Food for thought

NUTRITION FOR OUR BELOVED ANIMALS HAS NEVER BEEN MORE IMPORTANT, HELPING TO KEEP THEM HEALTHY, HAPPY AND ENSURING THEIR LONGEVITY.

The pet food industry has been in the spotlight recently with concerns over the ingredients used in some brands. The industry is largely self-regulated and use of chemicals such as sulphur dioxide, sodium and potassium sulphate as preservatives is disclosed on a voluntary basis.

Owners are beginning to realise that they have been feeding their precious fur babies potentially harmful ingredients that they would never feed themselves. Ethical brands are starting to make their move in the market. Australian Pet Organics (APO) is a brand that has originated from Sydney which has gone as far as investing in becoming certified organic. APO came about when Todd Graham discovered that one of his dogs, Tank had Spina Bifida.

By the age of seven, Tank’s legs had started to give way. It was hard for him to get up in the morning and run around and play. The vet suggested that surgery would be the best option. Given Todd’s history with invasive surgeries himself, he knew that surgery would be very risky for Tank so he started testing alternatively options. He fed Tank bone broth, turmeric and Rose Hip, among other ingredients and within two weeks, Tank was back to being able to play and was mobile again. Two years later, Tank still has Spina Bifida, but the inflammation has reduced and he is living a happy and relatively pain-free life. “I wanted to ensure that my pets have the best chance to live a long, healthy and happy life, and feeding them poor quality food is unlikely to achieve that goal,” says Todd Graham, APO founder. APO has launched with a range of pet supplements and treats designed to help reduce inflammation, heal digestion and target joint health. The range was developed by a vet-nutritionist who is also a conservation scientist and all products have been tested on humans (that’s right!). APO also supports a variety of animal charities including Deaf Dog Rescue Australia, Australian Working Dog Rescue and Bull Terrier Rescue Australia.

aporganics.com.au