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US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Building and Sign

FDA Testing Safety of Raw Pet Food: What You Need to Know

At The Happy Beast, our focus is on incorporating as much fresh food into your animals’ diets as possible. For our own households, that means feeding primarily raw food. For our customers, it can mean feeding solely raw, dehydrated, or freeze-dried food or combining one of these fresher forms of food with some type of kibble (aka dry food).

Earlier this month (June 2015) the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) began an assignment of collecting and testing samples of raw pet foods for salmonella and listeria. The motivation for this assessment, according to the FDA’s website, is based on this statement: “FDA does not believe raw meat foods for animals are consistent with the goal of protecting the public from significant health risks, particularly when such products are brought into the home and/or used to feed domestic pets; however, we understand that some people prefer to feed these types of diets to their pets.” You can read all the full article here: http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/Products/AnimalFoodFeeds/Contaminants/ucm449501.htm

This is not the first time the safety of raw pet food has been put under a magnifying glass, and surely these types of investigations will continue as the market for minimally-processed pet food expands. As raw pet food feeders ourselves, we actually think these types of assessments are good for the industry. However, rather than focusing on the “fear factor,” we think it’s important to highlight the relevant risk, especially when compared to the human foods that we eat every day.

Safe handling of pet food is important to the health of you and your animals.

The incidences of recalls due to pathogens are no more common in pet foods than in foods intended for humans. In the last year, two dog kibbles and three raw dog food products were recalled for salmonella or listeria contamination. In the same time period in the human food world, there have been at least forty recalls on multiple products for salmonella and at least thirty-five for listeria. Recalled products included nuts, peanut butter, potato salad, ice creams, cheeses, dried oregano, even caramel apples. The fact is, pathogens can appear in lots of food products; not just raw food for pets. The FDA publishes a complete list of recalled products for humans and animals, which you can find on their website: http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ArchiveRecalls/2015/default.htm

Here’s the good news: The companies that make raw, dehydrated, and freeze-dried foods for animals intend their products to be fed uncooked. They are committed to quality control, batch testing, and safe handling. Learn more about the safety procedures used by the brands found in our store by visiting their individual websites. Just click on the individual food manufacturer logos under the “Brands We Carry” section on our “Products” page.

You can also stop by the store or read our blog post on “Pet Food Safe Handling Tips” for more information on safely feeding your animal any type of pet food (raw, freeze-dried, canned, kibble, etc.)

Disaster Preparedness for Pets | The Happy Beast

Disaster Preparedness for Pets – Tips for Your Pet Emergency Kit

It was just about this time last year when the floods hit Boulder County and other parts of Colorado. Fortunately for us, our little house in Lafayette stayed safe and dry. Hearing how the floods affected other families though, was heart-breaking and a very real reminder that we do need to be prepared for a disaster, including disaster preparedness for pets.

After doing a little research with the RedCross, the ASPCA and Code3, I compiled this list of items to keep stockpiled in case of an emergency. It took me less than a half hour to get everything together. I encourage you to take some time this weekend to make sure your pet emergency kit is updated too!

The List!

  • 3-7 day supply of food (I like The Honest Kitchen’s dehydrated food – it’s light and has a long shelf-life)
  • at least 2 gallons of water
  • 2 feeding dishes (preferably stainless steel)
  • extra leash, collar and ID tag (I picked up an inexpensive set from The Happy Beast!)
    • (On Pi’s ID tag I listed her name, our address, my phone number and an emergency contact)
  • paper towels and baby wipes
  • first aid kit
  • medications
  • poop bags (or litter and litter box)
  • carrier for small dogs or cats
  • extra blanket
  • all of this information sealed in a ziploc bag:
    • copy of vaccination records
    • your name and phone number
    • vet’s name and contact info
    • two emergency contacts with phone numbers
    • recent photo of your pet
    • directions for any medications, feeding schedule, behavior issues (in case you are displaced and your dog has to be boarded)

Be sure to tailor your kit to your specific needs, I also added:

  • 1 week supply of Optagest (probiotics in case of upset tummy or bad drinking water)
  • 1 bottle of Ark Natural’s Happy Traveler (herbal calming supplement)
  • 1 bag of yummy treats (I picked Sojo’s Simply treats.  They’re freeze-dried, so they’ll last a long time.)
  • 1 super fun toy.  (Pi loves treat-dispensing toys, so I picked up an extra Busy Buddy)

Hopefully we won’t be faced with any kind of disaster, but I think it’s important to be prepared just in case.  And it’s nice to have these things on hand for those other kinds of emergencies – like running out of dog food when you can’t get to the store!

Stay safe out there and let us know in the comments what else you’d bring along for your furry friend.