Dangers in pet food

[cassie]

www.globalanimal.org/2011/08/17/dangers-lurking-in-pet-food/48422/

I wasn't sure if this was better for here or diet and nutrition. I feed mostly raw but I do feed kibble sometimes. I have my kibble delivered from a local person who has sourced a safe kibble from the manufacturer. I think that is one way to control for this sort of thing. By the time you get your kibble in the pet store it's origins can be obscure. Also as in the case of Natura, they sell off the company along with the quality and you don't find out till it is too late. They can change everything about the formula and can continue to sell it in the package with the the ingredients and analysis of the old formula for at least one year. Ask around in your area to find someone who might be sourcing from manufacturer and knows about the kibble they are selling you.

[Shadowlands]

sometimes it isn't the company itself but the supplier of the ingredients. Some ingredients are only able to be bought from overseas. It is simply not made in North America. When those ingredients are "bad" then all the food made with that batch are "bad" and that can include hundreds of dog food manufacturers.

[cassie]

, yes exactly my point. When you have someone who is dealing direct with the manufacturer and knows the philosophy, sourcing, and every other pertinent fact about that food you have much better chance of it being what you expect it to be.

[trinitydobes]

Great Post Cassie - its not only our dog food but the treats and dog biscuits we give our guys as well - I refuse to buy anything manufactured or produced in China!

[Shadowlands]

That would be my point Gail. A fair amount of the minerals and vitamins put in ALL brands of dog foods and treats are purchased from overseas. They simply are not manufactured here. So regardless of whether I know the local company personally and like that they make small batches etc...a recall of any of the minerals etc will hit many dog food manufacturers regardless of how careful we are with our choices.

[HEXE- TINA]

Aug 18, 2011 11:36:28 GMT -5 Shadowlands said:

sometimes it isn't the company itself but the supplier of the ingredients. Some ingredients are only able to be bought from overseas. It is simply not made in North America. When those ingredients are "bad" then all the food made with that batch are "bad" and that can include hundreds of dog food manufacturers.

Most things aren't made in USa anymore

[Shadowlands]

That is very true Tina. And unfortunately, a large part of the blame for that lies with us, the consumer. If we didn't buy the cheaply made, Made In China products, our manufacturing companies would not have taken those government incentives and moved their operations elsewhere. That is not to say we should take the whole brunt of the blame. The government should take a big portion with them wooing our own companies and paying them or giving them cash incentives to leave.
Most things are made anywhere in NOrth America at all anymore.