A Simple Way Pet Owners Can Make a Huge Difference

If it took less than five minutes of your time, would you help hold pet food manufacturers accountable?

To help explain, we are starting with a couple of questions. What is your opinion?…

If the label of a pet food displays pictures of choice cuts of steak or chicken breast meat – should the pet food manufacturer be required to include they same quality of meat (steak or chicken breast meat) in the pet food?

Yes, the pet food manufacturer should be required to include the same quality of meat (choice steak or chicken breast meat) as displayed on the label.No, the pet food manufacturer should not be required to include the same quality of meat as displayed on the label.

Vote

If a pet food label displays an image of grilled meat (grilled steak or grilled chicken as example), should the pet food manufacturer be required to prepare the meat as pictured on the label?

Yes, the pet food manufacturer should be required to prepare meat in the pet food the same as displayed on the label. If the meat in the pet food is not grilled, the label should not include an image of grilled meat.No, the pet food manufacturer should NOT be required to prepare grilled meats even if the label includes grilled meat images.

Vote

If you voted yes to questions – pet food manufacturers should be required to include the same quality of ingredients as displayed on the label – chances are pet food laws in your state back up your personal opinion. Pet food laws in most states directly require pet food manufacturers to have truthful labels, laws that should prevent misleading words and images on the label.

As example, Arizona law for commercial feed (pet food is defined as a commercial feed) states a product would be considered adulterated if (in part):

“6. Any valuable constituent has been in whole or in part omitted or abstracted or any less valuable substance substituted.
7. Its composition or quality falls below or differs from that which it is purported or is represented to possess by its labeling.”

So…if the label of a pet food sold in Arizona that displays “a valuable constituent” such as a choice cut steak on the label but actually contains a “less valuable substance” such as mechanically separated meat – Arizona state law deems this pet food to be adulterated. The quality of this example pet food would “fall below” and “differ from that which is represented by its labeling.”

California has very similar state laws:

“15041. A commercial feed is adulterated in the following cases:
(b) If any valuable constituent has been in whole or in part omitted or abstracted therefrom or any less valuable substance substituted therefor.
(c) Its composition differs from, or quality falls below, that which it is purported or is represented to possess by its labeling.”

Pennsylvania state pet food law:

Adulteration, 5106
“A commercial feed, customer-formula feed or exempted material shall be deemed to be adulterated if it meets any of the following criteria:
(7) Any valuable constituent has been, in whole or in part, omitted or abstracted therefrom or any less valuable substance substituted therefor.
(8) Its composition or quality falls below or differs from that which it is purported or represented to possess by its labeling.”

And Florida state pet food law:

580.071 Adulteration.
“No person shall distribute an adulterated commercial feed or feedstuff. A commercial feed or feedstuff shall be deemed to be adulterated:
(4) If any valuable constituent has been in whole or in part omitted or removed, or any less valuable substance has been substituted.
(5) If its composition or quality falls below or differs from that which it is purported or is represented to possess by its labeling.”

Why haven’t these laws been enforced? In part because pet owners have not complained to state regulatory authorities (or their elected officials).

What you can do…within five minutes.

With any pet food you notice that has images of ingredients on the label or on its website (the website and all marketing materials are considered an extension of the label), ask the manufacturer if the quality of ingredients displayed are included in the pet food. Such as…

If the label displays grilled chicken breasts, ask the manufacturer if grilled chicken breast meat is included in the pet food.

If the label displays steak, ask the manufacturer if steak is included in the pet food.

Chances are, most manufacturers will be reluctant to answer your questions. But, no matter, no response is still a response.

With the manufacturer response (or lack of response), report that pet food to your State Department of Agriculture. Share with regulatory authorities the pet food is substituting a less valuable ingredient than portrayed on the label. Ask them to take immediate action as the pet food – per state law – is adulterated.

And if you want to take this one step further (please do!), if your state pet food authority does not take action, report the regulatory individual to your state elected officials. Tell your state representatives your state pet food authorities are ignoring state law allowing consumers to be misled.

If pet food consumers work together – and report law violations to state regulatory authorities – they will have no option but to enforce law. We will be helping thousands of unknowing pet owners by taking five minutes of our time to report a misleading/falsely labeled pet food. Five minutes – that is all it takes. And we could make a significant difference.

If you would like to read your own state’s pet food regulations, search for [State name] commercial feed laws. Look under a section probably named Adulteration to find laws similar to ones exampled above.

Susan Thixton
Pet Food Consumer Advocate
TruthaboutPetFood.com
Association for Truth in Pet Food

Find Healthy Pet Foods in Your Area Click Here