Carol Smeja's career has focused in the area of psychology and sociology which culminated in her earning a PhD and teaching.  After leaving academia, she applied these roots in understanding the psychological and social dynamics of eating while working in marketing/research with a variety of food & pharmaceutical companies (i.e., Kraft, General Foods, Quaker Oats, and Mead Johnson) and improving health & diet with government agencies including the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) and the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention). More recently, she has applied her extensive research and diagnostic training in understanding the eating behaviors of our dogs & cats by studying the natural and instinctive behaviors of their ancestral roots.

Carol specializes in an area that is often overlooked in the pet world:  the significant importance of how we feed our pets.   She has conducted comprehensive ancestral reviews and integrated information from wild life professionals, longitudinal and cross-sectional  behavior projects and live and video observational feeding data. Additionally, she volunteers at the Lincoln Park Zoo in the nutrition department to gain knowledge on dietary needs and feeding habits in addition to how this contributes to improving conservation.  Lecturing at both professional events and pet organizations, Carol seeks to educate Pet Parents  on the importance of how you feed your pet to improve their health & wellbeing.

Carol and her late husband embraced the challenge of providing a healthier feeder for pets and engaged as entrepreneurs with “The Original mine Pet Platter.” This is the first ever feeder specifically designed to allow dogs and cats to eat naturally—and is creating a new movement & generation of healthier pets.