By business · Pets
Instagram auto-replies for pet stores
A pet shop hears the same questions all day: is that food in, is the rabbit hay back, can I collect after work. Comment-to-DM answers them while you are on the till or in the stockroom. Below are the words, four set-ups, freebies and what to check about live animals.
Updated 6 October 2026
Comment words for pet stores
Ask people to comment one word in your caption or video. Each word sends something different.
- STOCK
- What came in this week, grouped by animal, with the shelf or counter to ask at and how to reserve something until the end of the day.
- FOOD
- How your shop sorts its foods by life stage and size, how to switch brands slowly, and a reminder to ask a vet about any health condition.
- TANK
- The new-aquarium guide: why a tank needs time before fish go in, which kit to buy first and when to bring in a water sample.
- RABBIT
- A first-rabbit shopping list: hay, housing you recommend, water, bedding and the items you would not buy yet.
- COLLECT
- How click-and-collect works: ordering by message, the hours you hold an order, and where to pay in the shop.
- STARTER
- Your new-puppy or new-kitten bundle: what is in it, what it saves compared with buying each item and what can wait a month.
- EVENT
- Dates for nail-clipping mornings, pet photo days or adoption weekends you host with a local rescue, and how to turn up.
4 set-ups to try
Each one shows the conversation it creates. After a comment, the first DM is plain text, as Meta requires, and the link follows once they answer.
Aquarium guide from a new-tank Reel
Someone comments on your post
TANKPublic reply under their comment
The set-up guide is in your DMs 🐠First DM (plain text)
Thanks for the comment. Is this your first tank, and roughly how many litres is it? Reply here and I'll send the guide, including why the water needs time before any fish go in.Yes pleaseA new tank: what to buy and whenRead the guideTank questions turn on size and experience. A first-timer with a small tank needs the slow-start explanation more than a product list, and the litre answer tells staff what to suggest when the person walks in.
Starter list from a puppy-bundle post
Someone comments on your post
STARTERPublic reply under their comment
Starter list sent, check your DMs 🐕First DM (plain text)
Congratulations, and thanks for commenting. Is the puppy home already, or are you getting ready? Do you know the breed or the likely adult size? Reply and I'll send what to buy now and what can wait.Yes pleaseNew puppy starter listSee the listA collar sized for an eight-week-old fits for a fortnight, so the size question saves a wasted purchase. People who are still preparing also have time to come into the shop and see things before buying.
Order and collect for “can you put this aside?”
COLLECTThanks for asking. Is it a bag of food or something from the shelves, and will you be passing before we close? Reply and I'll send how to order and how long we hold it.Order by message, collect in storeSee how it worksHeavy sacks of food are the classic collect order. Knowing food from shelf items helps you decide whether to reserve it or check it is in stock first, and the closing-time question avoids a locked door.
This week's arrivals from a “new in” Story
Replied to your story
STOCKThanks for replying. Which animal is it for, and are you after food, a toy or equipment? Reply and I'll send what arrived this week and how to reserve it.New in this weekSee what's inA new-in Story reaches people while the stock is fresh. Because they replied first, the card can follow their answer at once, and the animal question stops a rabbit owner getting a page of bird seed.
Freebies worth commenting for
- A one-page plan for switching a dog or cat to a new food over several days, with what to watch for and when to ask a vet
- A first-week checklist for a new aquarium: what to buy now, what to wait for and when to test the water
- A first-rabbit shopping list, split into needed on day one and can wait
- A guide to reading a pet-food label: ingredient order, life stage and the feeding table
- A list of everyday foods dogs should not eat, checked with your local vet, with the clinic's phone number
- A sheet for whoever feeds the pet while you are away: amounts, times, the vet and your number
- A starter list for a kitten: what to buy now and what to wait for, plus litter-switching tips
- A budget guide to the first month with a small animal, so people see running costs before they buy
What customers message a pet shop
Most questions are about a specific product or an animal, and most can be answered if you ask which animal. Automate the shop-floor facts, and keep health and welfare questions for a person.
| They ask | Send automatically | Answer yourself when |
|---|---|---|
| Do you stock this brand? | The STOCK card, with this week's arrivals | They name a brand you could order in |
| Which food for my puppy? | The FOOD guide to life stages and sizes | They mention an allergy or a vet's diet: that is a vet's call |
| What do I need for a hamster? | A starter list for the animal | They are unsure the animal suits their home |
| Can you hold it until six? | COLLECT, with the holding hours | It is a large order or needs delivery |
| My fish are floating. | Nothing automatic: ask them to bring a water sample | Always, as soon as you can |
| Do you sell flea treatment? | Your policy, such as speaking to staff or a vet | They describe a pet that is unwell |
Posts that fill the shop on a Saturday
- A new-in Reel panning across the shelf, with STOCK in the Story text so replies get this week's list.
- Setting up a fresh tank over a week, with TANK for the guide. The slow days make good footage.
- A staff member's rescue rabbit eating hay, with RABBIT for the shopping list.
- A bundle laid out on the counter, priced item by item, with STARTER.
- A nail-clipping morning announced on Thursday, with EVENT for the details.
- A weighing-and-scooping demo of a food you sell, with FOOD for the guide.
Shops often see the busiest stretches before Christmas, when people buy for pets and for friends who own them, and again when families return from summer holidays and a pet-sitter hands back the keys. Check your own diary, then set COLLECT and STOCK up a fortnight early.
From message to a sale at the till
- The first DM asks which animal it is for, so the card shows the right aisle, not the whole shop.
- The card opens your catalogue, your website or just the address and hours. DMFast does not take payment for physical stock or hold an order, so a collect order is confirmed by you.
- Offer a free guide, such as the food switch plan, in return for an email, and download the list as a CSV for new-stock news or events.
- Turn on the one reminder for people who asked about a starter bundle and went quiet. Many wait until payday.
A shop in India could use the DMFast store to hand out a care guide for an email or sell a longer one as a digital product, with payments through Razorpay. Physical stock stays on your own till or website. The reply can also bring up product carousels once the person has answered.
Rules and welfare points to check
- Live animals. The law on selling live animals, including minimum ages, licences and which species may be sold, differs by country and often by region. Check yours before a post or a reply mentions availability.
- Medicines and treatments. Many places restrict flea, worm and prescription products. Say speak to staff or a vet instead of recommending a dose over a DM.
- Health claims on food. Describe what is in the bag, not what it will cure. A food cannot be promised to fix an itchy skin or a bad stomach.
- Stock accuracy. A reply that says “in stock” when the shelf is empty costs you a trip someone made for nothing. Update the STOCK message when the new-in Story goes up.
- Customers' pets. Ask before posting someone's animal, and keep names and home details out of captions.
- Keywords fire on whole words anywhere in a comment, so FOOD will answer “great food photo” under a post about something else. Attach it to the one post it belongs to.
Messages to copy
Questions people ask
Can it tell someone whether an item is in stock right now?
No. It does not read your till or your shelves. It sends the message you wrote, so keep the STOCK message current when you post a new-in Story, and let staff confirm exact availability when someone is on their way.
Can the first DM include a link to my online shop?
Not after a comment. Instagram allows only plain text in the first message to a commenter, so the DM asks a question and the card with the link follows once they reply. When someone replies to a Story or sends a DM first, the card can follow straight away.
Should an AI reply recommend a food for someone's pet?
AI replies are on the Growth and Business plans and are written only from the information you give them. Give them your range, hours and collect rules. Tell them to pass anything about an animal's health to a vet, and to say a member of staff will reply for anything else they cannot answer.
We sell on Facebook as well. Does it work there?
Yes, for a Facebook Page: comments on its posts and Messenger messages get the same keyword replies. Story replies and “Only send to followers” are Instagram only, and Facebook Groups and Marketplace chats are not covered.
A customer commented STARTER five times. Do they get five replies?
No. Each person is answered once a day per auto-reply, and comments that are only links or promotions are skipped. Meta also allows one private reply per comment, within 7 days of it.
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Answer every TANK comment in seconds
Pick a post and the word. DMFast replies under each comment, sends the DM and follows with your link once they answer, day and night. It can collect emails on the way. Free plan, no card.
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