How we decide what to recommend
mom.pet exists because pet-product advice online is mostly thin, ad-stuffed listicles. We do the diligent, unglamorous work a careful parent would — and we show ours.
We start with a real shortlist, not a padded one
For every guide we gather every widely available, currently in-stock product or service appropriate to the pet and life-stage covered — typically 8 to 15 candidates before we screen. We do not add filler entries just to have more affiliate links on the page, and we list what we rejected and why.
We screen for safety before anything else
Every food and health product is checked against the FDA and AVMA recall databases and current ingredient-transparency disclosures before it can earn a spot, using the most recent 24 months of recall history. Anything with an unresolved recall or undisclosed sourcing is disqualified, regardless of commission rate.
We score against five fixed criteria
Every pick is evaluated on the same five weighted criteria for its category — build quality or ingredient quality, real-world durability, fit for the stated life-stage, total cost over a 12-month period (not just sticker price), and stated return/guarantee policy. Weights are published on each guide, not adjusted after the fact.
A licensed vet reviews health claims before publish
Health-adjacent guides are drafted by our editors, then reviewed line-by-line by a licensed veterinarian from our panel before the guide goes live, checking that claims match current veterinary consensus. We label these "Vet Reviewed," never "vet-authored" — see our vet panel page for who reviews what.
What money can't buy
mom.pet earns a commission when you buy through some of our links — that is how we keep the lights on. But manufacturers cannot pay for a spot, our vet reviewers receive no compensation from brands, and a commission never changes which product wins a guide. This is a separate promise from how we make money — how we decide is not for sale.
Questions about a specific rating? Meet the vets who review our work on the vet panel page.