It’s estimated that over 164 million households in the country have a pet, with the majority of them being cats and dogs. One thing that pet owners want is safe food options to feed their furry family members. Yet in recent years there have been a barrage of pet food recalls and people whose pets have been impacted by subpar food. While consumers want healthier, safer options for their pets, they usually don’t know where to turn help make it happen. The good news is that pet food can become safer if consumers rise up and demand that it be.
“The statistics are alarming when it comes to pet foods, but there are things that can be done,” explains Will Post, founder and CEO, Hound & Gatos Pet Foods Corporation. “The best way to make change in the pet food industry is to contact your legislators and to demand it from the FDA.”
Post explains that it is the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) making the rules regarding pet food ingredients. Currently, many pet food manufacturers are seeking ingredients from overseas suppliers, making it difficult to be able to ensure quality and that higher standards have been met. Making matters more alarming is the fact that 97 percent of imported pet food ingredients are not being inspected. With only three percent being inspected it is allowing a lot of potentially questionable food enter the country and be sold on store shelves.
According to the FDA guidelines concerning this matter, “Pet food consisting of material from diseased animals or animals which have died otherwise than by slaughter, which is in violation of 402(a)(5) will not ordinarily be actionable, if it is not otherwise in violation of the law. It will be considered fit for animal consumption.” Due to the way the laws currently are, pets are in danger.
Consumers who would like to help make changes to ensure pet foods are safer can help by:
- Voting with their dollar. Only purchase pet foods from companies that have high standards and have taken a serious stand against the importing of the potentially disease-ridden ingredients from other countries.
- Write their legislators. Contact local and state legislators by email or phone and let them know you are concerned about the pet food regulations and you urge them to take action to make safer guidelines.
- Contact the FDA. By putting in complaints with the FDA, they will see that consumers are serious about wanting change to the laws regarding what is allowed in pet foods.
- Start a petition. Either start a petition or sign one already in force, so that enough signatures are collected to get it noticed.
- Talk to stores. Many people stocking the store shelves are not aware the foods they bring in may be questionable for the pets. Let them know there are safer pet food options and why they should be concerned. Request them to carry USA-derived options in their stores.
- Do your homework. Learn about which companies out there are committed to avoiding those questionable ingredients. Choose to give them the business and spread the message about their products to others who have pets.
- Don’t be afraid to ask questions. This is the best way to learn about the source and origination of the ingredients in pet foods, and to help make informed decisions.
“We can make the pet food industry better for all pets,” adds Post. “It’s a matter of knowing what steps to take. We are committed providing pets with healthy food options that do not have questionable ingredients in them. We always have been and always will be. We even refused to purchase rabbit from Asia when USA suppliers experienced a shortage.”
Hound & Gatos Pet Foods are 100 percent meat, with all their ingredients originating from the USA. They have been awarded a “Most Trusted Pet Foods” award for two years in a row. Along with being the only pet food company willing to allow DNA testing to confirm the source of their ingredients, they are also a company that will provide proof of not obtaining ingredients from Asia, despite there being shortages of ingredients in the industry.
Hound & Gatos Pet Foods strives to help owners obtain the best quality products for their pets, and they deliver with 100 percent animal protein with no fillers backed by an exceptional customer satisfaction guarantee. Visit www.HoundGatos.com for more information.