Kansas Secretary of Agriculture unknowingly gave away the last piece of the puzzle as to why States and FDA does not enforce law with pet food. It’s all about money. Toto, you better get out of Kansas!
We know the laws governing pet food, we know FDA and State Department of Agriculture ignores those laws, we know risky ingredients recycled from sick or dead non-slaughtered animals goes into pet food, and now we know exactly why.
At the industry trade event Pet Food Forum, held in Kansas City (mid April 2016), the Kansas Secretary of Agriculture gave a presentation to the pet food manufacturing crowd in attendance. What she said during her presentation puts the last piece of the puzzle in place.
Kansas Department of Agriculture was asked: ‘What kind of tools does Kansas or other states have for start up pet food 
companies?’ Through her response we learn that Kansas Department of Agriculture (and presumably every other state) has an ‘Agriculture Marketing Team’. A ‘marketing team’ within the tax dollar supported Department of Agriculture, that works to help agriculture businesses, such as pet food, to grow. In other words, Agriculture Marketing Teams are the revenue producing division of State Department of Agriculture. As pet food businesses prosper, so does the tax revenue for the state that helps them.
A government division helping businesses grow is all fine and good until you realize that the very same Kansas Department of Agriculture is responsible for enforcing agriculture law within the state. How can Kansas Department of Agriculture separate themselves from their state revenue producing responsibilities – growth of pet food businesses in Kansas – from their enforcement responsibilities?
As it turns out, Kansas doesn’t separate themselves from their revenue producing responsibilities; it turns out that Kansas – like every other state – neglects their enforcement responsibilities with pet food.
Kansas state law is just like federal law. Kansas law defines food as “articles used for food or drink for humans or other animals”. Kansas law, just like federal law, defines an adulterated food (in part) as (bold added) “A food shall be deemed to be adulterated: (a) (5) it is the product of a diseased animal or an animal which has died otherwise than by slaughter”.
Numerous pet food ingredients – which are sold in pet food in Kansas (and every other state) – are allowed to be sourced from legally defined adulterated sources such as “an animal which has died otherwise than by slaughter”. Just a few of those common pet food ingredients are Animal Fat, Animal Digest, Meat and Bone Meal, Chicken By-Product Meal, and Chicken By-Products. Just a few of the popular pet foods sold in Kansas that include these ingredients are Beneful, Pedigree, and Meow Mix.
Why isn’t Kansas enforcing law?
Why is Kansas allowing many pet foods to include illegal, adulterated ingredients?
It could be that by enforcing law in Kansas, those pesky laws would hinder prominent pet food businesses in the state – such as Nestle Purina, Mars Petcare, and Smucker’s Big Heart Brands. Thus hinder the revenue provided to the state of Kansas (less profits = less tax revenue). Purina, Mars, and Big Heart just happen to have manufacturing operations in Kansas and all of these pet food brands just happen to use ingredients that can be sourced from ‘an animal that has died otherwise than by slaughter’ (Purina – Beneful, Mars Petcare – Pedigree, Big Heart Brands – Meow Mix).
Kansas doesn’t stop with just lack of enforcement of law, Kansas went above and beyond to help the local pet food industry. At taxpayer expense, Kansas Department of Agriculture took “a delegation of Kansas pet food industry company representatives” on a free trip to Bangkok, Thailand. At taxpayer expense, Kansas gave two pet food companies (ingredient provider and a pet food manufacturing equipment provider) the opportunity to makes business connections in Asia.
Kansas Department of Agriculture all but said it. It’s all about money. Money for federal government and money for state government. It’s not about law, it’s about protecting the largest business stakeholders of pet food for the sake of providing money to government.
Did Kansas take ‘a delegation’ of local pet food consumers on a free trip to Thailand? No.
Does Kansas allow any other industry the opportunity to sell illegal, adulterated, recycled dead, diseased, bacteria filled, dangerous to consume animal material as food? No. Just the animal food industry is given this special permission.
Florida (my home state) has laws exactly like Kansas. Over the past five weeks I have emailed and phoned Florida Department of Agriculture more than a dozen times. I’ve had to ask for assistance from my state Representative to get Florida to even begin a conversation as to why my state is not enforcing law with pet food. Florida’s response: cricket…cricket…cricket… Florida won’t respond. Florida is a HUGE agriculture state; and it seems Florida cares more about protecting its agriculture interests (tax revenue to Florida Department of Agriculture) instead of protecting the lives of millions of pets that reside in the state.
Missouri is another state with the same laws as Kansas. Missouri Department of Agriculture is home to the co-chair of the AAFCO Pet Food Committee (AAFCO is who wrote the definitions of the pet food ingredients that are allowed to be sourced from ‘an animal that has died other than by slaughter’ – all of which are illegal in Missouri and every other state.) Missouri Department of Agriculture told pet food consumer advocates ‘dead animal material isn’t illegal because (dangerous) endotoxins are not added to the pet food’. (No kidding, that’s what they said.)
Louisiana Department of Agriculture – home to the President of AAFCO – told us the law stating a food is adulterated if it contains ‘an animal that has died other than by slaughter’ cannot be enforced because there is no definition of slaughter. (Again, no kidding, that’s what they said.)
The FDA openly stated in a recent meeting they will continue to allow pet food to use illegal, ‘animals that have died other than by slaughter’ ingredients – a direct violation of the very laws FDA is charged with enforcing.
Regardless to the multitude of responses or lack of responses we’ve received, now we know the REAL reason to why government does not enforce law. Enforcement of law would hinder profits of pet food (selling cheap, dangerous, illegal ingredients in a pet food) thus enforcement of law would hinder the revenue provided to government. The last piece of the puzzle.
When you put all of the pieces of the puzzle together, this is what happens….
While FDA, Kansas, and every other state actively supports businesses that provide revenue to government, pets are dying linked to consuming rendered dead animal carcasses. This is just one example of what an illegal/adulterated ingredient pet food can cause…
This is Maggie. She died about 1 year ago from consuming a pet food that contained four illegal ingredients. Her symptoms identically matched the symptoms of endotoxemia. Even though her illness progressed rapidly, she suffered before she died. Her family continues to suffer because they have learned that FDA and every single U.S. State allows illegal, adulterated, recycled dead, diseased, bacteria filled – endotoxin producing dangerous ingredients into pet food. They had no clue, who would? Who would ever think that state and federal government would be so corrupt to openly allow pet food to violate food safety law all for the sake of money?
Rendered dead animal material is illegal because it is seriously dangerous for a pet to consume. The USDA states “The cooking step of the rendering process kills most bacteria, but does not eliminate endotoxins produced by some bacteria during the decay of carcass tissue. These toxins can cause disease, and pet food manufacturers do not test their products for endotoxins.” Unfortunately for pets and pet food consumers, the USDA has no jurisdiction over pet food.
The FDA and each State Department of Agriculture refuses to acknowledge the FACT that endotoxins are killing pets. And now we understand why.
Money.
FDA and State Department of Agriculture are tax dollar supported government agencies. In other words, it our money being used to support these agencies. It is our money they are using to allow pet food to violate law, send pet food on free trips to Thailand, and kill pets. Because our money is involved, we have a say in this issue.
Pet food consumers are the LARGEST stakeholder of pet food, and pet food consumers are the LARGEST provider of revenue to government.
If it is unacceptable to you – for government agencies to spend your money helping some pet food companies make billions in profits while pets die – then we need to do something about this. We need to do something now – before one more pet dies.
The following letter is an example of what pet food consumers can send to their state and federal lawmakers. Your Governor, State Representatives, and Congressional Representatives…
Dear ________,
As a pet food consumer resident of _______, I am appalled that my state ignores law with pet food. The Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act defines food as “articles used for food or drink for humans or other animals”. The same Act defines an adulterated food (in part) as “A food shall be deemed to be adulterated if: it is the product of a diseased animal or an animal which has died otherwise than by slaughter”.
The legal definition of many commonly used pet food ingredients allow the use of non-slaughtered animal sources (“animals that have died otherwise than by slaughter”) – these pet food ingredients are a direct violation of the Act quoted above. Yet, in every grocery across the state are pet foods that include these illegal ingredients.
I understand it is necessary for our state to support agricultural businesses. But I do not understand how or why my state can support agricultural businesses by ignoring pet food law. This is unacceptable.
Animals that have died other than by slaughter allowed into pet food is a certain risk to pet health. Quoting the USDA “The cooking step of the rendering process kills most bacteria, but does not eliminate endotoxins produced by some bacteria during the decay of carcass tissue. These toxins can cause disease, and pet food manufacturers do not test their products for endotoxins.”
Which is more important to (your state), revenue or pet health? I expect the laws that govern pet food to be enforced in my state. Tax revenue provided by industry selling illegal adulterated pet food should not be priority for my state, pet health should be priority.
And I will not stop asking for law to be enforced with pet food, no matter how long it takes.
Sincerely –
(your name)
I assure everyone, I will not stop pushing for law to be enforced with pet food. Pets are dying – we know it for fact. We have every piece of the puzzle now.
Please – send your letters, emails or call. We are the biggest stakeholder in pet food and our voices together will change the future of pet food. Ten minutes of your time will make a difference. Please email your Governor, State Representatives, and Congressional Representatives in Washington DC. If they have any questions – send them to me or Mollie Morrissette or Dr. Jean Hofve. We have answers.
My thanks to Maggie’s family for allowing me to share her picture and her story. We will never forget you Maggie. This fight is for you and all the pets that illegal pet foods have sickened or killed.
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 4,000 cat foods, dog foods, and pet treats. 30 Day Satisfaction Guarantee. www.PetsumerReport.com
The 2016 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
Carol D.
May 5, 2016 at 2:21 pm
I am not at all surprised, because I have been following this sort of thing on the foods and medicines for people. People also die from the lies and lack of enforcement for the large agricultural companies and of pharmaceutical companies. Our Federal government is largely corrupt and many are in it just to gain power and make money and care nothing for the people they are elected to serve. The higher you go, the worse it is. I’ve seen very compelling reasons to believe that many of the wars that are fought are fought to make rich men richer and for them to gain power. I am an animal lover and want to do the best for my pets and my family and its darn hard when the regulatory agencies are so corrupt. Thank you for your work!
Holly
May 5, 2016 at 2:31 pm
Susan, I’m exhausted just reading your article. I can only imagine how angry and frustrated you must be having to deal with this every day. It seems like the cat’s out of the bag, though. Hopefully people will take note and not buy ‘foods’ that contain adulterated ingredients. But I’m not holding my breath.
Valerie
May 5, 2016 at 2:36 pm
It’s ALWAYS about the money.
cathy
May 5, 2016 at 3:06 pm
but we allow them to get away with it.
we elect these people
we pay these people.
Susan Thixton
May 5, 2016 at 3:12 pm
I agree Cathy – that’s the difficult part of this for me. My tax dollars are going to pay the salaries of the people that do this. It’s unacceptable to me.
Robin
May 5, 2016 at 4:05 pm
It isn’t just the government….well, maybe it is…….but SOME vets are complicit and it’s sickening. Last week I had a potential client contact me about a home placement. We chatted for two hours and I really thought I had opened her eyes to some of the issues with most commercial pet foods. I had already approved her to adopt when out of nowhere, she declines the adoption. Said she spoke with her vet about my stance on kibble, and her vet told her to NOT EVER adopt from anyone suggesting fresh or raw alternatives, that what I was suggesting was quite possibly illegal and definitely harmful to the pet…..as they MUST remain on kibble to stay healthy. Scream.
Shirley
May 5, 2016 at 4:39 pm
You mean so his wallet stays healthy……sickening…so much conflict of interest in the goverment…and how these matters have been allowed to exist all this time…..they do whatever they want so long as it doesn’t cut into their “take”..!!!!
Christine
May 5, 2016 at 5:02 pm
So sad.
T Allen
May 5, 2016 at 5:19 pm
That is so incredibly sad! Vets are not ignorant people. It just shows how big and good this propaganda machine is we are fighting. Now imagine trying to get ordinary people to stop feeding this stuff….. Especially when they can’t afford real food for themselves never mind their pets. But we’ll keep fighting and it will happen. Organic food is getting to be mainstream, someday healthy petfood will be a reality as well.
darlene
May 5, 2016 at 4:28 pm
Robin, I share your frustration with vets….most are clueless regarding nutrition. They get one course on nutrition in vet school and it is taught by one of the big pet food companies. Not to mention the brainwashing of vet students by Hills and others providing free pet food , textbooks, sponsoring events etc for vet students…vets don’t stand a chance to look at this industry objectively…sad….
Edith
May 5, 2016 at 5:58 pm
Susan what did Maggie eat and who made the diagnosis gor her disease?
Darlene, The big pet food companies are not the ones that teach nutrition courses for the vet students nor do they give us free food. We get a discount on the food just like we get a discount on any other bedding or product. Those are just perks of being in the industry. By the same token, people that work in the hospitality industry get discounts on hotels, restaurants, etc. it’s no different. Classes are taught by our professors, not sponsored by any pet food company, and we do not get any free textbooks, trips, payments of student loans, etc. I do not know where you guys are getting that information but it’s frustrating to hear it time and time again when it is not true. Please stop repeating misinformation. If you have a vendetta against Hill’s and Royal Canin find other things to back uo your claims but lies.
Your statements contradict themselves. If veterinarians just wanted to make money, and raw food was so good, they will be selling it in their offices. They do not sell it because it is absolutely horrendous for the pet health as well as posing a threat to human health
Susan Thixton
May 5, 2016 at 6:08 pm
Edith, please provide your evidence that raw pet food is “absolutely horrendous for the pet health”. If you have a vendetta against raw pet food either provide science to back up your claim or don’t bring that message here.
What difference does it make what food Maggie ate? There are dozens and dozens of brands that contain illegal ingredients. They are illegal – its very simple. And they are illegal for a reason (I’m guessing you can figure this one out). Consumers do have a right to be angry when veterinarians recommend a food that contains illegal ingredients. Are you aware that many prescription pet foods contain these same illegal ingredients? Would you yourself recommend an illegal pet food?
Tiffany
May 5, 2016 at 7:51 pm
Go get her Susan, super great reply. I feed raw and my two dogs have never been healthier (4 and 5 months old) and just love love raw food and bones. I guess they’re lucky they have me (an informed pet food provider thanks to you) vs. some low information pet parent. Sometimes it seems like an uphill battle, but I’m up for the battle and you always spur me on!
darlene
May 5, 2016 at 6:46 pm
Sorry Edith if your experience was slightly different, but big pet food DOES teach nutrition, write textbooks, and give many perks to vet students ( same with pharm companies and med students). Here is a quote directly from Hill’s own website:
Nutritional Research and Innovation
Hill’s® employs more than 200 veterinarians, Ph.D. nutritionists and food scientists who work every day around the world to create new products and improve existing ones that will help your pet live a long, healthy and full life. Hill’s scientists author more than 50 research papers and textbook chapters each year and TEACH ( my emphasis) at leading schools of veterinary medicine all over the world so we can put our knowledge and expertise into every Hill’s® pet food for you.
Here is the website I took this from: http://www.hillsvet.com/en/us/our-company
Here is another:
http://www.doglivershunt.com/vets-and-nutrition.html
And another holistic vet saying the same:
http://drdougknueven.com/?p=300
Also, I used to deal with vet students myself and know big pet feed brainwashes vet students, esp at teaching hospitals. You are hearing this information repeated over and over because it is true…sorry…
I will not stop repeating the truth.
Robin
May 5, 2016 at 7:43 pm
Keep up the good work trying to inform people about dangerous pet food. Unfortunately most people don’t even eat healthy themselves.
Ruth Thomson
May 5, 2016 at 8:32 pm
Edith, you are so sadly wrong!!! If feeding dogs a raw food diet is absolutely horrendous for a pets health, then why is my rescue dog so healthy right now, after being so sick for so long?? I did not know that I was feeding her “poison” in her food that was making her lethargic, sick & almost dying!! Thank God I found a natural foods dog food store that brought her back to excellent health, through a fresh & natural raw foods diet. We have ruined our dogs health for far too long & lost too many dogs because of unhealthy, toxic dog food & dog treats that literally contain ingredients that make them sick & kill them!!!!! Yes, kill them!!!!!
It is ignorant & careless to say “raw food is absolutely horrendous for the pets health as well as posing a threat to human health.” So untrue in so many ways. It’s frustrating to hear it time & time again when it is not true!!! Sound familiar? It is you who is repeating misinformation & seem to have a vendetta against pet owners who have researched, tried & literally saved their pets lives. We have brought them to excellent health, by feeding them an alternative to the toxic & unhealthy kibble & poison treats that has sickened & killed them for so long!!!
Most vets are brainwashed, just like most pet owners. They mean well, but do not research to find the best diet for their furry patients. So, talk to the many holistic & natural treatment vets who have changed their position on big name pet foods & moved over to the side of natural, healthy, fresh food to keep their patients healthy & alive & thriving!!!
Sincerely, Ruth & Miss Kitty, our rescue dog who is still with us after 8 years & who is now healthy & happy with many more years to come!!!
Susan, thank you for your tireless efforts on our furry childrens’ behalf. Without having seen your website, I’m afraid our Miss Kitty would not be here now & our hearts would be broken instead. It is you who first made me question what we were feeding her & that it might be what we were feeding her that was making her sick to the point of almost dying. We are forever in your debt. Keep up the amazing work you do for us all. Many, many thanks!!!
Mary Marseglia
May 5, 2016 at 10:15 pm
Edith you are so wrong! I have seen what they teach veterinarians including myself getting certified as pet nutritionist back in the 90’s from Cornell University which was all taught by the PFI. Yes, they had a professor teach, but that professor was brain washed by the PFI! The WORSE foods on the planet to be feeding your poor dogs& cats! If veterinarians had any kind of brain, they would realize that a “complete” raw diet IS actually the best thing to be feeding your dogs & cats(even ferrets) and it has been around for more than 40 MILLION years. If you are a vet, I also know that many many vets get FREE food and yes, they get discounts too and the SCRIPT diets are the WORSE made on the planet! if that is even possible :)lol but it is true. If you studied our pets “true” ancestors, the gray Wolf & African Wild Cat(heck all wild cats) you would come to realize(& yes, I have studied them for 30yrs! observed wolves in the wild & sanctuary as well) that their bodies are designed as “carnivores” and when you study the anatomy, physiology & biology of dogs & cats to their true ancestors, you will see that their digestive system is identical and works identically! Their bodies “require” to live vital & healthy lives a complete raw diet made primarily from human-grade better yet grass-fed(but most people can’t afford these types of meats)herbivore/ungulate animals, not tons of freaken poultry, pork or fish. And complete means feeding them like they were “alphas” or “head” of a pride(or all the wild cats that hunt & feed alone) lean muscle meats/organ meats including liver–no more than 5%(no more than 6%)/raw fat/green tripe/raw meaty bones. And to be sure you get enough calcium in the diet, you can feed “natural” calcium of powdered egg shells. THIS IS BY FAR THE BEST DIET YOU COULD EVER FEED YOUR DOGS & CATS and they would live much longer(yes, small breed dogs & cats normal life span on raw diets & not over vaccinated/fed toxic HW pills/no toxic flea tick & mosquito products—not spayed/neutered TOO young—is actually Mid 20’s—oldest raw fed cat was 28 on record(buy my own neighbor’s cat lived to 30yrs!!!; medium to large breeds is late teens(many medium raw fed live to early 20’s); X-large breeds early to mid teens(you won’t see them live that long on Garbage dry kibble & most canned foods(they are still over cooked & loaded with synthetic vitamins/minerals) I know several breeders and some friends that lost their Mastiff & Great Dane in summer 2014 at ages 15 & 14! NEVER vaccinated ever, always on complete raw diet at weaning, never on the other poisons that vets & BigPharma Mafia push with ads.
If you need to know how ALL dry kibble is made, I can give you the whole process and its long, but it will teach you something and know that MOST of the animals used in making Commercial Pet Foods(even some raw which those I do not recommend to people) are diseased downed animals including euthanized dogs & cats from some shelters which are NOT on the labels. I can also tell you how all canned foods are made as well and although these are not as bad, there really aren’t many that are really well made. Remember the pre-mix vitamins & minerals added 95%-98% come from China & India, which China’s pre-mixes have killed thousands of dogs & cats and make thousands more sick and of course, the FDA did jack shit about that as well.
Teresa
May 6, 2016 at 6:46 am
Wow, if raw food is horrendous for a dog’s health, we better not let the wild dogs know this…wolves, dingos, etc. If you look to nature, it tells you what a dog’s natural diet is. Wake up vets! Do they feed kibble to wolves in the zoo? No? Why not? If that is the healthiest option. Think about it.
regina
May 14, 2016 at 12:26 pm
Edith, I think another reason vets want us to feed the brands they push, is because once I put my dog on a more natural diet, my vet started losing money. My dog stopped getting sick all the time, so no more vet visits to fix what was going on.
ANYONE who knows anything about cats knows they are carnivores. Some of the cat foods vets push don’t even have meat in them. I’m sorry, but corn and soy proteins just do not provide the right kind of proteins and amino acids that they get from REAL meat.
I think that with the wealth of information out there, vets should be able to look at info from more than one source and realize the best way to feed animals. Instead, they want to stay in business, so they keep pushing the crap foods that keep our pets sick. It is simple economics to them.
Deniese Ann
May 5, 2016 at 8:38 pm
Question for Susan: I was curious to know to know with the political race coming up in November if you are a Democrat ir Repubilican?
Susan Thixton
May 5, 2016 at 8:59 pm
Before I respond, can you tell me why you ask? What difference would it make what party I am registered with? (Because who I vote for could be different from my party affiliation.)
Holly
May 5, 2016 at 9:01 pm
Why in the world does that matter?
Pat P.
May 5, 2016 at 11:16 pm
Although I am not defending Deniese Ann’s question re Susan’s presidential choice, my main contribution to this discussion is that, generally, one political party has a much better voting record in support of animals. With some exceptions, the Democratic senators and reps have very good records, while the republican ones are abysmal.
If you are an animal lover, I will assume that you are concerned about the voting records of your individual state senators and representatives on animal welfare issues. FYI, Each year an annual record of state senators and and reps can be located as a Humane Society list.
Of course, if you chose to elect someone that has never been in Congress, than the list will not be as helpful, but I would think it may still be useful information.
Anthony Hepton
May 5, 2016 at 8:45 pm
University research , for example the College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell has research conducted on pet food and animal illnesses (Chronic Enteropathies in Dogs), but the research leader, Dr Kenneth W Simpson is on the Purina PetCare Advisory Board.The results of this research were presented at a symposium at Cornell, sponsored by, you guest it, Nestle’s Purina.
In another instance, UC Davis School of Vet Med conducted research on endotoxins in pet food. All samples were found to be positive for endotoxins with some samples fifty times higher than others. That should have raised the question, “How high can endotoxins levels be if you go out looking for the really bad samples?”, instead, the results were not published and research results detrimental to the pet food industry were often not published.
Mary Marseglia
May 5, 2016 at 10:35 pm
You are so correct! I’m so sick of the brain washing by the PFI & veterinarians who know absolutely nothing about nutrition for our pets other than the 2hrs they get taught by the PFI! And they have so called BS scientists telling people that they know “better” than NATURE! which nature shows you that our pets are actually true carnivores which thrive on a complete raw diet primarily made from herbivore/ungulate animals just like their true ancestors. And not all this poultry with arsenic in it(yes, the FDA finally told the truth behind their original lies about how 70% of human-grade poultry has arsenic in it! And other articles(not FDA) on how their skins are also “bleached”
Mary Marseglia
May 5, 2016 at 9:43 pm
It’s always been about making MONEY!! They do NOT care about your pets, brain wash the public and leave it at that. There is NOT one quality commercial dry kibble on the market today and only recommend 10-12 grain-free but “as low in starches as possible” canned foods. People have to realize and start either listening to the people that have done the research or do their own, and realize that a “complete” raw diet made primarily from herbivore/ungulate animals is what your dogs & cats “require” to live a vital & healthy life to stay away from your allopathic veterinarian office. Stay away from feeding toxic poisonous Heart Worm Pills, flea tick & mosquito chemical products. Complete Raw feeding is “not” something new and has been around for 40 Million years for our pets wild ancestors; 30,000+yrs for domestic dogs & 16,000 yrs for domestic cats. Its the way God created them or if you are not a believer, the way Nature Intended. Our pets are “true” carnivores and require to be fed that way. We all have been brain washed, many of us have learned by our mistakes & would be nice if people would just stop and think. Yes, complete raw diet takes a little more time to make (or buy a high quality pre-made) from human-grade herbivore/ungulate animals instead of pouring some garbage hard pieces of highly processed, over heated, over cooked dry kibble & even most canned foods, but as long as you “don’t/haven’t” over vaccinated your animals(indoor cats shouldn’t even be vaccinated for God’s sake), etc, then you keep them out of the vet’s office and they live “vital & healthy” and years aren’t taken off their lives either. Remember early spay/neuter also causes problems to the joints, ligaments, can cause obesity and does cause some cancers as well.
Terri Janson
May 6, 2016 at 1:38 pm
Very well said Mary! I homecook for my 5 dogs, going raw on occation, and have been for 3 or more years. Yes it takes time. Yes I feel better for it as I know what they are eating. The same thing I am. I try my hardest to go Organic and grow some of the ingriedients in my organic GMO free garden. I go the Holistic route for Heartworm treatment and luckily do not have trouble with fleas. If I did I would use Neem Oil and Coconut Oil on their coat as my group has suggested. I also put Organic Coconut Oil in their food. Thank you Susan for all your work and keeping us informed.
Jeneane Ferguson
May 9, 2016 at 10:54 am
Thank you Susan for bringing to light what we are not aware of. The evidence is clear and I support you 100%. I have sent letters to Governor, State Representatives, and Congressional Representatives for Illinois.
Grateful
May 28, 2016 at 12:25 am
When I first started raw feeding 4 years ago my vet was actually supportive and interested. Sadly, since then she’s been to a number of conferences run by the PFI and can only spout untruths at me about the “dangers” of raw feeding. Then with eyes glowing with pride, she speaks of Purina and the “great things” they are doing with pet food. I sighed and rolled my eyes at her.