H E A L T H
&
W E L L N E S S
This or That? Or Somewhere in Between?
Home Cooking for Canines WRIT TEN BY JEANNE TAYLOR Contributing Writer
Any diligent pet guardian knows the challenges associated with diet and nutrition. We are routinely bombarded with commercials, marketing and hard-sells (i.e., “prescription” food that doesn’t contain ingredients requiring a prescription!) – it can be overwhelming. The bottom line is we want what’s best for our pets and that which we can comfortably afford. Unfortunately for some, those two factors are not necessarily the same. Several years ago, I undertook some research for my local humane society to force the realization that sub-par food and treats have long-lasting negative impacts. In doing so, I began to really read labels and admit that I, like many others, had been conned by slick packaging and ad wording on a particular brand that, when I really read the ingredients, found I had been feeding my sweet dogs kibble laden with tumor-genic and cancer-causing preservatives – A PREMIUM BRAND! I immediately changed their food and that deep dive down a rabbit hole kicked off a desire to purposefully pursue better and not believe everything I read. Like all of you, I’m sure, I want to keep my dogs healthy so they will be with me for many years to come and have a great quality of life for as long as they can! They are exercised daily, receive excellent vet care, have high-quality food, and a large part of their treat diet is either humangrade or otherwise stated as natural or organic. But guess what else I have learned? “Natural” and “organic” as definitions are not what you
may think when it comes to pet food and, sadly, manufacturers are not held accountable. For families who want to do better but don’t feel they have the time to cook, Jennie Dudley, owner of Hairy Winston Pet Boutique in Mount Pleasant and trusted local pet care resource, goes on to say, “We carry a variety of fresh, gently cooked options for dogs and cats - high quality, human grade ingredients that are completely balanced without the hassle of home prep. Just thaw and serve.” We have all seen references to AAFCO – the American Association of Feed Control Officials – on our pet food packaging. It certainly sounds official and trustworthy – but the number one takeaway from their own website is, “In short, AAFCO does not approve, certify or otherwise endorse pet foods. There is no AAFCO-approved pet food.” So, who can we trust when it comes to quality ingredients and truthful marketing? OURSELVES. Knowing what is going on behind-the-scenes is disheartening and frustrating since kibble is generally a preferred feed option. Brands range from lower to high-end in quality of ingredients as well as price so that decision is often driven by economics. But rather than lament what CAN’T be done, let’s look at what we CAN do to improve our pets’ diets every day!
