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Pet Food Regulations

Pet Food Marketing has gotten so out of control…

…you might not be able to tell the difference between pet food marketing and human food marketing.

…you might not be able to tell the difference between pet food marketing and human food marketing.

Pet Food marketing is out of control. The images on pet food websites and labels mimic labels of human food – even though most pet ‘foods’ are not food (they are feed). These pet feeds want pet owners to think ingredients are EXACTLY the same as in human food – when the truth is far from that. With no disclosure to the pet owner on the label, the majority of pet foods are allowed to utilize condemned meats and even diseased, dead (non-slaughtered) animal carcass meat. The human food looking imagine on the label could actually be condemned meat inside the bag or can.

Regulations that govern pet food labels (and websites) state “A vignette, graphic, or pictorial representation on a pet food label shall not misrepresent the contents of the package.” But – no regulatory authority enforces this law. FDA and each State Department of Agriculture ignore the misleading food images on pet feed labels.

Can you tell the difference? Which of these images come from pet food (feed) and which come from human food?

[wp_quiz id=”16290″]

It’s a crime that regulatory authorities have ignored pet food labeling laws. Millions of unknowing pet owners are being lied to by pet foods whose ingredients don’t come close to the quality of food portrayed on their labels.

Call or email FDA and your State Department of Agriculture. Tell them to enforce labeling laws and put an end to misleading pet food images.

Email FDA at: AskCVM@fda.hhs.gov

Find your State Department of Agriculture representatives here: https://www.aafco.org/Regulatory

 

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


Become a member of our pet food consumer Association. Association for Truth in Pet Food is a a stakeholder organization representing the voice of pet food consumers at AAFCO and with FDA. Your membership helps representatives attend meetings and voice consumer concerns with regulatory authorities. Click Here to learn more.

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The 2018 List
Susan’s List of trusted pet foods. Click Here to learn more.

 

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11 Comments

11 Comments

  1. Sherrie

    November 19, 2018 at 4:18 pm

    It looks good but in reality it’s not good

  2. Batzion

    November 19, 2018 at 6:23 pm

    It is as spiritually, mentally and emotionally unhealthy to deify our pets as it is to deify our children. I don’t know about you, but I see plenty of both. Here is an article I recently read: https://www.afa.net/the-stand/culture/2018/11/the-inherent-value-of-human-life/ My response to the bus dilemma was that I would instinctively save my pet, so I’m not about to start pointing fingers at anybody. I’m wondering if a lot of this has to to with an ever-increasing disgust with mankind.such as the immoral con artists who make these mouth-watring pet food ads for products that are, in reality, nothing but garbage and poison.

  3. Pet Owner

    November 19, 2018 at 6:26 pm

    November 18, 2018

    California
    Department of Food & Agriculture
    Commercial Feed Regulatory Program
    Safe Animal Feed Education Program
    1220 N. Street
    Sacramento, CA 95814

    Cc: Jenna Leal jenna.arelas@cdfa.ca.gov
    Cc: Michael Davidson mike:davidson@cdfa.ca.gov
    Cc: aafco@aafco.org
    Cc: askcbm@fda.hhs.gov

    Wanted, the clear disclosure on pet feed packaging saying that images on the outside do not represent the contents of what is within.

    Regulations that govern pet food labels (and websites) state “A vignette, graphic, or pictorial representation on a pet food label shall not misrepresent the contents of the package.” But – no regulatory authority enforces this law. FDA and each State Department of Agriculture ignore the misleading food images on pet feed labels.

    The images on pet food websites and packages want pet owners to think ingredients are EXACTLY the same as in human food. And there is no disclosure to the pet owner on the label, that the majority of pet foods are allowed to utilize condemned meats and even diseased, dead (non-slaughtered) animal carcass meat. The human food looking image on the label could actually be condemned meat inside the bag or can.

    Ya’hoo …. over here …. remember me? Anyway I’m one of about 1,000 pet food (PF) consumers who expects government to pay attention to the issue of “Truth in Advertising.” I realize that the current administration only cares about big business and deregulation. And that it doesn’t want restrictions that that would eliminate payoffs and kickbacks to the officials who are (protecting) allowing business to ignore safety in marketing. However, even when a feed is designed for companion animals is made to look like human edible food, it poses a household risk. I am convinced that (as with many hazardous products on the market like alcohol, etc.) there needs to be a package disclaimer.

    Please raise your hand if you care. If so, you’d be the first in a decade.

    • kathy fyffe

      November 20, 2018 at 11:11 am

      It has nothing to do with current administration . This has been going on forever. The Obama administration didn’t even care what garbage people had to eat. Tell the real truth

      • Chris

        November 20, 2018 at 12:08 pm

        Kathy, if it’s been going on a long time but is not changing, how does it have nothing to do with the current administration which is in the position to change it?

  4. Mao Fuimaono

    November 19, 2018 at 6:35 pm

    Besides more complaining about the issue with pet food what can really be done to change the situation?

  5. Woofielover

    November 19, 2018 at 6:50 pm

    Good post but not surprised. People do the shopping, the buying and the feeding. Of course it’s made to appeal to them. If a dog or cat were doing the shopping it would be looking for whole animals with fur, feathers, etc.. As with all marketing and advertising you need to double check the labels and even the manufacturer to know what’s what. The Truth In Advertising Council no longer exists and hasn’t for years. Now it’s just about Buyer Beware.

  6. sonja e maans

    November 19, 2018 at 7:34 pm

    All packaging should be appropriately labelled such as “not for human consumption” OR “human grade ingredients”.

  7. Peter

    November 20, 2018 at 7:39 am

    The chicken and turkey are always “white” meat, which is a deceptive representation of dried meat meals and doesn’t convey the nature of the source of the ingredient. Also the AAFCO regulations aim to prevent undue emphasis on minor ingredients (i.e., the “3% rule”), but that pertains to words, not graphics. This is why misleading overemphasis of fruits or specialty fish and meat is so common, even when there is almost none of those in the final product.

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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.

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