Editorial Policy
This policy describes the standards behind everything published on Pet Almanac. It applies to every guide, table, and recommendation on the site.
Our mission
We aim to give pet keepers in the United States accurate, practical, and honest care information. Readers come to us to make decisions about living animals, so we treat accuracy as the first priority.
Independence
- Advertisers, retailers, and manufacturers do not influence our editorial content.
- We do not accept payment for placement, positive coverage, or higher rankings in editorial content.
- Affiliate commissions never decide what we recommend or how we rank anything.
Sourcing and accuracy
Our guides draw on reliable references: veterinary guidance, husbandry organizations, published research, and manufacturer instructions and labels. We fact-check every number against those references and keep source notes on file for every figure. When reliable sources disagree, or when guidance is uncertain, we say so instead of presenting one view as settled.
Review before publishing
Every guide is reviewed, fact-checked, and edited by our team before it is published.
Products
We do not physically try out products and never claim to. We evaluate and compare them using specifications, manufacturer information, how well they fit an animal’s care requirements, and patterns in verified owner feedback. We do not give products scores, ratings, or stars. Where a product has drawbacks or is a poor fit for some keepers, we say so. Read more on our How We Review page.
Health and safety
We do not provide veterinary advice, diagnoses, treatments, or medication guidance. We direct readers with health concerns to a qualified veterinarian, such as an aquatic or exotic animal vet for fish and reptiles. Guides include safety notes for heaters, electrical equipment, and chemicals.
Affiliate links and advertising
When an article contains affiliate links, a disclosure appears near the top, above the first affiliate link. We may also show ads served by third parties. Full details are in our Affiliate Disclosure.
Dates and updates
Each guide displays a published or updated date. We review guides again when care guidance or equipment changes, and we update the date when we make a meaningful revision.
Who this is for
We write for pet keepers in the United States, from first-time owners to people expanding an existing setup. We aim to explain the reasoning behind each recommendation so readers can adapt it to their own animals and circumstances, because no single guide can account for every situation.
We also state clearly who a piece of advice or a product is not suited to, so that no one is left to find the downsides on their own.
Corrections
If you believe something on Pet Almanac is wrong, email us through the Contact page. We review each report, fix confirmed errors promptly, and update the date on the page.