The Truth About Your Pet Food...

[Roova]

I saw this come up on my facebook feed and hope it comes to Australia at some point, looks interesting! I think if the least thing is does is cause people to think about what they feed their pet, its a good thing.

Link to article

Pet Business World journalists have watched a preview copy of the Channel 5 documentary, The Truth About Your Pet Food, which is to be aired at 9pm next Thursday, January 30.

The documentary delves into the history of dog food, then looks at the different methods of feeding dogs and the various approaches to how best to feed them, from home-cooked diets to vegetarian and vegan, naturally-prepared and commercially-prepared diets, to what the programme describes as the ‘most controversial’, the raw or BARF diet.

The programme makes some provocative statements, stating very early on: “War is breaking out over what we feed our dogs”, and going on to question whether the welfare of dogs is ‘playing second fiddle to big business’.

It is fairly obvious from its title that the guns are aimed at commercially-prepared dog food, and the programme’s executive producer, Mark Adderley, has interviewed a number of people for their opinions including Henrietta Morrison, of Lily’s Kitchen; holistic vet Richard Allport; Vicki Marshall, co-founder of Honey’s Real Dog Food; and Piers Smart of retailer Scampers in Cambridgeshire.

Henrietta, for example, tells the programme maker: “A very cheap dog food is cheap for a reason. It’s not because the company has decided out of the goodness of their heart to make a cheap pet food; it’s because the ingredients in it are extremely cheap ingredients.”

Jonathan Self, author and co-founder of Honey’s Real Dog Food, states: “Manufacturers are aided enormously by the legislation – the legislators aren’t really concerned about what goes into it, as long as it doesn’t kill the dog. That’s actually what the legislation says, as long as it doesn’t damage the dog over a period of three to six months, it’s absolutely fine to put it in.”

Michael Bellingham, chief executive of the Pet Food Manufacturers’ Association (PFMA) unsurprisingly stands in the corner of the dog food makers and says: “The idea that manufacturers are making a product that is not absolutely safe is clearly nonsense.”

The programme then goes on to question whether commercial dog food is a major cause of the obesity crisis in dogs, and spends a considerable amount of time looking at pet food labelling and the ingredients within some dog food brands, including colourants and preservatives.

Vets also come under scrutiny for the nutritional training they receive.

In its publicity material, Channel 5 asks: “How much of what we put into our pooch’s food is actually good for them? What if through the attention we put into our canine’s culinary delights we are actually making some massive mistakes?”

The documentary, it says, ‘is both a profile, and a user’s guide; steering dog loving viewers through the many varied worlds and opinions around feeding our beloved pooch’.

Commissioning editor Guy Davies asks: “We’re mad about dogs in the UK. Now we’re revealing some home truths about the dog food industry, and some more radical approaches from owners. Do we really know what we’re feeding our prized pets?”

From its provocative title to the controversial statements made about BARF, the programme looks set to stir a hornet’s nest, causing dog owners to think long and hard about what they feed their pets.

[Mjosa]

My dogs are fed fresh human consumption meat, mostly raw, I make my own meat loaf and treat biscuits, never have my dogs had any health problems, my vet agrees with the feeding program that I have, they go over for their yearly health checks and the boys for matings.

[Christina]

Considering the things that can be put into human food including the colouring, preservatives & artificial flavourings which are quite legal I doubt there will be too much fuss or outcry over what goes into dog food.

Dogs get fat because they are being fed too much of whatever their diet is, they are inactive due to old age or other health problem or sometimes desexing may be a factor.

[Danois]

Except if the show is from one country that has different laws/ standards re pet food manufacturing than Australian.

[alpha bet]

Could be an interesting show.... Perhaps introduce the idea to the general public... that the average vet may not know or understand what is good feeding for a dog or not...

Most vets are really just a GP... for multi species at that..... yet they are quick to tell new puppy owners that they should feed an all dry food diet...."oh and we happen to sell this here in our clinic"

But then it could end up being like Pedigree Dogs Exposed... full of biased ideas and vague half truths...

Edited January 27, 2014 by alpha bet