Do They Really Use Dead Dogs and Cats to Make Pet Food?

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The pet food industry has denied the rumors for years. Yet the reports just keep coming. They claim a number of companies continue to use euthanized pets to make dog food.

Sound impossible? Watch this short video and decide for yourself.

Portrait of a Shameless Industry

Unfortunately, there’s no date attached to this video. However, our research found Hersch Pendell was president of the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) in 1998.

So, we must assume that year to be the approximate time of this interview.

In any case, the actual words spoken by the president of the pet food regulatory association are especially chilling.

And we’re still unable to locate any current regulation forbidding the use of euthanized pets in commercial dog food.

How to Avoid Products with the Highest Risk
of Containing Euthanized Pets

To avoid choosing a dog food that might contain dead cats and dogs, there’s only one way to minimize the risk…

Never buy any product made with an anonymous animal ingredient

By anonymous, we’re referring to meat-based ingredients that do not specify the source animal. They use vague terms like “meat meal” rather than more specific words like “chicken meal” to describe their components.

According to the pet food industry, meat can come from virtually any mammal1.

So, generic meat meal can be legally made from road kill, dead, diseased or dying farm animals — even euthanized cats and dogs.

Footnotes

  1. Official Publication, American Association of Feed Control Officials, 2008 Edition, Section 9.3, p. 259
  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1140685339 Betsy Greer

    Hi Sandy,

    I posted that several months ago so maybe the page “moved” or something. Nonetheless, it’s still there. : ) Here you go: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2010/07/21/13-pet-foods-ranked-from-great-to-disastrous.aspx

  • http://www.facebook.com/sandy.walker.125 Sandy Walker

    The first link is no longer available – have there been issues with it?

  • http://www.facebook.com/igmugleska Igmu Gleska

    Trust in the fact that you should never buy grocery-store dog foods regardless, for myriad reasons.

  • Monika Hajsky

    What is this world coming to!!!!! Horrible!!!!!!!!! If this I true, I am NEVER buying store bought pet food EVER again….making my own!!!
    Just discussing!

  • Pingback: Dead Dogs and Cats in Pet Food! | The Official Shih Tzu Club

  • http://www.facebook.com/rendaluv Renda Luvaas

    Have you seen the test dog at the Purina labs? If not YouTube has a video. Watch and you may wonder what the hell these dog food companies are putting in the food that need live animal testing. Along with the animals you mentioned are the drugs in their system. Deadly drugs all cooked down with the animal in to the goo.

  • Pattyvaughn

    I’d say 90% or more of the people in our country don’t even know that human trafficking is a problem in our society, much less that they could come in contact with it personally.

  • Pattyvaughn

    That’s about the size of it.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Bill-Hawkins/100000530091192 Bill Hawkins

    As bad as this is; this is not the worst thing people are trying to get away with nowadays. As more and more people are just barely able to afford the gasoline to get them to work and not much else you are going to see corruption and degradation in society beyond what most “normal” people can imagine. While At the Kentucky Derby try to wrap your head around the idea that at some point You WILL bump Into a person that has been forced into human trafficking. Don’t believe that if you so choose to be naive. Even the most naive person has to know that the horse that comes in last will most likely be In A can of dog food by the following Wednesday. This event is supposed to represent the best we have to offer in the treatment of people and animals alike. It only gets worse from there.

  • Greta

    Ugh!!! I think I just might go back to the way we fed our pets in the 1950′s….the same things we ate! But then, we can’t be sure what is in what we eat anymore either! We are all screwed!

  • http://www.facebook.com/sherry.noss.3 Sherry Noss

    An in-law of mine worked for a rendering plant in Wisconsin for years….. never has that plant taken in a cat or dog for rendering to his knowledge….but cattle, horse, deer, and bison were the norm. This company the sold the rendered (steamed/boiled) meat goo… to major companies like Purina in Missouri. It was there biggest buyer. The makers of Iams was the 2nd largest. Not dogs and cats but still gross when you KNOW how everything starts out for some dog foods.

  • marlie
  • Ed

    want to know more about dog foods?

    this is the secret…

    http://29f927gz90lx2lf8r7z6sihotv.hop.clickbank.net/?tid=DOGFOODSECRET

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1002439570 Mary Blumreich

    Soylent green

  • http://www.prairie-creations.com/ Krissy

    Excellent info! One of my dogs was iffy on canned (wouldn’t eat kibble) and then she stopped eating the one brand that I found she would eat. Well for awhile anyways. So I sat down and learned more about raw feeding and switched her to raw. Now… she hasn’t missed a meal since! I guess she told me which she prefers! Then our other smaller dog being small and all I just switched him to raw as well since it was just as easy to feed two raw as it was one and he’s a really happy camper now! They both look wonderful, one put on the weight she needed and the other slimmed down. It’s a win-win for everyone! But you really do need to learn how to balance their diet somewhat because plain burger isn’t good for them, plus burger has added fat to it that they don’t need. It’s better to use whole pieces of muscle meat as well as bone and organ. I stock up when the store has a good sale.

  • http://www.facebook.com/maranatha.mark Maranatha Mark

    If you pet food has grains in it of any kind, there is a good possibility it uses a GMO grain, and it isn’t any better for human consumption either!!!

  • http://www.facebook.com/maranatha.mark Maranatha Mark

    Well here is something else to be as concerned with – the use of GMO grain products as well as steroid laden meats to make pet food!

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1140685339 Betsy Greer

    hello hello,

    A big bowl of ground beef for every meal is seriously lacking in vital, essential nutrients. The egg you’re adding is an excellent addition, but my guess is that you’re not adding the shell. Please, do some research before you continue to feed your dog the diet that you are. You’re right, raw is great for dogs. However, raw MUST be properly balanced and if it’s not, it’s the WORST thing you could feed your dog.

    Please, take time to check up these links: You MUST read this one and note # 13 on the list: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2010/07/21/13-pet-foods-ranked-from-great-to-disastrous.aspx; and this one will get you started on homemade raw, done right: http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/forums/topic/menus/

  • Mike P

     There may be some things you might have to ad to balance those meals out.I don’t know exactly what as I just add stuff to my Boxers kibble to keep things balanced.There are people here that know of some books that will help you feed home cooked meals.Stay tuned as I know some informed readers will post.

  • hello hello

    I used to buy $60 dry dog food for my boxer mix every month but i changed to natural food and i only spend $20-30 worth of ground beef per month and feed her a big bowl of it everyday mixed with plain oatmeal, sometimes add one egg. she loves it!!! and i never seen her fur as shiny as before.  i think cooking for a dog saves money and makes dog healthier than the fake scary stuff they put in dog food!

  • Shawna

    Some do but it still isn’t as common knowledge as it should be… :(

    Susan Thixton has a quote from an EPA document proving that euthanized animals from animal shelters are obtained by independant rendering plants. (SICK) http://www.truthaboutpetfood.com/articles/epa-document-proves-euthanized-dogs-and-cats-are-rendered.html

  • Don417

    Nobody mentions the vets or shelters that are selling these euthanized animals to the rendering plants.

  • Noisy Crow

    BOYCOTT THESE COMMERCIAL DOG FOODS

  • Noisy Crow

    This is really terrifying.

  • LabsRawesome

     Hi Jolieqe, yes, there are. Mystery “meat”, meat and bone meal, meat by-products, “Animal” fat. These could be anything. Look for named meats. Chicken, Turkey, Beef, Salmon, ect.

  • Jolieqe

    How do we tell if our food contains dead animals (pets or roadkill)? Are there certain ingredient names to cause suspicion?

  • Jolieqe

    How do we tell if our food contains dead animals? Are there certain ingredient names to cause suspicion?

  • Leona_turner

     Oh and to get a grain free rubbish kibble food would cost me over £60 a month. It costs me under £35 per month if I get no freebies but with freebies costs me £20-25. You can’t get a better diet than natural. Cheaper frozen! I bought  large chest freezer I bulk but at around £100 a time and it lasts me just over 3months and thats a GSD on 1kg of meat and bone per day as shes a puppy!!

    My supplier:

    http://www.daf-petfood.co.uk/

    Or just type DAF into google

    FB:

    https://www.facebook.com/groups/rawfeedinguk/

    How much to feed?

    http://www.raw4dogs.com/calculate.htm

  • Leona_turner

    You don’t need to cook for your dogs or cats…RAW is the way to go. Natural diet, give them what nature intended. A dog is a carnivore and has 99.7% wolf DNA.  They are designed to rip flesh off bones…MY GSD had so many skin conditions I tried Royal Canine, Premium brands nothing worked…as soon as I switched to RAW feeding her skin condition has gone down to much and she barely itches infact I haven’t seen her itch since we first started it that was 8 weeks ago! So imagine what it will be like in a few more months time completely gone!

    http://www.raw2paw.co.uk/#/why-feed-raw/4558097642

  • Paulie10565

    i have been cooking my dogs foods for 29  years now we have a 18 year old pom  tea is here name. i been feeding her and all my dogs real food and veges 2 time a day every day i have to say i dont see the vet offices other then shots and not many of them eather.
    and all our dogs are helthy.
    so if you can aford it please cook for your cats and dogs it dont take a lot of time .
    cook ou hole chickens and add veges with it and freze it in small cantaners so you have a it all the time
    i cook stake i get at walmart the yellow label if you get it and cook it in a day it is great and the dogs love it .
    well please feed you pet real real food.
    i have dislexa  so the spelling is not good .

  • Paulie10565

    want more info on this as my pets are like my kids
    shame on then .
    when we live a love d pet at the vets office we pay for the to be creamated  not to be put back in to the food chane.
    some one needs to realy find out the truth of this problem .
    paulie m

  • Terraanima

    I am at a loss for words- did the ‘mad cow’ syndrome not teach us anything?

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/ZOHT6ZZJUDBYNJDVMFQM6KVOWU TheyCallUsMonmouth

    That’s it. My dog, Marleigh, and I are moving to Guyana and making our own damned dog food. America is getting a LITTLE too free and unbridled (no pun intended).

  • Katzy018

    There are plenty out there. Go grain free if you can. Of course everybody has a different opinion but Evo, Natures Variety, Orijen, Earthborn, and Taste of the Wild are a few. 

  • David

    This video is from King 5 News in Seattle – KING Broadcasting, and the reporter appears to be Alan Schauffler.  You should be able to determine the date and get more information by contacting them.

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  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com/ Mike Sagman

    Hi DogGoneFedUp,

    Wow. Thanks for sharing that interesting article. Makes me feel good about what we’re all doing here in this forum.

  • doggonefedup

    can you say “soilent green for dogs” ? This is a must read for all pet owners, and for those that are owned by cats & dogs!
    http://www.homevet.com/index.php/diet-discussion/item/315-an-excerpt-from-the-book-food-pets-die-for

  • Marie

     Because protesting government agencies isn’t how capitalism works -if you, as a consumer, want terrible pet food off the market, then don’t buy it. Educate others NOT to buy it. When it stops selling, then it ceases to be produced for the marketplace. Since this is a petfood website, I’ll only comment on animal feed in this particular case, as human food is another can of hopefully not FDA-approved worms. Legally, pets are property. You and I may not agree that’s right, but that’s what reality is at the moment. Because of this, regulations on animal feed is minimal and *most* (not all, but most) pet food manufacturers only care about meeting AAFCO and other legal minimums, like labeling. (Of course, that’s hardly much for them to abide by, but I digress.)

    I personally do NOT believe that dead pets are being put into pet food. That video is interesting and something to consider, but I do not see workers scraping off the meat and throwing it into vats of Dog Chow.

    COULD that be happening? Maybe. That’s why I avoid poor quality foods, or I just make my pet’s food myself.

    We have the right to protest government policy. Picketing the FDA is far more effective than picketing, say, Purina, because unless their sales drop, Purina couldn’t care less what you think.

  • Thesilentcrow

    Why are we not storming the FDA offices armed to the teeth (metaphorically speaking) and ready to win a war on blatant idiocy?  All of the comments and all of the editorials, it’s just hot air to these government agencies and greedy companies.  Unless action is taken through protest or perhaps other less socially favorable means, change will never happen.  For too long our government has been allowed to poison us and our animals all in the name of money, when will we finally have enough?  It’s like that Rocky Flats nuclear cover up in Colorado.  Many people got cancer and other diseases because a company bought off the government to keep quiet.  This disgusting practice of putting pets (collars and all), decaying roadkill, and other less than appetizing things into the pet food is dangerous, disgraceful yet unfortunately still allowed to occur.  Why?  Because no one has gotten up to make a real stand.  Everyone complains and writes angry letters, but no one acts.  We have the right to protest, to petition and to make life generally unpleasant for these greedy places and politicians, why are we not doing that?

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  • PATTY PEEK

    KARMA

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  • Frank

    you brain dead moron!

  • Frank

    your a fucking backward nob.

  • Tanisha20

    I feed my cat Whiskas but I heard it wasn’t very good
    for cats so I’m curious about what is the best brand???? When I mean best rband i am referring to the best brand that is healthy for a cat. . . Thanks

    adequan

  • Kypetfostermama

    Rendered euthanized pet are used in soap products like Irish Spring!  Check it out.  

  • Paw

    why i have pet (rescued) bunnies, i know that the veggies im feeding them are veggies.  my first bunny died after 11 yrs and he is buried in my yard in a proper pine box.

  • Joseph D

    I suggest that you all write letters to the editor  on this   via aauw.org.

  • Mel

    Here is an idea, follow in u.k’s footprint and petition for legislation that mandates that cat and dog food be fit for human consumption!

  • http://www.facebook.com/Toxed2loss Toxed2loss

    Oh, yeah, grain free is mandatory for cats. Their kidneys are harmed by grain. Check out Dr. Becker’s articals on Mercola.com/healthy pets/

  • http://www.facebook.com/Toxed2loss Toxed2loss

    Janine,

    There’s a petition out to stop it. Run a search with the terms: euthanized pets, petfood, petition. It should come up. :-)

  • Kathy

    Janine if you have a Tractor Supply near by they carry a food called 4Health that I was feeding my cats. It is about $7 per 6lb bag but the ingredients are good. I have since switched both my cats to Taste of the Wild which is about $12 per 6lb bag. They did good on both brands but the Taste of the Wild is grain free and has more meat. 4Health is only available at Tractor Supply but more places carry Taste of the Wild. Good luck!

  • Janine

    I’m new to this topic; I just recently heard about this disgusting and horrific practice. I have 6 cats and wonder how I can afford to feed them a better quality food, sans the mystery meat. I perused a few websites with recipes, but I’m not sure I can get my “kids” to eat raw chicken. I welcome any practical suggestions anyone has. Also, how can we help stop this insane, unhealthy practice of using euthanized pets and roadkill in food. Thanks, Janine

  • http://www.facebook.com/Toxed2loss Toxed2loss

    O.k. I couldn’t find the same one I saw last year, but I’ve watched enough horrible graphic videos about euthanized pets in dogfood that I’m literally shaking… I looked for ones posted 2009 or later, as current references. I finally found a related one that presents a broader picture of the problem. It can be found on YouTube, under The Mad Cowboy (parts 1-6). He did a lot of research and included this statement in his summary,

    “Rendering is a $2.4 billion-a-year industry, processing forty billion pounds of dead animals a year. There is simply no such thing in America as an animal too ravaged by disease, too cancerous, or too putrid to be welcomed by the all-embracing arms of the renderer. Another staple of the renderers diet, in addition to farm animals, is euthanized pets – the six or seven million dogs and cats that are killed in animal shelters every year. The city of Los Angeles alone, for example, sends some two hundred tons of euthanized cats and dogs to a rendering plant every month. Added to the blend are the euthanized catch of animal control agencies, and road kill. (Road kill is not collected daily, and in the summer, the better road kill collection crews can generally smell it before they can see it.) When this gruesome mix is ground and steam-cooked, the lighter, fatty material floating to the top gets refined for use in such products as cosmetics, lubricants, soaps, candles, and waxes. The heavier protein material is dried and pulverized into a brown powder-about a quarter of which consists of fecal material. The power is used as an additive to almost all pet food as well as to livestock feed. Farmers call it protein concentrates. In 1995, five million tons of processed slaughterhouse leftovers were sold for animal feed in the United States. ”

    This duplicates the information in many of the other documentaries and reports, just not so horrible to look at, so far. The thing of note that kept coming up over and over was that the FDA allowed diseased, dead, decaying pustulent, putrid and cancerous animals in rendered products. Many of the reports stated that the FDA allowed the collars and tags (Foods Pets Die For, by Ann Martin) and one of the videos was of a news interview with Ms. Martin where she stated a top ranking FDA official told her that. Eeuw! I’ve had enough. Can’t look anymore. Shudder!

  • http://www.facebook.com/Toxed2loss Toxed2loss

    I saw a new documentary that had just come out on this last year. The group arranged lab analysis that found phenobarbitol, bits of metal and nylon fibers. They stated the pets were being rendered collars and all. They also found all kinds of DNA from various other non food animals, which they concluded were roadkill. I got the link from a dog trainer. I’ll see if I can find it…

  • Bob K

    Mike – What would you expect companies and cities to say? It’s all the same once rendered? Its just animal grade used to keep the price of pet foods less expensive? We believe in recycling whenever possible? Its not for human consumption – just pets? If you are concerned then make sure the pet food mfgs. do not used rendered products in the products you purchase?

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Marie… Again, you are clearly mistaken in your understanding. Euthanized cats and dogs are still sometimes and routinely disposed of using small regional rendering facilities throughout the country.

    For example, as recently as 2004 and continuing today (not 20 years ago as you claim), the Los Angeles County Government published a fact sheet entitled “Disposal (Rendering) of Deceased Animals from Los Angeles County Animal Shelters“. This document describes how euthanized animals from county shelters are regularly picked up and rendered by West Coast Rendering of Vernon, CA.

    Although the document clearly denies these rendered products may be sold to pet food companies, there are simply too many smaller municipalities around the country that still participate in this shameful practice.

  • Marie

    Yes, I agree pentobarbital is present in many lower end pet food. No doubts there. Yes, it is disgusting. D:

    However, pentobarbital != cats or dogs.

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Amanda… I know how you feel. However, you can easily avoid worrying about feeding your dog a food contaminated with euthanized pets by avoiding the meat and fat products that can contain them.

    Never feed recipes containing generic (unidentified) animal based ingredients like meat meal, meat and bone meal, meat by-products or animal fat. The words “meat” or “animal” are not very revealing.

    And they’re the most likely components that could potentially contain these shameful ingredients.

    Just check our reviews before you buy. The suspicious items are listed with bright red fonts. Hope this helps.

  • http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-industry-exposed/euthanized-pets-dog-food/ amanda

    I simply started looking at pet food recipes for a treat for my dog- not wanting to get her fat. The more I looked into homemade dog food- and researched dog food companies, I am appauled, disgusted, disturbed, and upset that dog food companies can even think of using “Fluffy” (or other helpless critters) to feed my dog! My dog has been raised with cats and loves to play with cats! She would never think of eating one! And yet- there is a great possibility that she is! It makes me sick!

  • Shawna

    Okay, admittedly — I have major moronic moments.. The video I linked is the video here on this page… Sorry Mike — apparently I first saw the video here!

  • Shawna

    Here it is “cattle or sheep or horse – or Fluffy”. What I don’t know is if this video clip is legit? Looks like it is but…?
    http://bullmarketfrogs.com/blog/2010/08/aafco-admits-rendered-pets-in-pet-food/

  • Shawna

    PS — I did watch a video interview of a gentleman in another government agency that states cats and dogs are used!!! I’ll see if I can find the video…

  • Shawna

    I’m not sure about the “20 years” Marie mentions. But, I did read the article regarding cat, dog and horse DNA that she is citing. IMO however, it doesn’t matter what species the pento comes from —- it’s still in the food and still just as dangerous imo (and that of other government agencies not protecting corporate interests :) )..

    “A test, derived to determine source of pentobarbital in pet food, is so sensitive it can identify the species of origin for animal products on a scale of 7 lbs. per 500 tons. Tests find no cat or dog DNA in pet food.” http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/NewsEvents/FDAVeterinarianNewsletter/ucm093929.htm

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Marie… You said, “The FDA routinely tests and had tested commercial pet foods for cat and dog protein and DNA and has not, in any one case, found any trace in over 20 years.”

    Unfortunately, I wish what you said here was true. But it’s not.

    Marie, I can understand your disbelief. I used to feel the same way myself.

    However, there are numerous government documents confirming the presence of euthanized companion animals available (for anyone to access) within the Federal electronic archives.

    For example, in this official 1998 U.S. Government document (updated 10/28/2009), the FDA reported:

    “There appear to be associations between rendered or hydrolyzed ingredients and the presence of pentobarbital in dog food. The ingredients Meat and Bone Meal (MBM), Beef and Bone Meal (BBM), Animal Fat (AF), and Animal Digest (AD) are rendered or hydrolyzed from animal sources that could include euthanized animals.”

    Take a minute to look over the actual FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine report summary entitled, “Dog Food Survey Results – Survey #1, Qualitative Analyses for Pentobarbital Residue” documenting the results.

    Unfortunately, there are many other links posted throughout this website confirming the truth of this issue.

  • Bob K

    Marie – Can you provide something to backup your statement? Perhaps a FDA report or website? How about horses? Lab animals, Zoo animals etc……. What DNA do they find?

    Why does the FDA keep testing for 20 years if there isn’t a problem?

  • Marie

    The FDA routinely tests and had tested commercial pet foods for cat and dog protein and DNA and has not, in any one case, found any trace in over 20 years.

    Euthanized cats and dogs are rendered into fertilizer, however.

  • Shawna

    Hi Rodney,

    I’m not going to get in the whole debate of using pets to feed other pets. I do however want to comment on one aspect of this article – “euthanized” animals.

    Here’s what the US Fish and Wildlife has to say about feeding animals (including livestock) pentobarbitol tainted ingredients.

    Rendering is not an acceptable way to dispose of a pentobarbital-tainted carcass. The drug residues are not destroyed in the rendering process, so the tissues and by-products may contain poison and must not be used for animal feed….

    All pentobarbital-euthanized carcasses should be prominently tagged with one or more highly-visible “POISON” warning labels. Bagged animals should have a label affixed to the carcass itself and also attached to the outside of the bag.” http://cpharm.vetmed.vt.edu/USFWS/USFWSFPentobarbFactSheet.pdf

    Some people have decided that slowly poisoning their pets is probably not a financially wise (if they see a vet when their pet is ill) way to go.

  • melissa

    “It called Nature”

    No Rodney, its called poor pet ownership. Allowing your dogs to run free to kill who knows what, exposing them to potential rabies, getting hit by cars etc. I think Mike P hit the nail on the proverbial head.

  • Mike P

    Hi Rodney. So tiny dogs are not real dogs in your world ? That’s interesting Rodney. I’m glad to hear you at least let your real dogs in the trailor . Real good old boys like you usually keep em tied up outside. Isn’t your Min Pin a little on the tiny side. Oh but he kills Coons and Rodents so he’s cool. What exactly do you feed? Do you actually buy food or do you throw road kill in the back of your truck? You never mentioned to us freaks what you feed. Please let us know…

  • Rodney

    Oh and they kill things because they are ANIMALS. Not like your little SHITzu…real dogs. I routinely find dead rodents or racoons from both my little min pin and my shepard. Both are inside dogs and fed well. It’s called nature.

  • Rodney

    Who cares, their dead. They are gunna feed the worms and maggots anyway. Why not use them to nourish another pet that is currently in loving care in a home? You hardcore pet freaks are so illogical. It’s an animal not a freaking person. If you don’t believe me, message me in 12 years and let me know how Fido or Steven or w/e is doing.

  • Michelle

    @ lynne, WTF ? CALM DOWN.

  • lynne

    To ERICS Comment bout dogs being wolves????? What the Hell? My four legged children are not wolves!!!! they are part of the family! you are quit stupid! and dont need any! keep your comments to yourself! Go Eat your OWN SELF!

  • melissa

    Jon Frazer-

    Perhaps if you fed your dog a better quality food, he would not have to run the neighborhood looking for things to kill and eat-

    McKenzie-good for you! One thing I recently learned and never gave thought to was the ‘denaturing process” of meats used in “not fit for human consumption” meals(being discussed under the Brothers brand thread)

  • McKenzie

    After finding about all this recently, I no longer will feed my dog the wet food I have been using to mix with her dry food (Nutro Holistic senior formula). I was originally mixing it with Cesar and I know that is a bad brand that has mysterious meats.

    I am just changing her diet altogether. I am now putting her on the small breed senior Blue Buffalo dry food and will mix it with various canned food by Blue Buffalo.

    I find this whole thing sick. It’s like feeding your children fetuses. I know my cannot fathom or understand but I don’t think she’d like it if she had morals. I love her too much to feed her that crap.

  • jon frazer

    I have a big mixed – breed dog. He’s very strong and healthy. . He woofs down his food . He’s fine with wal-mart’s OL’ROY kibbles. Never never been sick and is 11 yrs old.He’s proof that all the hype doesn’t concern the final result. I live on ssi and buy 40 lbs of it a month. But I must admit, though he’s killed things (cats , chihauas, etc.),sometimes & eats them. Maybe for extra protein. Neighbors don’t like my pitbull mix and annoyed because of 11 years putting up with him .Wal-mart ROCKS !

  • jon frazer

    I have a big mixed – breed dog. He’s very strong and healthy. He does chase cats and other dogs though. He woofs down his food . He’s fine with wal-mart’s OL’ROY kibbles. Never never been sick and is 11 yrs old.He’s proof that all the hype doesn’t concern the final result. I live on ssi an buy 40 lbs of it a month. But I must admit, though he’s killed things before and eats them. Maybe for extra protein. Neighbors don’t like my dog and annoyed because of 11 years putting up with him .Pit bulls are still legal in Oregon.

  • jon frazer

    I have a big mixed – breed gog. He’s very strong and healthy. He does chase cats and other dogs though. He woofs down his food . He’s fine with wal-mart’s OL”ROY kibbles. Never never been sick and is 11 yrs old.

  • Robert

    My German Shepherd mix (95 lbs) had surgery recently and went off his normal food completely. I believe the anesthesia affected his taste buds (as it has mine every time I’ve had surgery). Anyhow I began trying a variety of canned food, different dry foods that the pet store let me get samples of…nothing worked. I was afraid he was going to stave to death and then he started with diarrhea and vomiting the tiny amount he was eating. So we then had to fast him for a day and then start him on brown rice and ground chicken. Very small amounts at first and then increasing as he was able. I began to mix in small amounts of his normal dry and he literally would allow it to fall out of his mouth as he ate the chicken and rice. I began reading about the different ingredients allowed in dog food and was flabbergasted! I wondered if possibly my poochie had been doing some internet research when I wasn’t around! LOL! So I went and bought a bag of more expensive dog food with what I felt was really good ingredients. (no corn, no “meat meal”, etc.). He wouldn’t touch it by itself, but I thought maybe it’s just because he’s now spoiled with my homemade dog food, so I read how to make healthy homemade dog food. I experimented by adding veggies, blueberries, sweet potatoes, etc. I learned texture made a big difference so to get him to eat certain things, I just had to cook them a little more tender or blend them (like the blueberries for instance). OK, very long story short…it’s over a month later and he still will not touch dry dog food when served alone, but when I mix it with my homemade version, he eats it just fine. Someone asked me how expensive it is to make, and I figured it out and it’s really not that bad. Plus, it’s not too time-consuming either. I make a huge batch at a time (about once every week or two, however, I’m getting to where I can cook a months worth at a time now), I allow it to cool and then place it in gallon Ziploc baggies, date it, and put what will be used within a week in the fridge and the rest in the freezer. When I mix it with his higher grade dog food (Diamond natural beef and rice), he eats it very well. He’s finally gotten to where he’ll eat it well when I mix it about 1/2 and 1/2. Surprisingly, it costs about the same as if I was feeding him the dry only plus I get the joy of making something my best friend really enjoys, not just tolerates. It’s especially cost effective when you buy the brown rice in the larger bags. I don’t mean “quick rice.” I’m talking the stuff that takes an hour to cook. The good thing is, you can add the other ingredients and allow it to all cook together. That way the flavors meld together and he really seems to enjoy it more. I have experimented with additional vegetables and have him do “taste tests” and really seem to have perfected what he likes. Who knows? I may even find a market for this gourmet dog food locally.
    I feel so much better knowing that no “rendered” ingredients are ending up in my pals food and in turn are not in his body. I read somewhere that dogs fed a diet of standard dog food that has corn as a main ingredient have a lifespan of 7 to 10 years less than those that consume a diet that is designed for…well…a dog!

  • Misty

    Thanks, Michelle, that’s exactly it. Some of these garbage brands like Science Diet are actually MORE expensive than most high-quality foods.

  • Misty

    Except, that’s not really what the choice is. It’s like saying it’s okay if kids are fed food from a dumpster as long as they’re fed. There has to be a decent minimum standard of food quality. If people who can’t afford to take proper care of their pets don’t have them, then the pet population will naturally drop. People who pay for good dog food, vet bills, etc… generally aren’t the same people doing irresponsible breeding and such of the like. I’m not saying pets that are already alive should be euthanized, I’m saying owners and companies should be responsible and moral instead of selfish and greedy.

    Good pet food isn’t even all that expensive. There’s maybe a $5 difference between a bag of good dog food and crap like Purina. Solid Gold Wee Bits is $10 a bag.

    My main point though is that these companies are crooked. They claim they’re providing a healthy formula, knowing the average person doesn’t read ingredient lists or understand them even if they did. They stick in stuff that’s the nutritional equivalent of toxic waste. Cancerous livestock, euthanized pets, floor sweepings, etc… An owner thinks they’re buying good healthy food, when they’re unknowingly killing their pet. These pet food brands profit on pain.

    Totally evil.

  • Michelle

    Mike P- I also would rather see a dog live,rather than be put down…..but there are much better options than these horrible foods.People on a budget do have options….Kirkland (Costco) is like $12.00 for a twenty pound bag.4health(Tractor Supply) is under $20.00 for a 2olb bag.Whole Earth Farms – Merrick’s value line, is around $20.00 for a 20lb bag and is now available at Petco.There is also Diamond Naturals which is pretty cheap too.These are all 4* foods,at reasonable prices.What people don’t seem to understand about these “cheap” grocery store foods is you actually end up paying more because you have TO FEED MORE of the Ol’roy and similar foods.So the slightly more expensive foods last longer because you FEED LESS……My 75lb Lab eats 3 cups per day of the 4* foods. And if I fed her the Ol’roy (which I never would) she would have to eat 6 or more cups per day ….. One thing to consider, when pricing foods.

  • Mike P

    Misty I hear ya and feel where your coming from . I made a almost the same comment on people affording or not affording pets . Jonathan slammed me and made me really think about it . Yes it would be wonderful if every pet owner fed top foods . Really though , isn’t better that dogs are being loved and being able to live by people who can’t afford good food and do the best they can on what they have ? Sorry to say I would rather see a dog live than be put down because some people can only spend a few bucks on food .

  • Misty

    Kris above is an obvious employee of the pet “recycling” business (as he likes to call it). These shelters/pet food companies/rendering plants KNOW that pet owners wouldn’t buy their foods if they put “Fluffy and Princess” in the ingredients list. So they instead deliberately deceive owners, putting disgusting and dangerous ingredients into their pets’ food (while calling it healthy) so they can make a sleazy profit.

    There IS a cost-effective way to get rid of animal bodies, it’s called cremation. Lots of shelters do cremation.

    And don’t spout crap like “people won’t be able to have pets.” That’s the same sort of BS logic used by pro-illegal immigration liberals who claim we’d starve if illegals didn’t pick our carrots (as if Americans have never picked their own food over the last 300 years). As any good pet owner knows… if you can’t afford a pet, don’t own one. If you can’t pay for good kibble, you obviously aren’t paying the animal’s vet bills and other expenses.

    Save the propaganda BS for the Beneful and Science Diet websites.

  • Kris

    Given the fact that the pet food industry does sometimes use euthanized pets in their products, you should look beyond and consider why such practices are in place… why shelters knowingly allow their euthanized animals to be rendered.

    In many cases, these animals will be picked up & disposed of for FREE by rendering companies. Yes, they could simply cremate every animal they get but guess what — this costs money (operating the furnaces +/- labor costs). I personally opted to have every single one of my pets cremated & had their ashes returned to me. This may not be an issue either in smaller shelters which has a small coverage area, but how about in large cities & metros which may have to dispose of thousands of unwanted animals every year?

    I’m sure you won’t disagree that budgets are probably already running thin to support our local shelters. What other alternatives are available? dumping their dead bodies to further fill our local landfills?

    You don’t like the aspects of “recycling”, but what other cost effective way to deal with carcasses (not just of these pets, but also of the cattle, roadkill, etc). If everyone insists on feeding animals pure foods not derived from intentionally killed for food animals, then not only would it drive prices up and make owning pets unfeasible for a larger portion of the population but we would also be promoting the killing of more animals to support our + our pet’s carnivorous needs.

  • Geni

    Omg! That is really gross i never knew such weird and scary things can be in my pets food ! Thanx for tha info i wer ima put my dog when he passes! Its scary to think that when ur pet passes another pet can be eating him/her !!

  • Ja9

    In the UK on pet food cans it states a percentage of meat but also lists animal derivatives. I know of a rendering plant and the lorries go to vets picking up the animals that were pts!! Its vile! We are making our pets cannibals!

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  • Shawna

    The four ingredients that are KNOWN to be contaminated with pentobarbital are “beef and bone meal”, “meat and bone meal”, “animal fat” and “animal digest”.

    By-products as in “poultry by-product meal” will not be contaminated with pentobarbitol. Rather, it is more likely to be from a 4d animal. Animals not suitable for human consumption or parts and pieces of the animals used for human foods.

  • Shawna

    FDA-Skeptic wrote “Of course, the FDA claims phenobarb in pet food is at a non-harmful level, in spite of the mysterious resistance to the chemical found by field veterinarians in pets. That is why you can’t always trust ‘the experts”

    I agree completely with FDA-Skeptic (except it’s pentobarbiotal not phenobarb (an anti-seizure med). :) The US Fish and Wildlife have this to say about rendering animals (ANY animal not just pets).

    “Rendering is not an acceptable way to dispose of a pentobarbital-tainted carcass. The drug residues are not destroyed in the rendering process, so the tissues and by-products may contain poison and must not be used for animal feed….

    All pentobarbital-euthanized carcasses should be prominently tagged with one or more highly-visible “POISON” warning labels. Bagged animals should have a label affixed to the carcass itself and also attached to the outside of the bag.” http://cpharm.vetmed.vt.edu/USFWS/USFWSFPentobarbFactSheet.pdf

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Jose… There are many excellent candidates here. Look for dog foods rated 3, 4 or 5 stars. That should help you minimize the chance of your feeding products made with the anonymous meat and generic animal fat.

  • damaris jose

    I dont want my puppy-Nixie-eating dead dog or cat etc., what are some healthy options of food for dogs that is not store bought yet,acceptable.

  • erin

    ERIC

    The wolf in the wild would not be encountering a dead animal in which a euthanization DRUG had been used.

    And who knows what DISEASE the euthanized animal might have had–maybe even RABIES?

    Our pets, many of which have been hybridized, might not have the natural immunities that some mutts and animals living in the wild might have.

  • erin

    I can’t watch this video.

    As it is, everytime I see the word “animal” in pet food ingredients I shudder and throw the bag down like I might get coodies or something.

  • Jacklynn

    Wow! I started researching my puppy’s food because my sister read the label on her dog treats and said I should be more careful with what I feed her. I cannot believe what I’ve found out! I love my pug baby like I love my own children, and I certainly don’t feed them by-products and dead people. It breaks my heart to read all of this but I’m glad I have. My puppy loves and trusts me because I take care of her, and now that I’m informed she’ll be in even better hands. Thank you very much for the information!

  • Molly D.

    Eric – dogs are not wolves… dogs are domestic animals that evolved from wolves. Wolves in the wild do not eat the same food with the same ingredients day in and day out for their entire lives. Wolves may occasionally scavange some less than ideal meals, but they are generally not consuming traces of pesticides, chemicals and pharmacuticals every single day as alot of our pets unknowingly are. Our companion dogs trustingly eat whatever food we feed them. And don’t confuse “sick and injured” wild animals with “diseased and dying” livestock and/or other domestic animals, I can assure you they are very different.. and they make what wolves eat very different from commercial pet foods.

  • ERIC

    Quite frankly, I don’t see what all the fuss is about if pet food manufactures use euthanized animals and road kill in their products. Dogs are wolves. Wild wolves are scavengers and predators. They eat a wide variety of meat products including sick and injured animals. They regularly eat offal, in fact they prefer it, and they also scavenge carcasses. So, if pet food companies use this type of meat in their products, I think that it is hardly unnatural.

  • mustangrider

    something really needs to be done about this issue. more research needs to be done to find out whats really going on. how would people like it if restaurants starting adding “old lady” or “cancer victim” to the menu? would something be done about that? i think so. let’s put some of these pet food companies out of buisness for good!!!

  • Liz Gonzalez

    I’m not gambling with with my dog’s health anymore, I am switching thier food, if I have to read every ingredient on the labels, so be it, it will be well worth it. I had to put two of my pets to sleep just the other day, and to think that they may be used for comsuption horrifies me! Something needs to be done! Why hasn’t any of this information been mentioned on the television? CNN or HEADLINE NEWS??

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Sandy… The coating is made from the company’s raw product and then sprayed onto the surface of the kibble. It is our understanding this is done to enhance the flavor of the food.

  • sandy b

    I know Nature’s Variety Instinct is a 5 star food, but can you tell me what the raw coating is made of? They use it on Instinct and Prairie lines.

  • Johnnie Noles

    Mike, I’ve been your friend and patient for about forty years and I just discovered your website! Thank you for the research! Many years ago, I poured out a bag of a mid-priced, heavily advertised kibble and found a torn blue nylon strap. At the time, I assumed it might have come from some of the processing equipment but years later, I realized that it may have been part of a collar. I think the pet food industry (and the meat industry in general) has a lot of dark secrets they don’t advertise.

  • Jane

    Not only that, but if these are euthanized animals, what disease have they died of? Cancer? Laboratory-induced diseases? Mad cow? The last two dogs I have owned have died from some form of cancer….There’s something terrible going on in the pet food business, and it isn’t just corn used as a “food”.

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    FDA-skeptic… Most of the general public has absolutely no idea about the possibility of companion or lab animals in their pet’s food. And I have to admit that until just recently, I myself was one of the “uninformed”. It sickens me to think about it.

  • FDA-skeptic

    It looks like some research institutions are holding back dog and cats from rendering disposal, (perhaps knowing DNA tests are done for those species), but other lab animals seem to be routinely rendered.

    I don’t like any animals other than the expected species raised for food being in pet foods. We do not know what the cumulative effect is of all those chemicals, and shouldn’t have to worry about that, and lab dogs, cats, rats, monkeys, ferrets, etc, are all repulsive to me as pet food, even as a fat spray on kibble, or minor flavor enhancer.

    http://www.opednews.com/articles/TEST-ANIMALS-can-be-USED-i-by-amicus-curiae-090412-461.html

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    FDA-Skeptic… thanks for all the details. You make an interesting point. But the real issue here isn’t necessarily the toxicity of these drugs found in pet food… it’s the chilling fact that pets themselves might be found in pet food.

  • FDA-skeptic

    The second link unfortunately doesn’t work anymore. That forum did have some excellent petfood consumer researcher/advocates, but I think they are under new ownership now and many of those people have left.

    CVM did develop a sensitive cat/dog DNA test in 2004 and did some limited sampling.

    http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/NewsEvents/FDAVeterinarianNewsletter/ucm093929.htm

    They found none, but phenobarb could also be present in rendered products from lab animals. This is the most likely explanation for that aminopterin blip. It was being used in a lab near Seattle at the time.

    http://www.petfoodrecallfacts.com/

    The CVM did not look for DNA from lab animal species. Also, they did speculate in that source I quoted that the phenobarb could be getting into pet food via ‘animal fat’ used in the foods or as spray on kibble coatings.

    Of course, the FDA claims phenobarb in pet food is at a non-harmful level, in spite of the mysterious resistance to the chemical found by field veterinarians in pets. That is why you can’t always trust ‘the experts.’

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Offy… thanks for your interesting comment. Readers looking for further (in-depth) information about this rather disturbing subject will appreciate the links to the excellent forum post mentioned in your note.

  • Offy

    They tried to tell us 3D animals from shelters, animal control centers, vets weren’t in pet foods after the reports came out with phenobarbital in pet foods.

    How could they test it to see if cats/dogs were in it? Heat impacts DNA. They’re still trying to figure out how to check DNA in samples that have been exposed to high heat.

    History:
    http://itchmoforums.com/making-a-difference/more-radio-station-news-t1821.0.html

    Science Journals:

    http://itchmoforums.com/pet-food-questions-and-researching-foodsingredients/fda-tested-pet-foods-with-drug-contaminants-looking-for-cat-and-dog-dna-t8697.0.html;msg129175#msg129175

  • P Wilkins

    How sad….for our live pets and especially sad for those that are euthanized because of lack of homes. People really need to be educated. I have always tried to read ingredients and be careful with what pet food I purchase; but after reading this, will be more proactive. Actually, the whole scenario is quite disgusting. Have bought Science Diet for years thinking it was “the best”, but now they’re on the list too! AAUGGHH!!!!!!!!!

  • Norm Starr

    I’ve been sending this message for years. Although the populace is changing, it is not fast enough.