

• Locally owned businesses create stronger communities
• Independent businesses create 2/3 of all jobs in the United States
• 14 jobs are created for every $10M spent on Amazon while 57 jobs are created for the same amount spent locally
• $1 spent locally creates at least 3 times more economic impact 

These are just a few of the many positive things that happen when you shop locally. Small independent businesses also provide diversity and prosperity in their neighborhoods.

At The Big Bad Woof, we work closely with other businesses, schools and non-profits to create internships, entry-level jobs and community building.

Supporting Local Economies

The Big Bad Woof is a DC Benefit Corporation, which is a new type of business based on the 3 P's, People, Planet and Profit. That means that we made a concious decistion to have a "material, positive impact on society and the environment, taken as a whole, as assessed against a third-party standard, from the business and operations of a benefit corporation".

As part of that mission, we place great emphasis on supporting local makers and producers to help directly impact our local and regional economy, reduce transport costs and build communities that care.

Our third-party sustainability reports are provided by Green America, and we have been a Certified Gold Member of Green America for a number of years.

Pennye Jones-Napier (Co-Owner of The Woof) also served for a number of years on the Executve Board of Think Local First DC, and is active and committed to building our local economy with other stakeholders in the DC Metro area. For more on Building Local Properity, see this video from BALLE.

Reducing our Carbon Pawprint

We are not sure why businesses don't realize how much they can save by making small incremental changes that can have a BIG impact on reducing their carbon footprint. At The Big Bad Woof, it is built into our corporate DNA to Reduce, Re-Use and Recycle goods whenever possible.

• Wonder why your shipments and deliveries come in a re-used shipping box? It's our way of continuing the life-span of those boxes and keeping them out of the landfills. We also partner with the local community to take their insulated containers & Ice packs and re-use them for frozen food deliveries and shipments.
• We use micro-fiber towels and green cleaning products to clean and sanitize the store.
• We recycle / reuse insulated boxes that get dropped off from human food delvieries for our out-going frozen local delvieries.
• We accept and reuse fabric and plastic shopping bags.

From the use of cloth hand towels in our bathroom, to non-toxic cleaning products, to micro-fiber towels we evaluate the benefits of 'going green' and think they far outstrip any additional marginal cost and for the most part, all these actions save us mony and time.

Additionally, we have 100 solar panels on the roof of our store to help power all of the freezers we have on the premises! A special thank you to our landlords for looking at a bright green future!

We know you have chosen a small, independent pet supply store because you want only the very best. Whether you live with a companion or service animal, The Big Bad Woof understands your needs and is on hand to answer your questions, help you adopt, and even deliver your goods to you!

Located in the Takoma neighborhood of Washington, D.C., The Big Bad Woof is a retail store and community resource for companion animals and their guardians. The Woof provides access to organic, premium, and raw diets, and a wide range of holistic supplements for companion animals. We realize how important it is to pet guardians that they have essential pet supplies that are good for their animal’s health and well-being everywhere that they may go.

Need a local delivery? Ordering is easy, just pick out your items, then complete the checkout process. The Big Bad Woof Delivery Team will assemble your order, and bring it to your home, work, or to one of our local Woof Pantries for pick-up!

Since 2005 The Woof has maintained a strong commitment to its community. Through healthy relationships with local farmers, as well as the various local rescue organizations, fundraising events, adoptions events, specialized clinics, and pet supply and food drives, the Woof has offered everyone the opportunity to be a better pet owner.

Owners Julie Paez and Pennye Jones-Napier sum up their philosophy this way: “There should be a standard in being able to say that you can run a business well, give back to the community and make a profit.”