Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

New to the Truth?

Beginning your education to the Truth about Pet Food can be more than overwhelming.  This webpage gives you a place to begin learning how to choose healthier foods and treats for your dog or cat.

Posts on TruthaboutPetFood.com are provided in the following categories:  Recalls, Pet Food Ingredients, Pet Food Regulations, Pet Food Reviews, Pet Food News.  You can click on any of these categories to begin reading posts of your choice.  There are also posts from veterinarian Dr. Cathy Alinovi and Dr. Michael Fox.

TruthaboutPetFood.com is one of the few pet food advocacy websites that is actively working to make the industry consumer friendly. Susan Thixton – founder of this website – holds advisory position on two AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) committees and actively represents consumers with the FDA. She attends regulatory meetings (held twice a year) and participates in numerous webinar meetings throughout the year. Two significant consumer issues currently being addressed…

  1. The FDA has for decades allowed pet food to violate federal law. The FDA allows diseased animal tissue and dead animal carcasses (non-slaughtered) to be processed into pet food – even though this material is a direct violation to federal law – with no disclosure to the consumer which pet foods contain this (and other) illegal, risky material. In 2016 our consumer association (www.AssociationforTruthinPetFood.com) filed a Citizen Petition with FDA in hopes to finally put an end to dangerous illegal pet food ingredients. Should this step fail, we fully intend to file suit against the FDA. You can read more by clicking here.
  2. The AAFCO has developed a working group consisting of regulatory authorities, industry and consumer advocates to update the legal requirements of pet food labels. We are participating on this sub-committee of AAFCO; though we are not allowed to provide consumers with any updates of our progress.

One of the most significant advances we’ve achieved is the Pledge to Quality and Origin.  Please take a moment to see which pet food companies have provided petsumers with the ultimate in transparency.

A few bits of information to get you started…

Pet Food FACT
Pet food/animal food is allowed by FDA to violate federal food safety laws.  The label of your dog food or cat food might show images of prime cuts of meat and fresh vegetables, but what’s inside the bag or can could be completely different than what’s shown.  Meats and vegetables – rejected for use in human foods – are allowed to become pet food ingredients (without stating such on the pet food label).  This includes (but not limited to) drug filled meat tissues, cancerous tissues, diseased animals, filth or feces contaminated foods.  Click Here to read about FDA Compliance Policies.

Understand the Definitions of Some Popular Pet Food Ingredients
Some of the more popular pet food/treat ingredients can be sourced from the most hideous sources.  Click Here to learn about by-products, meat and bone meal, and animal fat.

Pet food regulations require ingredients to be listed on the label in order of weight (pre-cooking weight); heaviest to lightest.  However, some ingredients are not required to be listed – such as the risky preservative ethoxyquin.  Click Here to learn about ethoxyquin.

More on Pet Food Regulations
The most popular pet food ingredient is chicken (or a product of chicken).  But, thanks to consumer un-friendly pet food regulations, ‘chicken’ listed on the pet food label could mean no chicken meat – only skin and bones.  Click Here to learn about pet food chicken.

Pet food regulations require a label to provide a ‘Guaranteed Analysis’ statement.  The bad news is these nutritional analysis statements on pet food labels are nothing like human food nutritional statements and often misleading to the petsumer.  Click Here to read about Guaranteed Analysis statements.

Pet food regulations require ingredients to be listed on the label in order of weight (pre-cooking weight); heaviest to lightest.  However, some ingredients are not required to be listed – such as the risky preservative ethoxyquin.  Click Here to learn about ethoxyquin.

100% Consumer Supported

The work of Susan Thixton, this website, AssociationforTruthinPetFood.com is 100% consumer supported. No gifts of financial support are ever accepted from industry. Our work is for consumers and supported solely by consumers.

Learn More

Human Grade & Feed Grade
Do you know what the differences are between Feed Grade and Human Grade pet food? Click Here.

 

The Regulations
Pet Food is regulated by federal and state authorities. Unfortunately, authorities ignore many safety laws. Click Here to learn more about the failures of the U.S. pet food regulatory system.

 

The Many Styles of Pet Food
An overview of the categories, styles, legal requirements and recall data of commercial pet food in the U.S. Click Here.

 

The Ingredients
Did you know that all pet food ingredients have a separate definition than the same ingredient in human food? Click Here.

Click Here for definitions of animal protein ingredients.

Click Here to calculate carbohydrate percentage in your pet’s food.

 

Sick Pet Caused by a Pet Food?

If your pet has become sick or has died you believe is linked to a pet food, it is important to report the issue to FDA and your State Department of Agriculture.

Save all pet food – do not return it for a refund.

If your pet required veterinary care, ask your veterinarian to report to FDA.

Click Here for FDA and State contacts.

The List

The Treat List

Special Pages to Visit

Subscribe to our Newsletter
Click Here

Pet Food Recall History (2007 to present)
Click Here

Find Healthy Pet Foods Stores
Click Here

About TruthaboutPetFood.com
Click Here

Friends of TruthaboutPetFood.com
Click Here