Educated pet food consumers see it, but many just refuse to accept that the long established system of feeding pets highly processed recycled waste isn’t healthy. They just keep defending what is broken.
Dr. Melissa Brookshire DVM, a consultant to the pet food industry, recently provided her thoughts on “pet owner’s ongoing interest with raw” (pet food). Dr. Brookshire was confused…perplexed why consumers continue to support a pet food style (raw pet food) “despite the ongoing scientific concerns about this method of feeding?” She mentions the recent raw pet food recalls due to bacteria contamination and warnings to consumers of raw pet food from veterinarians, Centers for Disease Control, and FDA. She asks the question (about pet food consumers) “Is this the ‘It can’t happen to me’ mentality showing through or some distrust of hard science or something else entirely?”
Pedigree Pet Food – in the news of late for foreign matter protruding from kibble – told the world these are “natural fibers” and “animal hair” stating “they are completely safe for dogs to consume”.
Purina Pet Food tells veterinarians that the ingredient ‘animal digest’ is “an excellent source of high-quality protein.”
Hill’s Pet Food states “Corn is a nutritionally superior grain”.
Going back to Dr. Brookshire’s question…“Is this the ‘It can’t happen to me’ mentality showing through or some distrust of hard science or something else entirely?”
I believe the “mentality showing through” is common sense. Who – other than those that profit from it – would believe that recycled diseased animal tissue pet foods are healthy? Instead of what Dr. Brookshire suggests, that pet food consumers are suffering from denial (‘It can’t happen to me’), I believe consumers remember in vivid, painful detail how a pet food full of waste material or Chinese imports or GM grains devastated the health of their pet. Instead of denial, I believe consumers have the common sense approach of ‘It won’t happen to me (or my pet) again’. This is why pet food consumers are turning to non-traditional pet foods.
Pet food consumers don’t “distrust hard science”, we just happen to read more science than the limited studies they quote from. We’ve read the FDA testing results finding the ingredient ‘animal digest’ was one of four pet food ingredients FDA testing found “could include euthanized animals.” There is no amount of pet food PR that would make us believe such an ingredient is “an excellent source of protein”.
We’ve read the science on the risks of GM grains and the risks of even minimal amounts of mycotoxins in grains. We are not willing to gamble with our pet’s lives.
And we clearly see the Pedigree label displaying grilled chicken instead of grilled ‘natural fibers’.
No, it’s not distrusting hard science or denial or bucking the system. It’s not humanizing pets. It’s not ignoring sustainability or ignoring the need to ‘feed a hungry world’. It is pet food consumers no longer accepting antiquated methods of recycling waste into highly processed pet food (and other animal feeds). It is educated consumers that have had enough of the marketing spin of Big Pet Feed. We know waste ingredient pet food is broken; you can’t unlearn what we’ve learned.
They can try to defend their antiquated pet foods until the sustainable pasture raised cows come home. The truth is, their system of pet food is broken. Our system of pet food – real food – is thriving. Our pets are thriving. Now really…which one of us – Big Pet Feed or educated pet food consumers – is living in denial?
Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,
Susan Thixton
Pet Food Safety Advocate
Author Buyer Beware, Co-Author Dinner PAWsible
TruthaboutPetFood.com
Association for Truth in Pet Food
What’s in Your Pet’s Food?
Is your dog or cat eating risk ingredients? Chinese imports? Petsumer Report tells the ‘rest of the story’ on over 3000 cat foods, dog foods, and pet treats. 30 Day Satisfaction Guarantee. www.PetsumerReport.com
The 2015 List
Susan’s List of trusted pet foods. Click Here
Have you read Buyer Beware? Click Here
Cooking for pets made easy, Dinner PAWsible
Find Healthy Pet Foods in Your Area Click Here
Laurence Clive
September 1, 2015 at 4:01 pm
You can lead a horse to water . . . in the case of Dr. Melissa Brookshire, that phrase is insulting to the intelligence of horses. Unfortunately, her bank account blinds her. Is there any way to inform her customers ?
At least their pets will have a better life. . .
As a separate issue, I’ve read that “big pet food” puts chemicals in their products that stimulate cats to eat and makes their tongues tingle, in a book about feeding cats home made foods [that we eat too]. The title is: How to Make Homemade Cat Food by F.W.Isner. Can you please tell us what you know about these claims ?
—
me(ow)
IckisAndShorty[.com] in memoriam.
brit
September 1, 2015 at 4:03 pm
An acquaintance recently berated me for putting the Pedigree info on Facebook. She said pets are living longer healthier lives thanks to manufactured food and people like me should be thankful. Also said I was ridiculous for cooking my own dog food and was harming my dog. I mentioned I had run the diet by my vet and she said its only because my vet is a holistic vet that she ok’d it. I was really taken aback by her venom on this subject 🙁 brit
Kathleen
September 1, 2015 at 7:03 pm
Forgive her, you have to remember she is a victim – a victim of brainwashing, both propagandized and chemicalized. Between the decades of propaganda, fluoride (study how it damages the brain) and other sources of brain damaging compounds, the critical thinking in the brain is literally turned off. Forgive her, just don’t bother to talk to her about anything that isn’t status quo. Her brain physically cannot handle it. That is not insult, but merely fact. Most people are just like her. Kudos to you for being able to think outside the box. To be more accurate, I should simply say kudos to you for being able to THINK.
Tracy Dion
September 1, 2015 at 4:06 pm
Hella good article, Susan! CatCentric will be sharing this first thing tomorrow, and I’ll follow up and share it even further!
Terry M
September 1, 2015 at 5:46 pm
Poeple like Ms brookshire make me sick I cannot adress her as doctor It is so evident she is deep in the pockets of the big pet food companies I liken that to human docs in the pharmacy pockets I consider myself pretty educated now with feline nutrition thanks to people like Susan my two fur babies are 15 years young I still cringe when I think of my beloved dog Shadow who suffered from severe allergies and skin infections I am sure now that was due to the crap he was fed But thanks to him I started researching for help with his issues and learned a lot I’m still learning and keeping vigalent on what I feed my pets and it shows no matter what “science” says there IS science behing good wholesome nutrition for pets and people Keep up the excellect work Susan you are a godsend!!!
Lindsey
September 1, 2015 at 6:27 pm
I switched my dogs to raw…and they lost significant weight (they needed to), their health improved, and a long standing issue with my older dog cleared up within a week. Sorry pet food industry – no future customer here. The industry’s reaction to raw diet is suspicious at best. Me thinks Dr. Industry Shill dost protest too much.
Laurie Matson
September 2, 2015 at 3:13 am
Susan, you took the words right out of my mouth!! It is so very difficult trying to educate other pet owners about the truth of Big Pet Feed!! I am really getting wore out! It will probably take another 2007 Pet Food Recall to really educate pet owners and convert them to raw or Cooking for their dogs, unfortunately. If I could personally convert one pet owner, it would make me very happy!!
Amy Renz
September 2, 2015 at 8:01 am
LOVE this post, Susan! Right on!
Caroline Snyder
September 2, 2015 at 10:22 am
Thank you Susan. Shared to my “anti-BENEFUL” group. I still see this as a daily battle to save pets, one owner at a time.
There is no doubt in my mind that Chinese-manufactiured Meat and Bone Meal is behind the “fibers” issue right now. I have a list of dry food and treats where there is pictorial evidence. Some COULD be pig bristle, but others appear to be plastic filaments, steel wire (magnetic), and copper wire (not magnetic, dissolves in vinegar) but they ALL have one thing in common and that is Meat and Bonemeal.
American-manufactured Meat and Bonemeal is bad enough, and there is NO testing required on this product, but can you just imagine the contaminated materials that end up in Chinese Meat and Bonemeal? Just how much Melamine DO they add? At a paltry $450 per ton, delivered Search for Meat and Bone Meal on Alibaba), I guess the pet food manufacturers over here really don’t care!
Is BENEFUL by Purina KILLING or SICKENING Dogs? Post YOUR Story!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Is.BENEFUL.killing.DOGS/?fref=nf
Is PEDIGREE KILLING or SICKENING DOGS? Post YOUR STORY!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Pedigree.Killing.Or.Sickening.Dogs/
Deep Search
September 5, 2015 at 6:36 pm
When I spoke to a family friend about dog food containing waste products and other unhealthy ingredients they got defensive and couldn’t believe the name brand food they chose to feed their dogs could be anything but the best. They fed their dogs Beneful Healthy Radiance, which definitely contains the bottom of the barrel ingredients including added sugar. I pointed out a long time ago that the food was inappropriate and the large poodle/lab/whatever mix should have been on a large breed food, at least. It’s frustrating as I also said the Kirkland brand at Cost Co, where this person shops and sometimes buys bulk dog treats, has better dog foods that are inexpensive. But they stuck with Beneful, despite the horrible ingredients, because their vet said “it was fine.” And they believed it was good for the smaller dog’s skin, but she still has always had rashes on her hind end and itches, so one can’t say the food was helping with that.
Apparently the dogs are off Beneful now– I have no idea if it’s due to the reports of the food making dogs seriously ill. And I have no idea what food they were switched to, but it can’t really be any worse. A lot of people just assume super market pet foods are made with quality ingredients. And then too many people confuse the importance of feeding companion animals healthy, safe ingredients with “pampering” and being overprotective of pets.. They think that since a dog can eat garbage and fur and entrails without getting sick that it’s fine if offal and waste is churned up to make pet food. Because, after all, pet food manufacturers wouldn’t be allowed to put anything *that bad* in pet foods.
Roger Biduk
September 7, 2015 at 12:34 pm
The pet industry is made up of makers of dangerous, low-quality pet foods including “prescription diets”, BigPharmaMafia and incompetent, unethical, unknowledgeable veterinarians.
Cats / dogs worldwide don’t stand a chance unless their pet parents do some research…
Roger Biduk
http://www.bestcatanddognutrition.com/roger-biduk/vets-and-their-poor-knowledge-of-cat-and-dog-nutrition/
Anthony Hepton
September 24, 2015 at 9:17 pm
Susan, I love your logic, it gives me hope. I do have a major concern about big pet food, they appear to be in the same boat and FDA is on board, most of them depend on products from independent renderers, those products which are generic, including animal fat, animal digest and meat and bone meal. Without big pet food that takes almost 40% of this product as their ingredients, there would be a major disposal problem and this garbage would be used as fertilizer as it is in other countries. FDA will not answer questions regarding endotoxins that remain following the rendering process and are not tested for by the pet food manufactures.