Here is just another example of how many pet food manufacturers don’t give pet owners the whole truth. When questioned about Country of Origin of ingredients, the new catch phrase of pet food is ‘some vitamins and minerals originate in the Pacific Rim‘. Do you know what they are trying Not to say?
If it wasn’t such a concern, it would almost be humorous. The latest trick of the pet food trade is, when questioned about Country of Origin of vitamins and minerals, many pet food companies are now responding with ‘the Pacific Rim’.
Sounds almost exotic doesn’t it? Visions of pet food scientists trekking through jungles in search of the finest ingredients for your pet’s food come to mind. But the truth is far from that.
The truth is that the new pet food catch phrase ‘Pacific Rim’ is simply an illusion meant to lull unknowing pet owners away from the real truth. Pacific Rim is (some) pet food’s way of saying China.
Wikipedia provides the following definition of ‘the Pacific Rim’: “The Pacific Rim refers to the countries and cities located around the edge of the Pacific Ocean.” The following is a list of countries that are “generally considered to be a part of the Pacific Rim”…
Antarctica, American Samoa, Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, China, Columbia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Fiji, Guatemala, Honduras, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, New Zealand, Nicaragua, North Korea, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, United States, Vanuatu, Vietnam.
Of all of these Pacific Rim countries, China is the leading producer of vitamins (105 suppliers), the United States is second (30 suppliers). Thailand has 9 suppliers of vitamins, South Korea has 23. http://www.alibaba.com/showroom/vitamin-world.html
To most pet owners, the word ‘China’ causes immediate concern. This is not to say that everything from China is risk, but history does speak volumes. The deaths and illnesses of pets caused by tainted vegetable proteins from China is not something ‘we’ will forget anytime soon (if ever).
‘They’ – Pet Food – knows this. ‘They’ know pet food ingredients sourced from China are a tremendous concern for ‘us’; ‘they’ know many of us avoid any pet product with any ingredients sourced from China. So now, ‘they’ are telling us Pacific Rim. Great; another generic term for pet food (along with by-products, animal fat, meat and bone meal).
Always ask your pet food and pet treat manufacturer the Country of Origin of ingredients. You’ll probably need to specifically ask for Country of Origin of vitamins and minerals (their first step is to avoid answering this question entirely, the second step is evasion by Pacific Rim or similar responses). Should you be told the new pet food catch phrase ‘Pacific Rim’, do me two favors.
Ask them the following…
“Pacific Rim? Which of the 43 countries that make up the Pacific Rim are you referring to?”
When they realize you are ‘one of those pesky informed pet owners’, please forward me their response.
Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,
Susan Thixton
Pet Food Safety Advocate
Author, Buyer Beware
Co-Author Dinner PAWsible
TruthaboutPetFood.com
PetsumerReport.com
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