A Guide to the Best of Southern California : AT HOME : Pet Store at Your Door

DOGS ARE BARKING, cats are purring--all pandemonium has broken loose. The animals seem to know that a good friend has arrived. It’s Tracy Parsons, president and co-founder of Critter Caterers, and her packed station wagon. “We’re a complete food, toys, treats, gifts and even apparel delivery service for dogs and cats,” Parson says. “We don’t charge a delivery or membership fee, our prices are comparable to pet stores’ and we even have an animal-care specialist for dietary evaluations.”

This is not just another superfluous faddish service. Those who have pets know how often they must fit a trip to the pet store into their hectic schedules and how often they run out of pet food. Critter Caterers delivers everything pet owners need, from leashes to dog houses--and it takes orders daily from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

A popular specialty, Bentley’s Biscuits, are fresh, homemade treats named after Parsons’ own Old English sheep dog. “We use only fresh, ‘people’ ingredients,” Parsons says, “like whole-wheat flour, chicken broth and eggs. Pet owners have told me that the biscuits are so good they eat them too.”

Critter Caterers serves the dogs and cats of Los Angeles, Hancock Park, Beverly Hills, Marina del Rey, Santa Monica and Malibu; (213) 837-8783.