About Our Beloved Friends
The most evidence, honestly communicated.
Our Beloved Friends is an open library about the science of aging in dogs and cats. We read the primary literature, write down what it actually shows, and grade how much each finding is worth. In a category full of hype, we decided honesty was the opportunity.
Why this exists
Something genuinely new is happening. For the first time, serious geroscience has moved out of the mouse room and into the living room: there are now randomized, placebo-controlled trials of longevity drugs running in ordinary pet dogs and cats.
Almost none of what is written about it for owners is any good. The coverage is either breathless — a mouse result reported as a cure — or it is marketing wearing a lab coat. Meanwhile the actual papers are behind paywalls, written for specialists, and full of caveats that never survive the retelling.
So this is the thing we wanted to exist and could not find: the real literature, explained plainly, graded honestly, with the uncertainty left in. We are not selling you anything here. That is deliberate — it means nothing on this site has a reason to overstate itself.
How we work
Three habits we don’t break
Everything is free, and everything is sourced
The whole library is open. Every claim links to the paper behind it, so you never have to take our word for anything — and can catch us when we get it wrong.
Mechanism is not proof
A compelling story about how a molecule works is not a result. We keep those two things separate on every page, because conflating them is how the supplement industry works.
We say the gap out loud
Most longevity evidence is in mice and humans, not in dogs and cats. That gap is the most important fact in this field, and we put it in front of you rather than behind you.
Commitments we keep
What you can hold us to
- We start from the primary literature, not the press release.
- We grade every compound and study honestly, from strong-human to animal-model.
- We label ongoing trials as ongoing, and never describe a result that does not exist.
- We publish the failures. A trial that disappointed is still evidence.
- We sell nothing here, so no grade on this site has anything to protect.
- Every health page points you back to your veterinarian.
Team
Who’s writing this
Our Beloved Friends Research
The team behind the library
The people who read the papers, grade the evidence, and write it all down — so that every claim on this site traces back to a source you can check yourself.
Working with us
Veterinary advisors and evidence reviewers — if you care about doing this honestly, get in touch.
Start with the science.
Read the papers themselves, or see exactly how we grade what each one is worth.
The content on this site is for informational purposes only and is not veterinary advice. These statements have not been evaluated by a food or drug regulatory authority and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always consult a licensed veterinarian about your pet's health.