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Dr. Cathy Alinovi

What is the biggest myth about pet food: AAFCO approved means it’s good for your pet.

Most readers of this blog will look at the package of their pet food and will see the words “meets AAFCO standards.” It is very common for people to think that means the food is healthy for their dogs and cats.

Most readers of this blog will look at the package of their pet food and will see the words “meets AAFCO standards.”  It is very common for people to think that means the food is healthy for their dogs and cats. It is shocking to find out pet food is just a means of disposing of feed ingredients that are not acceptable for humans to eat – rather than just throwing it out.

Here’s a prime example: not one of us as parents would feed our two-legged children food that contained lead, mercury, zinc, cadmium or arsenic. However, a year ago, AAFCO officials passed a resolution permitting “acceptable” levels of these toxic metals in pet food. Additionally, this ingredient (zinc oxide) is being used to feed livestock – the animals we humans eat. This heavy-metal soup builds up in the body; it does not leave without being forced out. Our bodies. So the more meat we eat that has been fed zinc oxide, the more likely we will have heavy-metal poisoning – including our children. Same for our dogs and cats who are eating this inferior ingredient (zinc oxide). When objections were voiced to the ingredient definition, the answer from some AAFCO officials responded “there are other ingredients with higher levels of heavy metals!” Apparently that makes it safer – not in my world.

I will attend the next AAFCO meeting in August ’15. I’ll let you know what they come up with next!

 

Dr. Cathy Alinovi DVM

As a practicing veterinarian, Dr. Cathy treated 80% of what walked in the door — not with expensive prescriptions — but with adequate nutrition. Now retired from private practice, her commitment to pets hasn’t waned and she looks forward to impacting many more pet parents through her books, research, speaking and consulting work.  Learn more at drcathyvet.com

7 Comments

7 Comments

  1. Peter

    July 20, 2015 at 4:25 pm

    AAFCO is a voluntary commercial organization, whose standards for “testing” are so meager that I regard their “stamp of approval” as virtually meaningless.

  2. Leanne

    July 24, 2015 at 1:06 pm

    So what IS a good food – with the exception of homemade meals – that can be purchased for cats?

  3. Trouble

    January 25, 2016 at 3:41 am

    Just curious… Are regular people/consumers allowed to attend these AAFCO meetings? Or are only certain people able to attend? I’m just wondering if consumers are allowed to ‘sit in’ so to speak, listen and watch the meetings. Maybe even…share their thoughts or feelings – the very thoughts and feelings of consumers overall, of pet owners – on certain discussions or debates? I am sure that they are not very happy with how awesome of a job you do being the voice of the consumers, of the pet owners and of their pets… and I’m sure that for those who don’t care about what’s best for us and our pets, it’s easy for them to argue about what the consumers want…because very seldom do consumers ever voice their wants, needs, thoughts, feelings, etc. to EVERYONE who needs to hear it (in this case, to all of the AAFCO people, to everyone who attends these meetings and has a voice in them). They can’t argue if pet owners are at these meetings to say, “Hey, the arguments that Susan makes to you people, day in and day out, for us? She’s 100% RIGHT! It IS what we want. We DO want to know the truth, we DO want to keep our pets safe, and WILL do whatever it takes to make that happen. There is no argument to be made against that.” I’m sure that some of the lovely people there would have a comeback for that, some argument… but, at least it helps get the message across. It could help open their eyes to the reality of all this – that you’re 100% correct about what pet owners want to know, about what our demands are, about us keeping our pets safe and healthy, and that you’re not just throwing them a bunch of BS, or making stuff up to prove your point, that everything you want to see changed IS in fact what consumers want… – and hopefully make them see that consumers are, in fact, educating themselves…and eventually, the pet industry won’t be able to lie anymore. They won’t have anyone to lie to. Lol.

    Anywho… So, regular people, are we allowed to attend? I’d love to go to one, if possible. As a consumer and a pet owner, I’d like to witness first-hand how these things go…and learn as much as I can. 🙂

    • Susan Thixton

      January 25, 2016 at 11:12 am

      Yes – anyone and everyone is allowed to attend AAFCO meetings and you would be provided with opportunity to share your two cents as a consumer. The next AAFCO meeting is in Pittsburgh, PA late July/early August. Just as warning, meetings are expensive. Admission is around $450.00 – hotel is always more than $100 a night. But yes you and anyone can attend and participate.

    • Joan

      February 26, 2016 at 10:13 am

      GO GO GO ~ and good luck. Our wonderful Susan goes & reports back each ridiculous session. She waits hours & hours to speak briefly & to no avail. PLEASE ~ go. You’ll see what anyone who’s not a ‘sell-out’ has to go thro ~ and I’m SURE everyone would be thrilled to hear what you have to say. And .. much luck in speaking up for consumers~!

  4. Pat P.

    February 26, 2016 at 10:34 am

    Susan,
    Why so expensive to attend an AAFCO meeting?! Is it to deter consumers? We would expect the hotel cost, but the excessive admittance fee? What does that cover, and how long is it? I am certain that some of the public would like to join the discussions, but how many can afford $450?

    • Susan Thixton

      February 26, 2016 at 12:00 pm

      AAFCO is basically a business. They are a corporation, they are not a government organization. Members of AAFCO consist of government employees (state and federal) – but the organization itself is not. The meetings are a revenue producer for AAFCO – so is the Official Publication which is the ‘rule book’ of animal feed. The cost to attend is solely decided by AAFCO.

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