It would be a waste of time for me to ‘introduce’ the idea of going organic with food stuff because quite frankly I believe everyone here is already familiar with the benefits of it and the strings (financial cost) attached to making that pure conversion. However…I think it’s safe to say that when most people adopt an organic lifestyle, they forget about their pets and how the same benefits apply to them.
Pets are like family. My dogs are like my children (no I’m not obsessive I just believe that when I take something home I have a full responsibility for them regardless of whether they walk on twos or fours) and I want to give them the best that I can.
Now like it or not (agree with the notion or not)the truth is, world culture tends to be biased and animals/pets are often viewed as second class citizens of the world which means even the best of their food is actually second best in what humans consumes.
Technically we’re all build equal and if that is so how is it that if you randomly picked up a can of dog food or a pack of kibble you’ll be able to find that print that reads, ‘not safe for human consumption’? The answer is quite simple because, while there are many laws and regulations governing the rights of humans with rather severe penalties enforcing them, the same cannot be said about animals’ rights. And it is this flaw that allows the cost/profit conscious manufacturers to ingeniously use whatever that isn’t deemed safe for us to consume (usually by-products) in the processing of pet food (which is usually all mashed up so you can recognize what’s in it).
That being said, I think it’s become quite apparent that our beloved pets need the benefits and protection of organic foods more than we do. Remember the horror of melamine? That terror is very real and very active in pet food (melamine-laced wheat gluten)…but how many countries’ regulators have actually taken action to protect our pets from it?
Now I’m still aware of the fact that even if I fed my pets organic pet food, there’s still that chance that they might be consuming what is really second grade organic food because the best is reserved for humans. So what then is the option? Well personally, I cook for my dogs. But I appreciate that’s not an option for everyone, so if I had to buy off the shelf pet food, I always look for organic, scan through the ingredients and look out for the missing line ‘not meant/safe for human consumption’.
So the next time you see how a pet food’s label could read ‘premium dog food’ and boast of all the benefits of its consumption for your pet yet end with that line ‘not safe for human consumption’ and it bothers you, don’t worry about it because it really should.
*Visit the dog food project for guidance on how to select the best organic food for your pet.
