Ranking Member Markey Sheds Light on Pain in the Pet Economy Due To Trump’s Reckless Policies

Trump is barking up the wrong tree with his harmful health care cuts, illegal wars, and tariff taxes

Ranking Member Markey (right), Rob Van Sickle, Co-Founder and CEO of Polkadog (left)

(Washington, March 11) - Ranking Member Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) today highlighted the challenges facing pet owners and pet focused small businesses due to President Trump's reckless economic policies at a Small Business Committee hearing titled "Main Street's Top Dog: Growing the Small Business Pet Economy." At the hearing, Ranking Member Markey and Rob Van Sickle, Co-Founder and CEO of Polkadog, a Boston, Massachusetts-based all-natural dog treat company, discussed the challenges facing small business owners and customers such as skyrocketing health care costs, the rising cost of doing business, and overwhelming economic uncertainty.

"Pet owners are getting squeezed-and not in a cuddly way. Today's 'Pet-flation' may mean that a trip to the vet, a visit to the pet store, or even keeping a pet at all is out of reach for many Americans, and Trump's tariff taxes have only made small pet stores' fight for survival that much more difficult," said Ranking Member Markey. "Pet ownership should not be a privilege reserved for the wealthy. We must prevent our small pet stores-and every American small businesses-from being hounded by Trump's destructive policy decisions."

"What small businesses like ours need most is stability, predictability and peace of mind to plan investments, hire workers, grow methodically, and to know and be able to say we can support our teams and their families," said Rob Van Sickle, Co-Founder and CEO of Polkadog. "Our health care costs are increasing by 27% this year and that's on the back of a 10 percent increase last year. We can't attract and retain talent if we're not providing reasonable health insurance to our employees. It's challenging because we're trying to balance many different things and all of them are a priority from raises for our employees to investing in new equipment to opening another retail location…It is literally one day at a time. We believe in doing things the right way, which more often than than not, is also not the easy way."

Ranking Member Markey is fighting hard to protect small businesses, consumers, and families from rising costs as a result of the Trump administration's reckless economic policies.

• Yesterday, Ranking Member Markey, alongside Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senate Democrats, introduced the Small Business Liberation 2.0 Act to protect small business owners, workers, and consumers from further tariff-related economic harm under Trump's Section 122 tariff taxes.
• Earlier this week, Ranking Member Markey sent a letter to Acting Commissioner of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) William Wiatrowski demanding full transparency about the economic costs of Trump's illegal war with Iran and how the war will harm American consumers.
• Last week, Ranking Member Markey sent a letter to Trump administration officials renewing his call for a tariff refund process and demanding an investigation into reports that Wall Street traders are taking advantage of Main Street by paying America's small businesses pennies on the dollar for tariff rebates in the absence of an official refund process.
• In February, Ranking Member Markey introduced the Tariff Refund Act of 2026 with Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) to require full refunds of Trump's illegal tariffs after they were struck down by the Supreme Court.
• Previously, Ranking Member Markey released a report detailing how Trump's affordability crisis, including his devastating tariffs, are hurting Main Streets and working families across America.
• In December, Ranking Member Markey released a report detailing how Trump's health care cuts are leading to increased costs for small business owners and their employees.

Permalink: https://www.sbc.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2026/3/ranking-member-markey-sheds-light-on-pain-in-the-pet-economy-due-to-trump-s-reckless-policies