After the biggest pet food recall in history, the FDA has finally wised up to contaminated kibble dog food -but are they doing enough? Read on to decide.

The FDA Wises Up to Bad Pet Food

Six years later, the FDA has finally gotten the memo on contaminated, processed kibble dog food and other treats for pets. If you haven’t felt a reason to switch to natural dog food, like the kind we whip up at The Dog Bakery, this New York Times article on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s slow move to regulate food for animals might finally get you to see things our way.

First, let’s get you up to speed: in 2007, the biggest pet food recall in history occurred, because Chinese producers disseminated food that contained melamine. This is a compound used in plastics – the last thing you’d ever want to feed your pet. This caused the deaths of countless animals across the US – and got the FDA to notice.

Their Findings (Not for the Faint of Heart)

Fast forward to six years later, present day, when the FDA finally cracked down and took action. It’s a victory, for sure, but leaves one wondering what else has been present in kibble dog food all these years, or in those Jerky treats you keep around as a snack for your pooch.

Those Jerky treats, it turns out, have received some of the highest levels of backlash. Among other dangers, they’re known to cause Fanconi syndrome, a kidney disease – and account for nearly 600 pet deaths in the past six years. On top of that, all these detrimental food sources are also bad news for humans. Maybe that’s what got the FDA moving in the first place. One hook, though, is that antibiotics for pets – which are found in products like kibble dog food and can also wreak havoc on the people population – are not considered in the FDA’s proposal. So it seems as though these manufactured, and sometimes malformed, food products are not out of the woods yet.

What Do You Think?

If you’re still not convinced that natural food items are the way to go, you can rest easier knowing that checks on how long the products are cooked will be made mandatory, as will record keeping of these procedures. Don’t think that’s enough? Let the FDA know your thoughts. For three months, they’re listening to the public’s feedback about the new regulations.

How Our Products Help

Whatever your choice is regarding natural or processed kibble dog food, it’s a no brainer that this story supports The Dog Bakery mission to give one food item to a dog in need for every purchase you make. Sure, you might be making a concerted effort to ensure your pet’s health, but if plastics are found in mainstream food items, who’s to say what the rest of the animal population is eating?

Buy a bag of healthy Treats  from The Dog Bakery to ensure a good meal for your pet. For each bag you buy, we donate an equal amount to a local pet shelter or rescue organization. With the purchase of any The Dog Bakery item, you play an active role in improving the lives of dogs everywhere. Make the world a better place with us!

Rocky Kanaka

Rocky Kanaka is an entrepreneur, pet rescue advocate and dog dad to a rescue boxer named Flip, a blind Cane Corso called Kobe, and a terrier mix named Zoey. He's also a pet chef and owner of The Dog Bakery, which specializes in dog birthday cakes and fresh baked dog treats. His three dogs can't get enough of the dog cakes and treats!

Lorna Ladd

Lorna Paxton Ladd is a passionate dog lover and enthusiast of The Dog Bakery. She loves spoiling her 3 rescue dogs with dog cakes and jerky. A 15 year veteran in the pet industry, her aim is to educate pet parents on the best recipes, products, tips and tricks to optimize the human/canine bond. Her favorite product at The Dog Bakery are the customizable dog birthday cakes.