A Petfood Industry Veteran Survives A Chance Meeting With A Moose.
–by Anna Cooke
Robert Downey, founder and president of Annamaet Petfoods, likes to say the family busi- ness answers to a higher level – his
mom.The company’s background is in science (their studies in nutrition have been published in 100+ peer reviewed journals over the past 30 years). They have two board certified nutritionists on staff, providing great checks and balances with the formulas. “My love of animals
comes from my mom, Anna Mae,” Robert told us, during a recent phone call to discuss the state of dog food. “We sold the first bag of Annamaet Petfoods on her birthday in 1986.” Having been raised
with animals, all Rob ever wanted to do was work with them. About the time Rob was head- ing to college, one of his dogs developed a nutri- tional deficiency. It was the ‘aha moment’ that changed Rob’s life.
Robert Downey and Lee, an Australian Cattle Dog (ACD), Lee was rescued from a shelter in North Carolina by the Carolina ACD Rescue and Rebound. At the time, he was a year-and-a-half old, had been kicked out of a foster home, returned to the shelter twice and deemed unadopt- able. He was scheduled to be euthanized. Today, Lee goes everywhere with Rob and his wife Mary Jo, includ- ing to work. “He thanks my wife and I on a daily basis by guarding our office doors until we say it’s okay for someone to enter,” laughs Rob.
74 THE NEW BARKER “I was hooked on researching and unraveling
the intricate benefits that different ingredients collectively bring to providing good nutrition for pets,” he said. Running a family-owned business is a big
deal to Rob. He and his wife Mary Jo have been passionately at the helm for more than 30 years, and they already have the next generation of Downeys in place. “I love having my kids involved,” Rob said, who is very hands-on with everything, including what’s going on in the kitchen. “These are our formulas. Vitamins and minerals are our proprietary products.” In 2006, Rob won gold medals in both the 8
and 10 Dog Class for the International Sled Dog Racing Association season. Annamaet’s grain free line of formulas are names inspired by the Downey family’s time spent in Alaska. Oh, and that fateful chance meeting with a moose.
Rob was out on a training run with his team
of dogs one day when they turned off a main trail and came face to face with a cow moose and her calf. “A cow moose is very protective of her
young and in Alaska, a dog musher’s biggest fear,” said Rob. “I slammed on the brake, worried she was going to come into my dog team and start stomping and kicking my dogs.” Rob began waving his arms and yelling at
her, hoping to scare her off. “All I did was make her angry and she focused on me.” Getting the dogs out of harm’s way was Rob’s first concern, and he released the team, telling them to go home.
“Off they went towards our cabin, miles
away. I thought I could get to a birch tree and climb to safety. But the snow was too deep and the moose caught me half way to the tree, knocked me down and started stomping me. That was the last thing I remembered; she knocked me unconscious and left me for dead. The deep snow actually helped me as it cushioned my body while she was stomping me and it insulated me against the minus 10 degree temperature after she knocked me out.” Rob figures he came to about 30 minutes
later. He was hypothermic, had sustained broken ribs, torn cartilage in his chest, a fractured elbow and a severe concussion. “As the cobwebs started to clear, I realized
what danger I was in. With my dog team gone, I had no way to get home – I could not walk the miles back to the cabin with my injuries. I had signed my own death warrant. My thoughts turned to my family. My goal was to make it back to the main trail where maybe a trapper, a snow- mobiler or even a dog musher friend would find my body. I stumbled back the 300 yards to the main trail and couldn’t believe my eyes. There was my dog team. The snowhook had fallen out of the sled, caught in the snow and stopped my team. The snowhook is similar to a boat anchor; it can be used like an emergency brake to hold a dog team for a short time.” Rob was able to get back on the sled and
hang on as the dogs made their way back to the cabin. He doesn’t remember much about the trip as he was in and out of consciousness.
www.TheNewBarker.com
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