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Introduction Get The Facts: Ten Fast Facts about

Companion Animals
Animals in Entertainment
What ’s Really in Pet Food A Rational Look at
Captive Exotic Animals
Updated May 2007 Declawing
Coexisting with Wildlife
Information on reprints » Spaying and Neutering
Companion Animals
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Fur as Fashion
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International Wildlife Plump who le chickens, cho ice cuts o f beef, fresh grains, and all the
Trade who leso me nutritio n yo ur do g o r cat will ever need.
Pet Shops
These are the images pet fo o d manufacturers pro mulgate thro ugh the
Primate Sanctuary media and advertising. This is what the $16 .1 billio n per year U.S. pet Yo ur Email
Trapping & Fur fo o d industry wants co nsumers to believe they are buying when they
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purchase their pro ducts.
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This repo rt explo res the differences between what co nsumers think they
are buying and what they are actually getting. It fo cuses in very general
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terms o n the mo st visible name brands — the pet fo o d labels that are
“Born Free” — the New
PBS Show That Will mass-distributed to supermarkets and disco unt sto res — but there are
Astound You! many highly respected brands that may be guilty o f the same o ffenses.
C anad a Pro je ct s
What mo st co nsumers do n’t kno w is that the pet fo o d industry is an
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extensio n o f the human fo o d and agriculture industries. Pet fo o d
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pro vides a co nvenient way fo r slaughterho use o ffal, grains co nsidered
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“unfit fo r human co nsumptio n,” and similar waste pro ducts to be turned
Simply Our Best into pro fit. This waste includes intestines, udders, heads, ho o ves, and
po ssibly diseased and cancero us animal parts.

T he Playe rs

The pet fo o d market has been do minated in the last few years by the
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acquisitio n o f big co mpanies by even bigger co mpanies. With $15
billio n a year at stake in the U.S. and rapidly expanding fo reign markets,
it’s no wo nder that so me are greedy fo r a larger piece o f the pie.

Nestlé’s bo ught Purina to fo rm Nestlé Purina Petcare Co mpany

(Fancy Feast, Alpo , Friskies, Mighty Do g, Do g Cho w, Cat Cho w,
Puppy Cho w, Kitten Cho w, Beneful, One, Pro Plan, DeliCat, HiPro ,
Kit’n’Kabo o dle, Tender Vittles, Purina Veterinary Diets).
Facebo o k
Del Mo nte go bbled up Heinz (Meo wMix, Gravy Train, Kibbles ’n Bits,
Wagwells, 9 Lives, Cycle, Skippy, Nature’s Recipe, and pet treats Milk
Yo uTube
Bo ne, Pup-Pero ni, Snausages, Po unce).

Twitter MasterFo o ds o wns Mars, Inc., which co nsumed Ro yal Canin

(Pedigree, Waltham’s, Cesar, Sheba, Temptatio ns, Go o dlife Recipe,
Sensible Cho ice, Excel).

Other majo r pet fo o d makers are no t best kno wn fo r pet care, altho ugh
many o f their ho useho ld and perso nal care pro ducts do use
ingredients derived fro m animal by-pro ducts:

Pro cter and Gamble (P&G) purchased The Iams Co mpany (Iams,
Eukanuba) in 19 9 9 . P&G sho rtly thereafter intro duced Iams into
gro cery sto res, where it did very well.
Co lgate-Palmo live bo ught Hill’s Science Diet (fo unded in 19 39 ) in
19 76 (Hill’s Science Diet, Prescriptio n Diets, Nature’s Best).

Private labelers (who make fo o d fo r “ho use” brands like Kro ger and
Wal-Mart) and co -packers (who pro duce fo o d fo r o ther pet fo o d
makers) are also majo r players. Three majo r co mpanies are Do ane
Pet Care, Diamo nd, and Menu Fo o ds; they pro duce fo o d fo r do zens o f
private label and brand names. Interestingly, all 3 o f these co mpanies
have been invo lved in pet fo o d recalls that sickened o r killed many pets.

Many majo r pet fo o d co mpanies in the United States are subsidiaries

o f gigantic multinatio nal co rpo ratio ns. Fro m a business standpo int, pet
fo o d fits very well with co mpanies making human pro ducts. The
multinatio nals have increased bulk-purchasing po wer; tho se that make
human fo o d pro ducts have a captive market in which to capitalize o n
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their waste pro ducts; and pet fo o d divisio ns have a mo re reliable capital
base and, in many cases, a co nvenient so urce o f ingredients.

The Pet Fo o d Institute — the trade asso ciatio n o f pet fo o d

manufacturers — has ackno wledged the use o f by-pro ducts in pet
fo o ds as additio nal inco me fo r pro cesso rs and farmers: “The gro wth o f
the pet fo o d industry no t o nly pro vided pet o wners with better fo o ds fo r
their pets, but also created pro fitable additio nal markets fo r American
farm pro ducts and fo r the bypro ducts o f the meat packing, po ultry, and
o ther fo o d industries which prepare fo o d fo r human co nsumptio n.” 1

Label Basics
There are special labeling requirements fo r pet fo o d, all o f which are
co ntained in the annually revised Official Publication o f AAFCO. 2 While
AAFCO do es no t regulate pet fo o d, it do es pro vide mo del regulatio ns
and standards that are fo llo wed by U.S. pet fo o d makers.

T he nam e o f t he f o o d pro vides the first indicatio n o f the fo o d’s

co ntent. The use o f the terms “all” o r “10 0 %” canno t be used “if the
pro duct co ntains mo re than o ne ingredient, no t including water
sufficient fo r pro cessing, decharacterizing agents, o r trace amo unts o f
preservatives and co ndiments.”

The “9 5% Rule” applies when the ingredient(s) derived fro m animals,

po ultry, o r fish co nstitutes at least 9 5% o r mo re o f the to tal weight o f
the pro duct (o r 70 % excluding water fo r pro cessing). Because all-meat
diets are no t nutritio nally balanced and cause severe deficiencies if fed
exclusively, they fell o ut o f favo r fo r many years. Ho wever, due to rising
co nsumer interest in high quality meat pro ducts, several co mpanies are
no w pro mo ting 9 5% and 10 0 % canned meats as a supplemental
feeding o ptio n.

The “dinner” pro duct is defined by the “25% Rule,” which applies when
“an ingredient o r a co mbinatio n o f ingredients co nstitutes at least 25%
o f the weight o f the pro duct (excluding water sufficient fo r pro cessing)”,
o r at least 10 % o f the dry matter weight; and a descripto r such as
“recipe,” “platter,” “entree,” and “fo rmula.” A co mbinatio n o f ingredients
included in the pro duct name is permissible when each ingredient
co mprises at least 3% o f the pro duct weight, excluding water fo r
pro cessing, and the ingredient names appear in descending o rder by
weight.

The “With” rule allo ws an ingredient name to appear o n the label, such
as “with real chicken,” as lo ng as each such ingredient co nstitutes at
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least 3% o f the fo o d by weight, excluding water fo r pro cessing.

The “flavo r” rule allo ws a fo o d to be designated as a certain flavo r as

lo ng as the ingredient(s) are sufficient to “impart a distinctive
characteristic” to the fo o d. Thus, a “beef flavo r” fo o d may co ntain a
small quantity o f digest o r o ther extract o f tissues fro m cattle, o r even
an artificial flavo r, witho ut co ntaining any actual beef meat at all.

T he ingre die nt list is the o ther majo r key to what’s really in that bag
o r can. Ingredients must be listed in descending o rder o f weight. The
ingredient names are legally defined. Fo r instance, “meat” refers to o nly
co ws, pigs, go ats and sheep, and o nly includes specified muscle
tissues. Detailed definitio ns are published in AAFCO’s Official
Publication, revised annually, but can also be fo und in many places
o nline.

T he guarant e e d analysis pro vides a very general guide to the

co mpo sitio n o f the fo o d. Crude pro tein, fat, and fiber, and to tal mo isture
are required to be listed. So me co mpanies also vo luntarily list taurine,
Omega fatty acids, magnesium, and o ther items that they deem
impo rtant — by marketing standards.

Pe t Fo o d St andards and Re gulat io ns

The Natio nal Research Co uncil (NRC) o f the Academy o f Sciences set
the nutritio nal standards fo r pet fo o d that were used by the pet fo o d
industry until the late 19 8 0 s. The o riginal NRC standards were based o n
purified diets, and required feeding trials fo r pet fo o ds claimed to be
“co mplete” and “balanced.” The pet fo o d industry fo und the feeding
trials to o restrictive and expensive, so AAFCO designed an alternate
pro cedure fo r claiming the nutritio nal adequacy o f pet fo o d, by testing
the fo o d fo r co mpliance with “Nutrient Pro files.” AAFCO also created
“expert co mmittees” fo r canine and feline nutritio n, which develo ped
separate canine and feline standards.

While feeding trials are so metimes still do ne, they are expensive and
time-co nsuming. A standard chemical analysis may also be used to
make sure that a fo o d meets the pro files. In either case, there will be a
statement o n the label stating which metho d was used. Ho wever,
because o f the “family rule” in the AAFCO bo o k, a label can say that
feeding tests were do ne if it is “similar” to a fo o d that was actually
tested o n live animals. There is no way to distinguish the lead pro duct
fro m its “family members.” The label will also state whether the pro duct
is nutritio nally adequate (co mplete and balanced), and what life stage
(adult o r gro wth) the fo o d is fo r. A fo o d that says “all life stages” meets
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the gro wth standards and can be fed to all ages.

Chemical analysis, ho wever, do es no t address the palatability,

digestibility, o r bio lo gical availability o f nutrients in pet fo o d. Thus it is
unreliable fo r determining whether a fo o d will pro vide an animal with
sufficient nutrients. To co mpensate fo r the limitatio ns o f chemical
analysis, AAFCO added a “safety facto r,” which was to exceed the
minimum amo unt o f nutrients required to meet the co mplete and
balanced requirements.

In 20 0 6 , new NRC standards were published; but it will take several

years fo r AAFCO’s pro files to be updated and ado pted, let alo ne
accepted by the states.

The pet fo o d industry lo ves to say that it’s mo re highly regulated than
human fo o d, but that’s just no t true. Pet fo o d exists in a bit o f a
regulato ry vacuum; laws are o n the bo o ks, but enfo rcement is ano ther
sto ry. The FDA has no minal autho rity o ver pet fo o ds shipped acro ss
state lines. But the real “enfo rcers” are the feed co ntro l o fficials in each
state. They are the o nes who actually lo o k at the fo o d and, in many
instances, run basic tests to make sure the fo o d meets its Guaranteed
Analysis, the chart o n the label telling ho w much pro tein, fat, mo isture,
and fiber are present. But regulatio n and enfo rcement vary
tremendo usly fro m state to state. So me, like Texas, Minneso ta, and
Kentucky, run extensive tests and strictly enfo rce their laws; o thers, like
Califo rnia, do neither.

T he Manufacturing Process: How Pet Food Is Made

Dry Fo o d

The vast majo rity o f dry fo o d is made with a machine called an extruder.
First, materials are blended in acco rdance with a recipe created with the
help o f co mputer pro grams that pro vide the nutrient co ntent o f each
pro po sed ingredient. Fo r instance, co rn gluten meal has mo re pro tein
than wheat flo ur. Because the extruder needs a co nsistent amo unt o f
starch and lo w mo isture to wo rk pro perly, dry ingredients — such as
rendered meat-and-bo ne-meal, po ultry by-pro duct meal, grains, and
flo urs — predo minate.

The do ugh is fed into the screws o f an extruder. It is subjected to steam

and high pressure as it is pushed thro ugh dies that determine the shape
o f the final pro duct, much like the no zzles used in cake deco rating. As
the ho t, pressurized do ugh exits the extruder, it is cut by a set o f rapidly
whirling knives into tiny pieces. As the do ugh reaches no rmal air

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pressure, it expands o r “puffs” into its final shape. The fo o d is allo wed
to dry, and then is usually sprayed with fat, digests, o r o ther co mpo unds
to make it mo re palatable. When it is co o led, it can be bagged.

Altho ugh the co o king pro cess kills bacteria in the ingredients, the final
pro duct can pick up mo re bacteria during the subsequent drying,
co ating, and packaging pro cess. So me experts warn that getting dry
fo o d wet can allo w the bacteria o n the surface to multiply and make pets
sick. Do no t m ix dry f o o d wit h wat e r, m ilk, canne d f o o d, o r
o t he r liquids.

A few do g fo o ds are baked at high temperatures (o ver 50 0 °F) rather

than extruded. This pro duces a sheet o f dense, crunchy material that is
then bro ken into irregular chunks, much like crumbling crackers into
so up. It is relatively palatable witho ut the sprayed-o n fats and o ther
enhancers needed o n extruded dry fo o d.

Semi-mo ist fo o ds and many pet treats are also made with an extruder.
To be appealing to co nsumers and to keep their texture, they co ntain
many additives, co lo rings, and preservatives; they are no t a go o d
cho ice fo r a pet’s primary diet.

We t Fo o d

Wet o r canned fo o d begins with gro und ingredients mixed with

additives. If chunks are required, a special extruder fo rms them. Then
the mixture is co o ked and canned. The sealed cans are then put into
co ntainers resembling pressure co o kers and co mmercial sterilizatio n
takes place. So me manufacturers co o k the fo o d right in the can.

Wet fo o ds are quite different in co ntent fro m dry o r semi-mo ist fo o ds.
While many canned fo o ds co ntain by-pro ducts o f vario us so rts, they
are “fresh” and no t rendered o r pro cessed (altho ugh they are o ften
fro zen fo r transpo rt and sto rage). Wet fo o ds usually co ntain much
mo re pro tein, and it’s o ften a little higher quality, than dry fo o ds. They
also have mo re mo isture, which is better fo r cats. They are packaged in
cans o r po uches.

Co m paring Fo o d Type s

Because o f the variatio n in water co ntent, it is impo ssible to directly

co mpare labels fro m different kinds o f fo o d witho ut a mathematical
co nversio n to “dry matter basis.” The numbers can be very deceiving.
Fo r instance, a canned fo o d co ntaining 10 % pro tein actually has much
mo re pro tein than a dry fo o d with 30 % pro tein.

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To put the fo o ds o n a level playing field, first calculate the dry matter
co ntent by subtracting the mo isture co ntent given o n the label fro m
10 0 %. Then divide the ingredient by the dry matter co ntent. Fo r
example, a typical bag o f dry cat fo o d co ntains 30 % pro tein o n the label,
but 32% o n a dry-matter basis (30 % divided by its dry matter co ntent,
10 0 -6 % mo isture = 9 4%). A can o f cat fo o d might co ntain 12% pro tein
o n the label, but almo st 43% o n a dry-matter basis (12% divided by its
dry matter co ntent, 10 0 -72% mo isture = 28 %). Dry fo o d typically
co ntains less than 10 % water, while canned fo o d co ntains 78 % o r mo re
water.

Pet Food Ingredients

Anim al Pro t e in

Do gs and cats are carnivo res, and do best o n a meat-based diet. The
pro tein used in pet fo o d co mes fro m a variety o f so urces. When cattle,
swine, chickens, lambs, o r o ther animals are slaughtered, lean muscle
tissue is trimmed away fro m the carcass fo r human co nsumptio n, alo ng
with the few o rgans that peo ple like to eat, such as to ngues and tripe.

Ho wever, abo ut 50 % o f every fo o d animal do es no t get used in human

fo o ds. Whatever remains o f the carcass — heads, feet, bo nes, blo o d,
intestines, lungs, spleens, livers, ligaments, fat trimmings, unbo rn
babies, and o ther parts no t generally co nsumed by humans — is used
in pet fo o d, animal feed, fertilizer, industrial lubricants, so ap, rubber, and
o ther pro ducts. These “o ther parts” are kno wn as “by-pro ducts.” By-
pro ducts are used in feed fo r po ultry and livesto ck as well as in pet
fo o d.

The nutritio nal quality o f by-pro ducts, meals, and digests can vary fro m
batch to batch. James Mo rris and Quinto n Ro gers, o f the University o f
Califo rnia at Davis Veterinary Scho o l, assert that, “[pet fo o d] ingredients
are generally by-pro ducts o f the meat, po ultry and fishing industries,
with the po tential fo r a wide variatio n in nutrient co mpo sitio n. Claims o f
nutritio nal adequacy o f pet fo o ds based o n the current Asso ciatio n o f
American Feed Co ntro l Officials (AAFCO) nutrient allo wances
(‘pro files’) do no t give assurances o f nutritio nal adequacy and will no t
until ingredients are analyzed and bio availability values are
inco rpo rated.” 3

Meat o r po ultry “by-pro ducts” are very co mmo n in wet pet fo o ds.
Remember that “meat” refers to o nly co ws, swine, sheep, and go ats.
Since sheep and go ats are rare co mpared to the 37 millio n co ws and
10 0 millio n ho gs slaughtered fo r fo o d every year, nearly all meat by-
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pro ducts co me fro m cattle and pigs.

The better brands o f pet fo o d, such as many “super-premium,”

“natural,” and “o rganic” varieties, do no t use by-pro ducts. On the label,
yo u’ll see o ne o r mo re named meats amo ng the first few ingredients,
such as “turkey” o r “lamb.” These meats are still mainly lefto ver scraps;
in the case o f po ultry, bo nes are allo wed, so “chicken” co nsists mainly
o f backs and frames—the spine and ribs, minus their expensive breast
meat. The small amo unt o f meat left o n the bo nes is the meat in the pet
fo o d. Even with this less-attractive so urce, pet fo o d marketers are very
tricky when talking abo ut meat, so this is explained further in the sectio n
o n “Marketing Magic” belo w.

Meat meals, po ultry meals, by-pro duct meals, and meat-and-bo ne

meal are co mmo n ingredients in dry pet fo o ds. The term “meal” means
that these materials are no t used fresh, but have been rendered. While
there are chicken, turkey, and po ultry by-pro duct meals there is no
equivalent term fo r mammal “meat by-pro duct meal” — it is called
“meat-and-bo ne-meal.” It may also be referred to by species, such as
“beef-and-bo ne-meal” o r “po rk-and-bo ne-meal.”

What is rendering? As defined by Webster’s Dictionary , to render is “to

pro cess as fo r industrial use: to render livesto ck carcasses and to
extract o il fro m fat, blubber, etc., by melting.” In o ther wo rds, raw
materials are dumped into large vat and bo iled fo r several ho urs.
Rendering separates fat, remo ves water, and kills bacteria, viruses,
parasites, and o ther o rganisms. Ho wever, the high temperatures used
(270 °F/130 °C) can alter o r destro y natural enzymes and pro teins fo und
in the raw ingredients.

Because o f persistent rumo rs that rendered by-pro ducts co ntain dead

do gs and cats, the FDA co nducted a study lo o king fo r pento barbital, the
mo st co mmo n euthanasia drug, in pet fo o ds. They fo und it. Ingredients
that were mo st co mmo nly asso ciated with the presence o f
pento barbital were meat-and-bo ne-meal and animal fat. Ho wever, they
also used very sensitive tests to lo o k fo r canine and feline DNA, which
were not fo und. Industry insiders admit that rendered pets and ro adkill
were used in pet fo o d so me years ago . Altho ugh there are still no laws
o r regulatio ns against it, the practice is unco mmo n to day, and pet fo o d
co mpanies universally deny that their pro ducts co ntain any such
materials. Ho wever, so -called “4D” animals (dead, dying, diseased,
disabled) were o nly recently banned fo r human co nsumptio n and are
still legitimate ingredients fo r pet fo o d.

Ve ge t able Pro t e in
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The amo unt o f grain and vegetable pro ducts used in pet fo o d has risen
dramatically o ver time. Plant pro ducts no w replace a co nsiderable
pro po rtio n o f the meat that was used in the earliest co mmercial pet
fo o ds. This has led to severe nutritio nal deficiencies that have been
co rrected alo ng the way, altho ugh many animals died befo re science
caught up.

Mo st dry fo o ds co ntain a large amo unt o f cereal grain o r starchy

vegetables to pro vide texture. These high-carbo hydrate plant pro ducts
also pro vide a cheap so urce o f “energy” — the rest o f us call it
“calo ries.” Gluten meals are high-pro tein extracts fro m which mo st o f
the carbo hydrate has been remo ved. They are o ften used to bo o st
pro tein percentages witho ut expensive animal-so urce ingredients. Co rn
gluten meal is the mo st co mmo nly used fo r this purpo se. Wheat gluten
is also used to create shapes like cuts, bites, chunks, shreds, flakes,
and slices, and as a thickener fo r gravy. In mo st cases, fo o ds
co ntaining vegetable pro teins are amo ng the po o rer quality fo o ds.

A recent fad, “lo w-carb” pet fo o d, has so me co mpanies steering away

fro m grains, and using po tato es, green peas, and o ther starchy
vegetables as a substitute. Except fo r animals that are allergic to grains,
dry lo w-carb diets o ffer no particular advantage to pets. They also tend
to be very high in fat and, if fed free-cho ice, will result in weight gain.
Canned versio ns are suitable fo r preventio n and treatment o f feline
diabetes, and as part o f a weight lo ss pro gram, as well as fo r
maintenance.

Anim al and Po ult ry Fat

There’s a unique, pungent o do r to a new bag o f dry pet fo o d — what is

the so urce o f that smell? It is mo st o ften rendered animal fat, o r
vegetable fats and o ils deemed inedible fo r humans. Fo r example, used
restaurant grease was rendered and ro uted to pet fo o ds fo r several
years, but a mo re lucrative market is no w in bio diesel fuel pro ductio n.

These fats are sprayed directly o nto extruded kibbles and pellets to
make an o therwise bland o r distasteful pro duct palatable. The fat also
acts as a binding agent to which manufacturers add o ther flavo r
enhancers such as “animal digests” made fro m pro cessed by-
pro ducts. Pet fo o d scientists have disco vered that animals lo ve the
taste o f these sprayed fats. Manufacturers are masters at getting a do g
o r a cat to eat so mething she wo uld no rmally turn up her no se at.

What Happe ne d t o t he Nut rie nt s?

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Co o king and o ther pro cessing o f meat and by-pro ducts used in pet
fo o d can greatly diminish their nutritio nal value, altho ugh co o king
increases the digestibility o f cereal grains and starchy vegetables.

To make pet fo o d nutritio us, pet fo o d manufacturers must “fo rtify” it with
vitamins and minerals. Why? Because the ingredients they are using are
no t who leso me, their quality may be extremely variable, and the harsh
manufacturing practices destro y many o f the nutrients the fo o d had to
begin with.

Pro teins are especially vulnerable to heat, and beco me damaged, o r

“denatured,” when co o ked. Because dry fo o ds ingredients are co o ked
twice — first during rendering and again in the extruder — pro blems are
much mo re co mmo n than with canned o r ho memade fo o ds. Altered
pro teins may co ntribute to fo o d into lerances, fo o d allergies, and
inflammato ry bo wel disease.

Addit ive s in Pro ce sse d Pe t Fo o ds

Many chemicals are added to co mmercial pet fo o ds to impro ve the

taste, stability, characteristics, o r appearance o f the fo o d. Additives
pro vide no nutritio nal value. Additives include emulsifiers to prevent
water and fat fro m separating, antio xidants to prevent fat fro m turning
rancid, and artificial co lo rs and flavo rs to make the pro duct mo re
attractive to co nsumers and mo re palatable to their co mpanio n
animals.

A wide variety o f additives are allo wed in animal feed and pet fo o d, no t
co unting vitamins and minerals. No t all o f them are actually used in pet
fo o d. Additives can be specifically appro ved, o r they can fall into the
catego ry o f “Generally Reco gnized as Safe” (GRAS).

Anticaking agents
Antigelling agents
Antimicro bial agents
Antio xidants
Co lo r additives
Co ndiments
Curing agents
Drying agents
Emulsifiers
Essential o ils
Flavo r enhancers
Flavo ring agents
Grinding agents
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 Humectants
Leavening agents
Lubricants
Palatants
Pelleting agents and binders
Petro leum derivatives
pH co ntro l agents
Preservatives
Seaso nings
Spices
Stabilizers
Sweeteners
Texturizers
Thickeners

Che m ical vs. Nat ural Pre se rvat ive s

All co mmercial pet fo o ds must be preserved so they stay fresh and

appealing to o ur animal co mpanio ns. Canning is itself a preserving
pro cess, so canned fo o ds need little o r no additio nal help. So me
preservatives are added to ingredients o r raw materials by the
suppliers, and o thers may be added by the manufacturer. The U.S.
Co ast Guard, fo r instance, requires fish meal to be heavily preserved
with etho xyquin o r equivalent antio xidant. Evidently, spo iling fish meal
creates such intense heat that ship explo sio ns and fires resulted.

Because manufacturers need to ensure that dry fo o ds have a lo ng shelf

life (typically 12 mo nths) to remain edible thro ugh shipping and sto rage,
fats used in pet fo o ds are preserved with either synthetic o r “natural”
preservatives. Synthetic preservatives include butylated hydro xyaniso le
(BHA) and butylated hydro xyto luene (BHT), pro pyl gallate, pro pylene
glyco l (also used as a less-to xic versio n o f auto mo tive antifreeze), and
etho xyquin. Fo r these antio xidants, there is little info rmatio n
do cumenting their to xicity, safety, interactio ns, o r chro nic use in pet
fo o ds that may be eaten every day fo r the life o f the animal. Pro pylene
glyco l was banned in cat fo o d because it causes anemia in cats, but it
is still allo wed in do g fo o d.

Po tentially cancer-causing agents such as BHA, BHT, and etho xyquin

are permitted at relatively lo w levels. The use o f these chemicals in pet
fo o ds has no t been tho ro ughly studied, and lo ng term build-up o f these
agents may ultimately be harmful. Due to questio nable data in the
o riginal study o n its safety, etho xyquin’s manufacturer, Mo nsanto , was
required to perfo rm a new, mo re rigo ro us study. This was co mpleted in
19 9 6 . Even tho ugh Mo nsanto fo und no significant to xicity asso ciated
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with its o wn pro duct, in July 19 9 7 the FDA’s Center fo r Veterinary
Medicine requested that manufacturers vo luntarily reduce the maximum
level fo r etho xyquin by half, to 75 parts per millio n. While so me pet fo o d
critics and veterinarians believe that etho xyquin is a majo r cause o f
disease, skin pro blems, and infertility in do gs, o thers claim it is the
safest, stro ngest, mo st stable preservative available fo r pet fo o d.
Etho xyquin is appro ved fo r use in human fo o d fo r preserving spices,
such as cayenne and chili po wder, at a level o f 10 0 ppm — but it wo uld
be very difficult fo r even the mo st hard-co re spice lo ver to co nsume as
much chili po wder every day as a do g wo uld eat dry fo o d. Etho xyquin
has never been tested fo r safety in cats. Despite this, it is co mmo nly
used in veterinary diets fo r bo th cats and do gs.

Many pet fo o d makers have respo nded to co nsumer co ncern, and are
no w using “natural” preservatives such as Vitamin C (asco rbate),
Vitamin E (mixed to co phero ls), and o ils o f ro semary, clo ve, o r o ther
spices, to preserve the fats in their pro ducts. The shelf life is sho rter,
ho wever — o nly abo ut 6 mo nths.

Individual ingredients, such as fish meal, may have preservatives added

befo re they reach the pet fo o d manufacturer. Federal law requires fat
preservatives to be disclo sed o n the label; ho wever, pet fo o d
co mpanies do no t always co mply with this law.

Danger Ahead
Po t e nt ial Co nt am inant s

Given the types o f things manufacturers put in pet fo o d, it is no t

surprising that bad things so metimes happen. Ingredients used in pet
fo o d are o ften highly co ntaminated with a wide variety o f to xic
substances. So me o f these are destro yed by pro cessing, but o thers are
no t.

Bact e ria. Slaughtered animals, as well as tho se that have died

because o f disease, injury, o r natural causes, are so urces o f meat,
by-pro ducts, and rendered meals. An animal that died o n the farm
might no t reach a rendering plant until days after its death. Therefo re
the carcass is o ften co ntaminated with bacteria such as Salmonella
and E. coli . Dangero us E. Coli bacteria are estimated to co ntaminate
mo re than 50 % o f meat meals. While the co o king pro cess may kill
bacteria, it do es no t eliminate the endo to xins so me bacteria
pro duce during their gro wth. These to xins can survive pro cessing,
and can cause sickness and disease. Pet fo o d manufacturers do
no t test their pro ducts fo r bacterial endo to xins. Because sick o r
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 dead animals can be pro cessed as pet fo o ds, the drugs that were
used to treat o r euthanize them may still be present in the end
pro duct. Penicillin and pento barbital are just two examples o f drugs
that can pass thro ugh pro cessing unchanged. Antibio tics used in
livesto ck pro ductio n are also tho ught to co ntribute to antibio tic
resistance in humans.

Myco t o xins. To xins fro m mo ld o r fungi are called myco to xins.

Mo dern farming practices, adverse weather co nditio ns, and
impro per drying and sto rage o f cro ps can co ntribute to mo ld gro wth.
Pet fo o d ingredients that are mo st likely to be co ntaminated with
myco to xins are grains such as wheat and co rn, and fish meal.

Che m ical Re sidue . Pesticides and fertilizers may leave residue o n

plant pro ducts. Grains that are co ndemned fo r human co nsumptio n
by the USDA due to residue may legally be used, witho ut limitatio n,
in pet fo o d.

GMOs. Genetically mo dified plant pro ducts are also o f co ncern. By

20 0 6 , 8 9 % o f the planted area o f so ybeans, 8 3% o f co tto n, and
6 1% o f maize (co rn) in the U.S. were genetically mo dified varieties.
Co tto nseed meal is a co mmo n ingredient o f cattle feed; so y and
co rn are used directly in many pet fo o ds.

Acrylam ide . This is a carcino genic co mpo und fo rmed at co o king

temperatures o f abo ut 250 °F in fo o ds co ntaining certain sugars and
the amino acid asparagine (fo und in large amo unts in po tato es and
cereal grains). It is fo rmed in a chemical pro cess called the Maillard
reactio n.4, 5 Mo st dry pet fo o ds co ntain cereal grains o r po tato es,
and they are pro cessed at high temperatures (20 0 –30 0 °F at high
pressure during extrusio n; baked fo o ds are co o ked at well o ver
50 0 °F); these are perfect co nditio ns fo r the Maillard reactio n. In fact,
the Maillard reactio n is co nsidered desirable in the pro ductio n o f pet
fo o d because it imparts a palatable taste, even tho ugh it reduces the
bio availability o f so me amino acids, including taurine and lysine.6
The co ntent and po tential effects o f acrylamide fo rmatio n in pet
fo o ds are unkno wn.

Pe t Fo o d Re calls

When things go really wro ng and serio us pro blems are disco vered in
pet fo o d, the co mpany usually wo rks with the FDA to co o rdinate a recall
o f the affected pro ducts. While many recalls have been widely
publicized, quite a few have no t.

In 19 9 5, Nature’s Recipe recalled almo st a millio n po unds o f dry

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do g and cat fo o d after co nsumers co mplained that their pets were
vo miting and lo sing their appetite. The pro blem was a fungus that
pro duced vo mito xin co ntaminating the wheat.

In 19 9 9 , Do ane Pet Care recalled mo re than a millio n bags o f co rn-

based dry do g fo o d co ntaminated with aflato xin. Pro ducts included
Ol’ Ro y (Wal-Mart’s brand) and 53 o ther brands. This time, the to xin
killed 25 do gs.

In 20 0 0 , Iams recalled 248 ,0 0 0 po unds o f dry do g fo o d distributed

in 7 states due to excess DL-Methio nine Amino Acid, a urinary
acidifier.
In 20 0 3, a recall was made by Petcurean “Go ! Natural” pet fo o d due
to circumstantial asso ciatio n with so me do gs suffering fro m liver
disease; no cause was ever fo und.

In late 20 0 5, a similar recall by Diamo nd Fo o ds was anno unced;

this time the mo ldy co rn co ntained a particularly nasty fungal pro duct
called aflato xin; 10 0 do gs died.

Also in 20 0 5, 123,0 0 0 po unds o f cat and do g treats were recalled

due to Salmonella co ntaminatio n.

In 20 0 6 , mo re than 5 millio n cans o f Ol’ Ro y, American Fare, and

o ther do g fo o ds distributed in the so utheast were recalled by the
manufacturer, Simmo ns Pet Fo o d, because the cans’ enamel lining
was flaking o ff into the fo o d.

Also in 20 0 6 , Merrick Pet Care recalled almo st 20 0 ,0 0 0 cans o f

“Wingalings” do g fo o d when metal tags were fo und in so me
samples.

In the mo st deadly recall o f 20 0 6 , 4 prescriptio n canned do g and cat

fo o ds were recalled by Ro yal Canin (o wned by Mars). The culprit
was a serio us o verdo se o f Vitamin D that caused calcium deficiency
and kidney disease.

In February 20 0 7, the FDA issued a warning to co nsumers no t to

buy “Wild Kitty,” a fro zen fo o d co ntaining raw meat. Ro utine testing
by FDA had revealed Salmonella in the fo o d. FDA specifically warned
abo ut the po tential fo r illness in humans, no t pets. There were no
repo rts o f illness o r death o f any pets, and the fo o d was no t
recalled.

In March 20 0 7, the mo st lethal pet fo o d in histo ry was the subject o f

the largest recall ever. Menu Fo o ds recalled mo re than 10 0 brands
including Iams, Eukanuba, Hill’s Science Diet, Purina Mighty Do g,

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 and many sto re brands including Wal-Mart’s. Tho usands o f pets
were sickened (the FDA received mo re than 17,0 0 0 repo rts) and an
estimated 20 % died fro m acute renal failure caused by the fo o d. Cats
were mo re frequently and mo re severely affected than do gs. The
to xin was initially believed to be a pesticide, the rat po iso n
“amino pterin” in o ne o f the ingredients. In April, scientists disco vered
high levels o f melamine, a chemical used in plastics and fertilizers,
in wheat gluten and rice pro tein co ncentrate impo rted fro m China.
The melamine had been purpo sefully added to the ingredients to
falsely bo o st their pro tein co ntent. Subsequent tests revealed that
the melamine-tainted ingredients had also been used in feed fo r
co ws, pigs, and chickens and tho usands o f animals were
quarantined and destro yed. In early May, scientists identified the
cause o f the rapid o nset kidney disease that had appeared in do gs
and cats as a reactio n caused by the co mbinatio n o f melamine and
cyanuric acid, bo th unautho rized chemicals. The fallo ut fro m this
recall is o ngo ing as o f May 20 0 7 so please be sure to check the
FDA website fo r the mo st recent updates.

Nut rit io n-Re lat e d Dise ase s

The idea that o ne pet fo o d pro vides all the nutritio n a co mpanio n
animal will ever need fo r its entire life is a dangero us myth.

To day, the diets o f cats and do gs are a far cry fro m the variable meat-
based diets that their ancesto rs ate. The unpleasant results o f grain-
based, pro cessed, year-in and year-o ut diets are co mmo n. Health
pro blems asso ciated with diet include:

Urinary t ract dise ase . Plugs, crystals, and sto nes are mo re
co mmo n in cats eating dry diets, due to the chro nic dehydratio n and
highly co ncentrated urine they cause. “Struvite” sto nes used to be
the mo st co mmo n type in cats, but ano ther mo re dangero us type,
calcium o xalate, has increased and is no w tied with struvite.
Manipulatio n o f manufactured cat fo o d fo rmulas to increase the
acidity o f urine has caused the switch. Do gs can also fo rm sto nes
as a result o f their diet.

Kidne y dise ase . Chro nic dehydratio n asso ciated with dry diets
may also be a co ntributing facto r in the develo pment o f kidney
disease and chro nic renal failure in o lder cats. Cats have a lo w thirst
drive; in the wild they wo uld get mo st o f their water fro m their prey.
Cats eating dry fo o d do no t drink eno ugh water to make up fo r the
lack o f mo isture in the fo o d. Cats o n dry fo o d diets drink mo re water,
but the total water intake o f a cat eating canned fo o d is twice as

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great.7

De nt al dise ase . Co ntrary to the myth pro pagated by pet fo o d

co mpanies, dry fo o d is no t go o d fo r teeth.8 Given that the vast
majo rity o f pets eat dry fo o d, yet the mo st co mmo n health pro blem
in pets is dental disease, this sho uld be o bvio us. Humans do no t
flo ss with crackers, and dry fo o d do es no t clean the teeth.

Obe sit y. Feeding reco mmendatio ns o r instructio ns o n the

packaging are so metimes inflated so that the co nsumer will end up
feeding — and purchasing — mo re fo o d. One o f the mo st co mmo n
health pro blems in pets, o besity, may also be related to high-carb,
high-calo rie dry fo o ds. Bo th do gs and cats respo nd to lo w-carb wet
fo o d diets. Overweight pets are mo re pro ne to arthritis, heart
disease, and diabetes. Dry cat fo o d is no w co nsidered the cause o f
feline diabetes; preventio n and treatment include switching to a high
pro tein, high mo isture, lo w-carb diet.

Chro nic dige st ive pro ble m s. Chro nic vo miting, diarrhea,
co nstipatio n, and inflammato ry bo wel disease are amo ng the mo st
frequent illnesses treated. These are o ften the result o f an allergy o r
into lerance to pet fo o d ingredients. The market fo r “limited antigen”
o r “no vel pro tein” diets is no w a multi-millio n do llar business.
These diets were fo rmulated to address the increasing into lerance to
co mmercial fo o ds that pets have develo ped. Even so , an animal that
tends to develo p allergies can develo p allergies to the new
ingredients, to o . One twist is the truly “hypo allergenic” fo o d that has
had all its pro teins artificially cho pped into pieces smaller than can
be reco gnized and reacted to by the immune system. Yet there are
do cumented cases o f animals beco ming allergic to this fo o d, to o . It
is impo rtant to change brands, flavo rs, and pro tein so urces every
few mo nths to prevent pro blems.

Blo at . Feeding o nly o ne meal per day can cause the irritatio n o f the
eso phagus by sto mach acid, and appears to be asso ciated with
gastric dilitatio n and vo lvulus (canine blo at). Feeding two o r mo re
smaller meals is better.

He art dise ase . An o ften-fatal heart disease in cats and so me do gs

is no w kno wn to be caused by a deficiency o f the amino acid taurine.
Blindness is ano ther sympto m o f taurine deficiency. This deficiency
was due to inadequate amo unts o f taurine in cat fo o d fo rmulas,
which in turn had o ccurred due to decreased amo unts o f animal
pro teins and increased reliance o n carbo hydrates. Cat fo o ds are
no w supplemented with taurine. New research suggests that so me

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 do g breeds are susceptible to the same co nditio n. Supplementing
taurine may also be helpful fo r do gs, but as yet few manufacturers
are adding extra taurine to do g fo o d.

Hype rt hyro idism . There is also evidence that hyperthyro idism in

cats may be related to diet. This is a relatively new disease that first
surfaced in the 19 70 s. So me experts theo rize that excess io dine in
co mmercial cat fo o d is a facto r. New research also po ints to a link
between the disease and po p-to p cans, and flavo rs including fish o r
“giblets.” This is a serio us disease, and treatment is expensive.

Many nutritio nal pro blems appeared with the po pularity o f cereal-based
co mmercial pet fo o ds. So me have o ccurred because the diet was
inco mplete. Altho ugh several ingredients are no w supplemented, we do
no t kno w what ingredients future researchers may disco ver that sho uld
have been supplemented in pet fo o ds all alo ng. Other pro blems may
o ccur fro m reactio ns to additives. Others are a result o f co ntaminatio n
with bacteria, mo ld, drugs, o r o ther to xins. In so me diseases the ro le o f
co mmercial pet fo o d is understo o d; in o thers, it is no t. The bo tto m line
is that diets co mpo sed primarily o f lo w quality cereals and rendered
meals are no t as nutritio us o r safe as yo u sho uld expect fo r yo ur cat o r
do g.

Pet Food Industry Secrets

Co -Packing

The 20 0 7 Menu Fo o ds recall bro ught to light so me o f the pet fo o d

industry’s dirtiest secrets.

Mo st peo ple were surprised — and appalled — to learn that all

Iams/Eukanuba canned fo o ds are no t made by The Iams Co mpany at
all. In fact, in 20 0 3 Iams signed an exclusive 10 -year co ntract fo r the
pro ductio n o f 10 0 % o f its canned fo o ds by Menu.

This type o f deal is called “co -packing.” One co mpany makes the fo o d,
but puts so meo ne else’s label o n it. This is a very co mmo n
arrangement in the pet fo o d industry. It was first illustrated by the
Do ane’s and Diamo nd recalls, when do zens o f private labels were
invo lved. But no ne were as large o r as “reputable” as Iams, Eukanuba,
Hill’s, Purina, Nutro , and o ther high-end, so -called “premium” fo o ds.

The big questio n raised by this arrangement is whether o r no t there is

any real difference between the expensive premium brands and the
lo wliest generics. The recalled pro ducts all co ntained the suspect
ingredient, wheat gluten, but they also all co ntained by-pro ducts o f
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so me kind, including specified by-pro ducts such as liver o r giblets.

It’s true that a pet fo o d co mpany that co ntracts with a co -packer can
pro vide its o wn ingredients, o r it can require the co ntracto r to buy
particular ingredients to use in its recipes. But part o f the attractio n o f
using a co -packer is that it can buy ingredients in larger bulk than any
o ne pet fo o d maker co uld o n its o wn, making the pro cess cheaper and
the pro fits larger. It’s likely that with many o f the ingredients that cro ss all
types o f pet fo o ds, tho se ingredients are the same.

Are o ne co mpany’s pro ducts — made in the same plant o n the same
equipment with ingredients called the same name — really “better” than
ano ther’s? That’s what the makers o f expensive brands want yo u to
think. The recalled premium brands claim that Menu makes their fo o ds
“acco rding to pro prietary recipes using specified ingredients,” and that
“co ntract manufacturers must fo llo w strict quality standards.” Indeed,
the co ntracts undo ubtedly include tho se po ints. But o ut in the real wo rld,
things may no t go acco rding to plan. Ho w well are machines cleaned
between batches, ho w carefully are ingredients mixed, and just ho w
particular are minimum-wage wo rkers in a dirty smelly jo b go ing to be
abo ut getting everything just perfect?

Whatever the differences are between cheap and high-end fo o d, o ne

thing is clear. The purchase price o f pet fo o d do es no t always
determine whether a pet fo o d is go o d o r bad o r even safe. Ho wever,
the very cheapest fo o ds can be co unted o n to have the very cheapest
ingredients. Fo r example, Ol’ Ro y, Wal-Mart’s sto re brand, has no w
been invo lved in 3 serio us recalls.

Menu manufactures canned fo o ds fo r many co mpanies that weren’t

affected by the recall, including Nature's Variety, Wellness, Casto r &
Po llux, Newman's Own Organics, Wyso ng, Inno va, and EaglePack. It’s
easy to see fro m their ingredient lists that tho se pro ducts are made
fro m co mpletely different ingredients and pro po rtio ns. Again, the issue
o f cleaning the machinery o ut between batches co mes up, but ho pefully
no thing so lethal will pass fro m o ne fo o d to ano ther.

Anim al Te st ing

Ano ther unpleasant practice expo sed by this recall is pet fo o d testing
o n live animals. Menu's o wn lab animals, who were deliberately fed the
tainted fo o d, were the first kno wn victims. Tests began o n February 27
(already a week after the first repo rts); animals started to die painfully
fro m kidney failure a few days later. After the first media repo rts, Menu
quickly changed its sto ry to call these experiments “taste tests.” But

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Menu has do ne live animal feeding, metabo lic energy, palatability, and
o ther tests fo r Iams and o ther co mpanies fo r years. Video tapes reveal
the animals’ lives in barren metal cages; callo us treatment; invasive
experiments; and careless cruelty.

Altho ugh feeding trials are no t required fo r a fo o d to meet the

requirements fo r labeling a fo o d “co mplete and balanced,” many
manufacturers use live animals to perfo rm palatability studies when
develo ping a new pet fo o d. One set o f animals is fed a new fo o d while
a “co ntro l” gro up is fed a current fo rmula. The to tal vo lume eaten is
used as a gauge fo r the palatability o f the fo o d. So me co mpanies use
feeding trials, which are co nsidered to be a much mo re accurate
assessment o f the actual nutritio nal value o f the fo o d. They keep large
co lo nies o f do gs and cats fo r this purpo se, o r use testing labo rato ries
that have their o wn animals.

There is a new mo vement to ward using co mpanio n animals in their

ho mes fo r palatability and o ther studies. In 20 0 6 , The Iams Co mpany
anno unced that it was cutting the use o f canine and feline lab animals
by 70 %. While it pro claims this mo ral victo ry, the real reaso ns fo r this
switch are likely financial. Whatever the reaso ns, it is a very po sitive
step fo r the animals.

Finally, it is impo rtant to remember that the co ntaminatio n that o ccurred

in the Menu Fo o ds recall co uld have happened anywhere at any time. It
was no t Menu’s fault; the to xin was unusual and unexpected. All
co mpanies have quality co ntro l standards and they do test ingredients
fo r co mmo n to xins befo re using them. They also test the final pro ducts.
Ho wever, there is a baseline risk inherent in using the raw materials that
go into pet fo o ds. When there are 11 recalls in 12 years, it’s clear that
“freak o ccurrences” are the rule, no t the exceptio n.

Marke t ing Magic

A trip do wn the pet fo o d aisle will bo ggle the mind with all the wo nderful
claims made by pet fo o d makers fo r their reperto ire o f pro ducts.
Kno wing the nature o f the ingredients helps so rt o ut so me o f the mo re
o utrageo us claims, but what’s the truth behind all this hype?

Niche claim s. Indo o r cat, canine athlete, Persian, 7-year o ld,

Blo o dho und, o r a pet with a tender tummy, to o much flab, arthritis, o r
itchy feet — no matter what, there’s a fo o d “designed” just fo r that
pet’s perso nal needs. Niche marketing has arrived in a big way in the
pet fo o d industry. Peo ple like to feel special, and a pro duct with
specific appeal is bo und to sell better than a general pro duct like

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“puppy fo o d.” The reality is that there are o nly two basic standards
against which all pet fo o ds are measured: adult and gro wth, which
includes gestatio n and lactatio n. Everything else is marketing.

“Nat ural” and “Organic” claim s. The definitio n o f “natural”

ado pted by AAFCO is very bro ad, and allo ws fo r artificially
pro cessed ingredients that mo st o f us wo uld co nsider very
unnatural indeed. The term “o rganic”, o n the o ther hand, has a very
strict legal definitio n under the USDA Natio nal Organic Pro gram.
Ho wever, so me co mpanies are adept at evading the intent o f bo th
o f these rules. Fo r instance, the name o f the co mpany o r pro duct
may be intentio nally misleading. So me co mpanies use terms such
as “Nature” o r “Natural” o r even “Organic” in the brand name,
whether o r no t their pro ducts fit the definitio ns. Co nsumers sho uld
also be aware that the term “o rganic” do es no t imply anything at all
abo ut animal welfare; pro ducts fro m co ws and chickens can be
o rganic, yet the animals themselves are still just “pro ductio n units”
in eno rmo us facto ry farms.

Ingre die nt qualit y claim s. A lo t o f pet fo o ds claim they co ntain

“human grade” ingredients. This is a co mpletely meaningless term
— which is why the pet fo o d co mpanies get away with using it. The
same applies to “USDA inspected” o r similar phrases. The
implicatio n is that the fo o d is made using ingredients that are
passed by the USDA fo r human co nsumptio n, but there are many
ways aro und this. Fo r instance, a facility might be USDA-inspected
during the day, but the pet fo o d is made at night after the inspecto r
go es ho me. The use o f such terms sho uld be viewed as a “Hype
Alert.”

“Me at is t he f irst ingre die nt ” claim . A claim that a named meat

(chicken, lamb, etc.) is the #1 ingredient is generally seen fo r dry
fo o d. Ingredients are listed o n the label by weight, and raw chicken
weighs a lo t, since co ntains a lo t o f water. If yo u lo o k further do wn
the list, yo u’re likely to see ingredients such as chicken o r po ultry by-
pro duct meal, meat-and-bo ne meal, co rn gluten meal, so ybean
meal, o r o ther high-pro tein meal. Meals have had the fat and water
remo ved, and basically co nsist o f a dry, lightweight pro tein po wder.
It do esn’t take much raw chicken to weigh mo re than a great big pile
o f this po wder, so in reality the fo o d is based o n the pro tein meal,
with very little “chicken” to be fo und. This has beco me a very po pular
marketing gimmick, even in premium and “health fo o d” type brands.
Since just abo ut everybo dy is no w using it, any meaning it may have
had is so watered-do wn that yo u may just as well igno re it.

Spe cial ingre die nt claim s. Many o f the high-end pet fo o ds to day
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 Spe cial ingre die nt claim s. Many o f the high-end pet fo o ds to day
rely o n the marketing appeal o f peo ple-fo o d ingredients such as
fruits, herbs, and vegetables. Ho wever, the amo unts o f these items
actually present in the fo o d are small; and the items themselves may
be scraps and rejects fro m pro cesso rs o f human fo o ds — no t the
who le, fresh ingredients they want yo u to picture. Such ingredients
do n’t pro vide a significant health benefit and are really a marketing
gimmick.

Pet fo o d marketing and advertising has beco me extremely

so phisticated o ver the last few years. It’s impo rtant to kno w what is
hype and what is real to make info rmed decisio ns abo ut what to feed
yo ur pets.

What Consumers Can Do

Write o r call pet fo o d co mpanies and the Pet Fo o d Institute and
express yo ur co ncerns abo ut co mmercial pet fo o ds. Demand that
manufacturers impro ve the quality o f ingredients in their pro ducts.

Print o ut a co py o f this repo rt fo r yo ur veterinarian to further his o r

her kno wledge abo ut co mmercial pet fo o d.

Direct yo ur family and friends with co mpanio n animals to this

website, to alert them o f the dangers o f co mmercial pet fo o d. Print
o ut co pies o f o ur Fact Sheet o n Selecting a Go o d Co mmercial
Fo o d. (Yo u may also do wnlo ad this fact sheet as a pdf.)

Sto p buying co mmercial pet fo o d; o r at least sto p buying dry fo o d.

Dry fo o ds have been the subject o f many mo re recalls, and have
many adverse health effects. If that is no t po ssible, reduce the
quantity o f co mmercial pet fo o d and supplement with fresh, o rganic
fo o ds, especially meat. Purchase o ne o r mo re o f the many bo o ks
available o n pet nutritio n and make yo ur o wn fo o d. Be sure that a
veterinarian o r a nutritio nist has checked the recipes to ensure that
they are balanced fo r lo ng-term use.

If yo u wo uld like to learn abo ut ho w to make healthy fo o d fo r yo ur

co mpanio n animal, read up o n "Sample Diets," which co ntains
simple recipes and impo rtant nutritio nal info rmatio n.

Please be aware that Bo rn Free USA is no t a veterinary ho spital,

clinic, o r service. Bo rn Free USA do es no t and will no t o ffer any
medical advice. If yo u have co ncerns abo ut yo ur co mpanio n
animal’s health o r nutritio nal requirements, please co nsult yo ur
veterinarian.

Because pet fo o d manufacturers frequently change the fo rmulatio ns o f

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their pro ducts and Bo rn Free USA wo uld no t have co nducted the
necessary testing, we are unable to o ffer endo rsements fo r particular
brands o f pet fo o d. Many o f o ur staff cho o se to make their o wn pet
fo o d o r to purchase natural o r o rganic pro ducts fo und in mo st feed and
specialist sto res but we canno t reco mmend brands that wo uld be right
fo r yo ur co mpanio n animal o r animals.

For Further Reading about Animal Nutrition

Bo rn Free USA reco mmends the fo llo wing bo o ks (listed in alphabetical
o rder by autho r), many o f which include recipes fo r ho me-prepared
diets:

Michelle Bernard. 20 0 3. Raising Cats Naturally — How to Care for

Your Cat the Way Nature Intended . Available at
www.raisingcatsnaturally.co m.

Chiclet T. Do g and Jan Rasmusen. 20 0 6 . Scared Poopless: The

Straight Scoop on Dog Care. Available at www.do gs4do gs.co m.
ISBN-10 : 0 9 77126 50 1, ISBN-13: 9 78 -0 9 77126 50 7.

Rudi Edalati. 20 0 1. Barker’s Grub: Easy, Wholesome Home-Cooking

for Dogs. ISBN-10 : 0 6 0 9 8 0 4421, ISBN-13: 9 78 -0 6 0 9 8 0 4421.

Jean Ho fve, DVM. 20 0 7. What Cats Should Eat . Available at

www.littlebigcat.co m.

Richard H. Pitcairn, DVM, and Susan Hubble Pitcairn. 20 0 5. Dr.

Pitcairn’s New Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats.
Ro dale Press, Inc. ISBN-10 : 1579 549 73X, ISBN-13: 9 78 -
1579 549 732. No te: The recipes fo r cats were no t revised in this new
editio n and date back to 20 0 0 ; they may co ntain to o much grain,
acco rding to recent research.

Kate So listi. 20 0 4. The Holistic Animal Handbook: A Guidebook to

Nutrition, Health, and Communication. Co uncil Oaks Bo o ks. ISBN-
10 : 157178 1536 , ISBN-13: 9 78 -157178 1536 .

Do nald R. Stro mbeck. 19 9 9 . Home-Prepared Dog & Cat Diets: The

Healthful Alternative. Io wa State University Press. ISBN-10 :
0 8 138 2149 5, ISBN-13: 9 78 -0 8 138 2149 8 . No te: Veterinary
nutritio nists have suggested that the taurine and calcium are to o lo w
in so me o f these recipes. Clam juice and sardines are po o r so urces
o f taurine; use taurine capsules instead.

Celeste Yarnall. 20 0 0 , Natural Cat Care: A Complete Guide to

Holistic Health Care for Cats; and 19 9 8 , Natural Dog Care: A
Complete Guide to Holistic Health Care for Dogs. Available at
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 www.celestialpets.co m.

The bo o ks listed abo ve are a fractio n o f all the titles currently available,
and the o missio n o f a title do es no t necessarily mean it is no t useful
fo r further reading abo ut animal nutritio n.

Ple ase no t e : Bo rn Free USA is no t a bo o kseller, and canno t sell o r

send these bo o ks to yo u. Please co ntact yo ur lo cal bo o k retailer o r an
o nline bo o ksto re, who can supply these bo o ks based o n the ISBN
pro vided fo r each title.

Who to Write
AAFCO Pe t Fo o d Co m m it t e e
David Syverso n, Chair
Minneso ta Department o f Agriculture
Dairy and Fo o d Inspectio n Divisio n
6 25 Ro bert Street No rth
St. Paul, MN 55155-2538
www.aafco .o rg

FDA — Ce nt e r f o r Ve t e rinary Me dicine

Sharo n Benz
750 0 Standish Place
Ro ckville, MD 20 8 55
30 1-59 4-1728
www.fda.go v/cvm/

Pe t Fo o d Inst it ut e
20 25 M Street, NW, Suite 8 0 0
Washingto n, DC 20 0 36
20 2-36 7-1120
20 2-36 7-2120 fax

References
Asso ciatio n o f American Feed Co ntro l Officials Inco rpo rated. Official
Publication 20 0 7. Atlanta: AAFCO, 20 0 7.

Case LP, Carey DP, Hirakawa DA. Canine and Feline Nutrition: A
Resource for Companion Animal Professionals. St. Lo uis: Mo sby, 19 9 5.

FDA Enfo rcement Repo rts, 19 9 8 -20 0 7. www.fda.go v.

Hand MS, Thatcher CD, Remillard RL, et al., eds. Small Animal Clinical
Nutrition, 4th Edition. 20 0 2. To peka, KS: Mark Mo rris Institute.
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Lo gan, et al., Dental Disease, in: Hand et al., ibid .

Mahmo ud AL. To xigenic fungi and myco to xin co ntent in po ultry feedstuff
ingredients. J Basic Microbiol , 19 9 3; 33(2): 10 1–4.

Mo rris JG, and Ro gers QR. Assessment o f the Nutritio nal Adequacy o f
Pet Fo o ds Thro ugh the Life Cycle. Journal of Nutrition , 19 9 4; 124:
2520 S–2533S.

Mo ttram DS, Wedzicha BL, Do dso n AT. Acrylamide is fo rmed in the

Maillard reactio n. Nature, 20 0 2 Oct 3; 419 (6 9 0 6 ): 448 –9 .

Pet Fo o d Institute. Fact Sheet 1994 . Washingto n: Pet Fo o d Institute,

19 9 4.

Phillips T. Rendered Pro ducts Guide. Petfood Industry , January/February

19 9 4, 12–17, 21.

Ro udebush P. Pet fo o d additives. J Amer Vet Med Assoc , 20 3 (19 9 3):

16 6 7–16 70 .

Seefelt SL, Chapman TE. Bo dy water co ntent and turno ver in cats fed
dry and canned ratio ns. Am J Vet Res , 19 79 Feb; 40 (2): 18 3–5.

Stro mbeck, DR. Home-Prepared Dog and Cat Foods: The Healthful
Alternative. Ames: Io wa State University Press, 19 9 9 .

Tareke E, Rydberg P, Karlsso n P, et al. Analysis o f acrylamide, a

carcino gen fo rmed in heated fo o dstuffs. J Agric Food Chem , 20 0 2 Aug
14; 50 (17): 49 9 8 –50 0 6 .

Zo ran D. The carnivo re co nnectio n to nutritio n in cats. J Amer Vet Med

Assoc, 20 0 2 Dec 1; 221(11): 1559 –6 7.

Notes
1. Pet Fo o d Institute. Fact Sheet 1994 . Washingto n: Pet Fo o d
Institute, 19 9 4.

2. Asso ciatio n o f American Feed Co ntro l Officials. Official

Publication, 20 0 7. Regulatio n PE3, 120 –121.

3. Mo rris, James G., and Quinto n R. Ro gers. Assessment o f the

Nutritio nal Adequacy o f Pet Fo o ds Thro ugh the Life Cycle.
Journal of Nutrition , 124 (19 9 4): 2520 S–2533S.

4. Tareke E, Rydberg P, Karlsso n P, et al. Analysis o f acrylamide, a

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 carcino gen fo rmed in heated fo o dstuffs. J Agric Food Chem ,
20 0 2 Aug 14; 50 (17): 49 9 8 –50 0 6 .

5. Mo ttram DS, Wedzicha BL, Do dso n AT. Acrylamide is fo rmed in

the Maillard reactio n. Nature, 20 0 2 Oct 3; 419 (6 9 0 6 ): 448 –9 .

6 . Hand MS, Thatcher CD, Remillard RL, et al., eds. Small Animal
Clinical Nutrition, 4th Edition. 20 0 2. To peka, KS: Mark Mo rris
Institute.

7. Seefelt SL, Chapman TE. Bo dy water co ntent and turno ver in

cats fed dry and canned ratio ns. Am J Vet Res , 19 79 Feb; 40 (2):
18 3–5.

8 . Lo gan, et al., Dental Disease, in: Hand et al., eds., Small Animal
Clinical Nutrition, Fourth Edition. To peka, KS: Mark Mo rris
Institute, 20 0 0 .

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