Finding neem(o) in a bottle.

By ALMA J. BUELVA

​ORGANIC is all the rage now even in pet care. A new all-natural line of pet products to recently enter the market has bottled the wonders of neem extracts, and all dog owners need to do is go fetch it!

Fetch Philippines has developed a set of pet products based on neem leaves extracts that includes a shampoo, a rinse and a cage cleaner. Neem is a versatile plant that thrives in the country with most of its parts, from the seeds to the twigs, useful for something when processed.

Georgianna Carlos, the entrepreneur behind Fetch, said neem's curative properties make it an effective anti-fungal and anti-bacterial agent that can moisturize skin as well as clean and deodorize pets and their things.

Fetch products with Giorgianna's dog, Khal Drogo. (Photo from FetchPH)

Fetch products are formulated by CRD Herbal Products which bagged the silver medal in the 25th Salon International des Inventions in Geneva, Switzerland for their neem extraction process. Using the same award-winning process has allowed Fetch to immediately secure a registration from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its shampoo and rinse products. 
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​“We are one of the few local pet products that have been FDA registered because we believe in doing every step correctly to make sure our products are good and safe for pets,” said Giorgianna who owns four dogs. 

She told MetroPets that Fetch's use of neem aqueous extract as shampoo base also sets it apart from existing neem-based pet care.

“We made sure our shampoo base is safe for regular use and has the right pH level for animals. Others use water or alcohol as base and add oil or powdered neem or other plant derivatives. In doing this, some properties of neem may become less effective. Extracts, on the other hand, are already water-base and can be applied directly or diluted with water while still maintaining the properties that make neem amazing,” said Georgianna.

All three Fetch products are designed to provide an end-to-end solution to keep dogs and their immediate environment clean. But we're not simply taking Fetch's word for it until our dogs experience neem first hand. 

NEEM SHAMPOO
Reviewing shampoo products falls squarely on our resident beagle, Sab. As a member of the hound group, beagles develop a strong, natural musky scent that is almost impossible to completely wash away. Sab used Fetch Neem Shampoo on a Wednesday and we started to get a whiff of her legendary hound odor (as it is called) by Sunday. That is quite a record because she usually starts to smell two days after a bath. As for the shampoo itself, it smells organic in a nice way. It doesn't leave a strong scent on dogs which is good because they have heightened sense of smell, especially beagles! 

As we've come to expect with organic shampoos, the Fetch Neem Shampoo does not work up much lather when applied on a dog's wet coat. It's a sign that it doesn't contain chemicals that make shampoos foam up. The down side is those who prefer foamy dog shampoos might try to use more than necessary but would still not achieve that luxuriously soapy bath feel because the shampoo is really mild. The important thing is the dog comes out feeling and smelling clean.

NEEM RINSE
Think of the Fetch Neem Rinse like a sanitizer that will get your dogs acceptably clean with just few sprays. But instead of alcohol, this one is based on neem extracts and it is to be diluted in 80 or 90 parts of water before spraying on dogs' fur and paws. Our dogs didn't have any violent objection when treated with a spritz here and there of the resulting brownish concoction. They tried to shake it off as dogs are wont to do, so it's best to quickly massage their skin and coat after application so the rinse stays on them.

When used regularly, preferably between bath days, the Fetch Neem Rinse promises to moisturize dogs' skin and deodorize them from head to paw. Another suggested use or benefit is as tick and flea repellant.

The neem rinse also has aloe vera (not a fan of its smell) and lavender. Together, they create an interplay of scents that reminded us of an herbal bath our lola used to prepare. Suddenly, this rinse smells weirdly relaxing.

NEEM CAGE CLEANER
Fetch's Neem Cage Cleaner is for pet lovers who are also neat freaks. Unlike most household cleaning products found in supermarkets, this one is “green” and non-toxic so dogs should be fine even if they accidentally ingest a bit of it.

Fetch Neem Cage Cleaner should be diluted in 10 parts water. It also has citronella and lavender to help do the job of disinfecting beddings and areas that dogs frequent. It also keeps the bugs out so we like to spray it around the dogs' area at night to give them extra protection from mosquitoes.

We also love the fact that Fetch's products work for cats. The Neem Cage Cleaner seems to discourage cats from revisiting places where they often do their pee-spraying spree. Further observation is in progress, but we are hoping it would make us do away with bleach products and air fresheners to clean cats' mess.

Fetch products have proper instructions on how they should be used. The shampoo comes in 250ml and 500ml bottles, the rinse concentrate in a 250ml bottle, and the cleaner and deodorizer in a 500ml bottle. These can be ordered online through Pet Warehouse or bought at Animal Center in UP Town Center, QC. (please get pricing information from these outlets).

“The products are good up to two years as long as they are away from direct sunlight. For the leave on rinse and cleaner which needs to be diluted before using, each time one creates a dilution, best to use it within seven days,” said Giorgianna.

Fetch's next plan is to explore other local ingredients that can be used in pet care, including natural treats and chews.

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