Yuck pet food

[Jake2006]

http://www.api4animals.org/facts.php?p=359&more=1

http://www.stopanimaltests.com/animalFood.asp

http://www.caringconsumer.com/resources_foodguide.asp

http://www.caringconsumer.com/resources_foodguideuk.asp


Really interesting weblinks to resesarch the food you feed your pets.

[Cheetah]

There is also http://www.dogfoodproject.com

[Doberman's]

The reason I feed raw. :D:D

[Jake2006]

I do admire you feeding raw and when Jake gets over all his initial health problems, and his castration (on Tuesday) I'm going to beg the recipie off you.

He can't eat chicken or red meat, he can only eat fish - (he had an organic salmon steak for dinner as hubby had eaten out with his friend!)

[Doberman's]

Here is another article about pet food:

http://www.nexusmagazine.com/articles/petfood1.html

http://www.nexusmagazine.com/articles/petfood2.html

[Sabledog]

I must say, although i still feed my dogs Purina Dog chow as a main diet, alot of this stuff about banning a dog food because of animal testing really baffles me, no i dont think animal testing is right or good, but why in the world would you put any product on the market with out testing it first? you are all so against animal testing, yet i dont see any of you stepping in and saying i will be a test subject so the animals dont have to be, they test on animals because we as humans wont do it ourselves, yes i dont see the point in cutting out chunks of mucle from an animal, it has nothing to do with the dogfood itself, but not all companies do that type of test, P.E.T.A. has an uncanny way of blowing things out of proprtion and taking an isolated incident and making it sound like it is an ongoing problem, yes there are people that work in those places that have no respect or compassion to animals but not every single person is cruel. I for one dont think i would feed my pets anything if there had been no study of the affects the food may have on them, yes i feel horrible about the animals that are forced to suffer and die, but they will never put a ban on animal testing because there is nothing else to test on, like i said, i dont see anyone vollunteering to go be a test subject, i know i wouldnt.

[Jake2006]

How can a human test a product specifically produced for animals. Its as ridiculous as some of the tests done on animals for human products.

I have worked in the pharmaceutical industry many years ago and I know what goes on in animal test laboratories.

However, there are any number of companies producing pet food which is not tested on animals - Jake has Burns organic fish which isn't tested on animals.

Respectfully I do test products on myself rather than have tests performed on animals - for example my shampoo is not tested on animals or my cosmetics. I do not use cleaning products tested on animals.

PETA and other organisations have to have a big mouth to be heard. But their research is not flawed. Even one test on a dog for dogfood is one test too many.

This may promote a stimulating intellectual debate - or be a threadkiller

[CamzKees]

You know, my vet told me the same thing: Eukenuba (read also Iams, pedigree, etc.) have been tested and have seen great results!

When I told my vet that I feed Fromm's Whitefish and Potato, he scolded me, and got really hot under the collar, asking why I fed a designer food.

I found out later that he was paid to endorse foods like Purina and Eukenuba. That explained alot ot me.

[Doberman's]

Sabledog, it's not about testing ( I do have issues with that ) it's about what goes into these foods. Read the links and you will see. It is barbaric what some companies put into dog and cat foods.

Testing is another subject altogether.

[Jake2006]

Yes Vets are 'bribed' by the large pet food manufactuers. they get huge sums of money for research.

But being a Vet doesn't necessarily mean that they are against petfood animal testing, or that they actually care. That doesn't make them bad people everyone has a right to their own opinion.

[Doberman's]

OK sorry there is the subject of animal testing here. :D

I have an issue with it because everyone already knows what a dog or cat can eat without getting sick and without issues. So why test ? They test because of the concoctions they put together, they want to see what effect they have and if it is not too terrible then they market the food.

It is truly scary what goes into these foods.

[Jake2006]

NON-ANIMAL TESTING COMPANIES
Avalon Natural Products Kingfisher
Barry M Cosmetics Liz Earle
Beauty Without Cruelty Meadowsweet
Bio-D Montagne Jeunesse
Daniel Field Neal’s Yard Remedies
Faith In Nature Urtekram
Green People Weleda
Honesty Cosmetics Woods of Windsor
Jason Natural Cosmetics Yaoh

Shops and Supermarkets
The following shops and supermarkets operate a good fixed cut-off date for many or all of their own brand products:


OUTLET COMMENTS
Lush Lush are the only exception here, they do not operate a FCOD, but they only purchase ingredients from suppliers who have no connection to animal testing
Aldi own brand toiletries only




The following companies either openly use animal-tested chemicals, or fail to demonstrate that the finished product and the ingredients they use have not been tested on animals since a fixed cut-off date.

COMPANIES TO BOYCOTT
Avon Cosmetics Jeyes
Beiersdorf Johnson & Johnson
The Body Shop/L’Oreal+ Lancome
Chanel Lever Fabergé
Christion Dior L’Oreal/Nestlé
Clinique Miners Cosmetics
Colgate Palmolive PZ Cussons
Coty Reckitt Benckiser
Ecover* Revlon
Estée Lauder SC Johnson
FCUK Virgin Vie
Garnier Yardley
Givenchy Yves Rocher
GlaxoSmithKline Yves Saint Laurent
Helena Rubenstein Unilever

+ The Body Shop are now owned by L’Oreal/Nestlé.
* Ecover do not have a FCOD, they follow the ‘5 year rolling rule’, which is why they feature on the ‘bad’ list.



Co-op all own brand products, except some laundry products
John Lewis own brand toiletries only
Holland & Barrett own brands
Kwiksave all own brands
Netto all own brands
New Look own brand make-up/toiletries
Next own brand make-up/toiletries
Nisa Todays all own brands except laundry products
Sainsbury’s own brand toiletries only

[Jake2006]

I had forgotten to put the heading

The following shops and supermarkets operate a good fixed cut-off date for many or all of their own brand products:

this should be above Co-op and refers to the last list. (sorry)

[Sabledog]

i have worked at 3 seperate veterinary clinics and not one of them was "paid" to endorse a product, they were all highly regarded and honest vets. there is alot more you can do for a pet to lenghten life span than just food, and the organic/raw dogfoods are way too overpriced, if they are such basic ingredients then why charge 20-30 dollars a bag when it takes less to make it? im not willing to pay that much as i have alot of mouths to feed not just with my dogs, i also have 2 children, 1 cat and 5 fishtanks to keep up with. And with the list of companies that do test on animals, whats left to buy? i like my cleaning supplies that work, and i like my bath products, and quite honestly if people paid working class people more then maybe people like me wouldnt mind paying a bit extra for better dog food, but me and my hubby both work hard and still live paycheck to paycheck, despite only having a few bills, and he is a fine dining chef!!! what does that say about people? theres people out there willing to pay 40 dollars for a 20 lb bag of dogfood yet we get stuck in poverty because they dont feel like paying us what we deserve? I honestly HATE rich people and despise them because they treat the working class (that works for them!) like crap. Im sorry but our family is much more important than worrying about buying food that has not been tested on animals and paying out the A** for it.

(and im not trying to put any individual down or bash anyone im simply stating my opinion) so i say im going to keep feeding my dogs a food that has been tested on animals regardless of how bad it is for all the other animals it has harmed.

[Cheetah]

I'm on the fence about the animal testing with dog food because, how are they going to make sure that their food is not going to kill the dog, either right away, or slowly throughout their life by giving them cancer or being hard on their organs? There's got to be some sort of tests done... >O.o<

[Doberman's]

I have lots and lots of mouths to feed.... I am not rich ( although I wish I were ;) )

Let me see, 6 cats, 6 horses and 2 dogs make 14 mouth plus mine and hubby makes 16. :D

RAW doesn't cost more unless you go out and buy the premade stuff and then you are sort of defeating yourself and the purpose, as once again you have no real control over what you are feeding. I make all my own veggies and fruit mixes, I buy supplements for my dogs, and I go to the meat processors ( read- slaughterhouses ) and buy meat scraps and chicken pieces and necks. So I can't buy the agrument that is costs designer prices because it doesn't unless you are too lazy to make your own.

Not sure how the working class stuff got brought into this but can we keep this on topic. Thanks.

[sheplovr]

I do not think vets know anything much to do with good dog food or the ingredients. Even speciail vets I have had a couple dogs to said, I have no preference I just feed Iams to my dog. I have no time to read ingredient lables he said, so it is what the compainies stoop so low to use as fillers such as feathers, road kills, cancerous cows ground up, euthonized pets on cancer drugs ground up, yes this is what is in alot of the top foods, I have spend months reading and researching what companies put into dog feed, nicely label them in fine print as so n so filler or a nice kind name of junk one should not feed a dog and Eukanuba, Science Diet, Purina Foods, I ams are junk dog foods. Top of the list. Some of the better brands are Flint River Ranch, Eagle Pack, Bil Jac frozen, Wysong, Canidae, Strive frozen, etc.

[Jake2006]

As already stated, everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I hardly think using a supermarket's own label products (usually the cheapest) which are not tested on animals is paying a premium price.

With regard to vets endorsing products. Unless they are a highly paid resesarch Vet working in a Veterinary Hospital, not a vet working in general practice, they do not get paid - as their opinion isn't that relevant.

However, vets in general practice do get paid a very high mark up for selling such products as Hills Science Diet (which isn't cheap) -

Animals are sentient beings, they feel pain. You can't put your head in the sand and pretend that by purchasing food which is tested on animals its better for your own animals. If that were the case, why are there so many dog foods which are not tested on animals and which are produced by veterinary surgeons - veterinary dermatologists etc.

The reason that there are so many animal tests on the so called science diets,k prescription diets, etc., is that there are so many additives that they can potentially cause problems - Purina, Pedigree or whoever can say 'we tested on animals' so there is no case to answer. (a true cop out)

Whilst we allow our scientists to carry on using animal testing for products which do not need to be tested we are endorsing the cruelty and have blood on our hands.

I couldn't sleep at night if I thought another sentient being had suffered just to feed my animals.

It is a very naive argument to say that they have to be tested 'because I have a dog and I want to know he's getting the best'.

As long as scientists are allowed to perform such tests they are given carte blanche to mutilate and abuse those less fortunate than themselves.

Would you let your dog be used for animal experiments for pet food in laboratory conditions? Off topic I know but a horrible man with a moustache did that some 60 years ago and was responsible for killing millions often by using experiments (after all they were only animals to him) - most of the world put their heads in the sand)

Sorry Sandi i Know that comment was off topic but I'm using it as an example.

[CamzKees]

I honestly HATE rich people and despise them because they treat the working class (that works for them!) like crap. Im sorry but our family is much more important than worrying about buying food that has not been tested on animals and paying out the A** for it.

Whoa there...

Who said anything about being rich?

I'm a full time student and I work part time, so trust me, I understand all about what it's like to NOT have money.

For some reason, people get really heated over this discussion. Its been this way in EVERY forum I've participated in.

Bottom line is that at least the dogs are being fed something! Regardless of whether I personally would feed what ever they're being fed or not, at least they're not starving.

Yes, designer foods are more expensive then regular dog food. This is much like healthier food is more expensive then say McDonald's.

I try to take care of myself the same way that I take care of my dog- if there is shame in that, let me know.

In no way should someone feel bad for not being able to afford premium dog food. I really don't think this discussion was started to make anyone feel bad. I think that it was started because tons of people don't really have any clue about what goes INTO the food they feed their pets.

The reason I feed what I do is that I want Orchid to be in tip top shape for showing. Not everyone wants that for their pets, which is totally fine.

With all of that being said, I think I'll hop off the thread for a while.

[Cheetah]

This may come as a shock to people but... even INNOVA performs "tests" with their dog food. The kind of tests I'm talking about are not torture... but the food IS fed to a group of dogs for a period of time, and at the end of that period of time the dog's condition is observed. If the "test" dogs are in good conditions, then it's approved to sell, and if their coat becomes dull, their stools become soft constantly etc. then they work on it some more.

That's all the testing I'm talking about. As far as I knew, every dog food company was required to perform SOME kind of test or trial...

[Pitguy67]

I Am Sure. What Is Terrible Is If The Companies Are Torturing The Animals. I Know That I Have Heard From A Few People That I Know Around Here, That Pedigree Gives Dogs Very Soft Stools.

[Jake2006]

Quote - I honestly HATE rich people and despise them because they treat the working class (that works for them!) like crap. Im sorry but our family is much more important than worrying about buying food that has not been tested on animals and paying out the A** for it.

That comment makes me so sad, we live in such a cash rich society - how many people in our western world starve? How many of us have to walk 6 hours a day for a jug of water - watch our babies die through starvation - in the western world WE ARE RICH

I know this is way off topic but I have to send these wishes to you

Those whose minds are more compassionate in nature, who are good-hearted, have much easier lives. Even though things don’t work out for you, you encounter many obstacles, your life is going wrong- none of this bothers you, your mind is undisturbed, because the first priority in your life is the happiness of others. This attitude brings so much peace and happiness into your daily life. In particular, with a good heart, compassion for others, whenever a problem arises, you experience it for others. If you enjoy a luxury life, comfort, you dedicate it to others. And if you experience a problem, you experience it for others- for other to be free of problems and to have all happiness up to enlightenment, complete perfect peace and bliss. If you have that attitude, no matter how many problems you experience, when you encounter each one you feel like you have discovered a precious treasure. You see it as an incredible opportunity to dedicate yourself to others, a great chance to experience the sufferings of others

... peace and lovingkindness

xxx

[Jake2006]

Here I go again, those in favour of animal testing for dog food - what justification can the scientists have removing dog's voice boxes? In addition why cut out chunks of muscle, and why give dogs enemas?

[Pit Bull]

If you need some more info on which dog food to choose, here's a good place to start:
http://www.dogfoodproject.com
Here are my personal choices for good quality dog kibble:
- Timberwolf Organics: http://www.timberwolforganics.com
- Merrick: http://www.merrickpetcare.com
- Nature's Variety: http://www.naturesvariety.com
- Wellness: http://www.oldmotherhubbard.com
- Innova: http://www.naturapet.com
- Canidae: http://www.canidae.com
The foods I would definately avoid:
- Pedigree
- Iams
- Purina
- Eukaneuba
- Science Diet
- Ol Roy
Here are some non-kibble foods that I personally like:
- Healthy Paws: http://www.tryhealthypaws.com
- Urban Wolf: http://www.urbanwolf.cc

[polarpaws]

Yay for BARF ^_^

[Jake2006]

Polar Paws yes - that's true.

But the majority of dog owners lead a life which has time-constraints and feed themselves and their dogs processed, conveience foods. When dogs are feed processed foods I think it is incumbent upon the dog owner to ensure they are not inflicting cruelty on other dogs by purchasing foods which has been tested on animals.