Our Story

Thirteen years ago, as a college student, I adopted a stray dog who was wandering for days around my busy street in South Los Angeles. He was sick, emaciated, and had been severely abused. But there was something special about him that made me fall in love. 

His name was Arturo.

Arturo & Jon

When I adopted Arturo, I thought he was an old man who would live out his final years with me, but as I fed him and nursed himself back to health, he seemed to age backward. Then, on his first visit to the vet, I learned he was only four or five years old.

We grew together over the years, and he emerged from his early life trauma to become the sweetest, most gentle being I’ve ever known. He was my best friend.

Passionate about health and nutrition for myself, I always strived to give him the best diet and care within my means. As he started to age, I began applying my knowledge of health and wellness to his regimen. First optimizing his diet, then one by one adding supplements that worked well for me and my family.

With each passing year, his regimen grew in complexity. Whenever he would start to slow down, I’d draw from my research to add something new, until we found a new element that returned the spring to his step. In his final years, he received over forty supplements a day. No dog supplements on the market came close to providing the ingredients he needed. So my husband and I would buy human-grade products for him and spend hours each week mixing and preparing his regimen at a substantial cost to our time and budget. But it was worth it.

Arturo lived to 16 1/2 in nearly perfect health—the human equivalent of 117 years for his breed. A Golden Retriever, Pit Bull, and German Shepherd Mix, his life expectancy was 10-11 years. While he slowed down in his final year, his quality of life remained high until his final week. Free from cancer, organ disease, or the cognitive decline that affects most dogs his age, Arturo lived life to its fullest until the very end.

I believe his regimen played a key part in his longevity and quality of life, but it came at the cost of over $500 (and many hours) per month. My mission with Arterra is to bring the care Arturo received to all dog owners, with none of the work and at a fraction of the cost.

I believe our products will help dogs live longer, healthier, and happier lives.

Jonathan Willbanks, Founder, CEO Arterra