Paul S. Graham

In the wake of pet food recalls and animal deaths, NDP MP Olivia Chow has called for government regulation to ensure the quality and safety of what we serve our furry companions. Well and good. Food products, whether for animals or for humans, should be nutritious and safe. So, by all means, sign her petition if you believe that the federal government is the vehicle for ensuring that safety.

But what are you feeding Fluffy and Fido today? In Olivia Chow’s YouTube video, she says we don’t know what is in pet food because it is unregulated. In that sense, she is correct. We don’t know because there is no mechanism for holding pet food manufacturers accountable. But in another sense she is wrong, wrong, wrong! There is an abundance of information on pet food and believe me, it ain’t appetizing.

If you feed your little friend commercial pet food, there is a good chance it includes the “4-Ds” — dead, dying, diseased, and disabled animals. Add to that the bacteria, mycotoxins, chemical residues, GMOs and carcinogenic acrylamides that result from the food sources and manufacturing methods of the pet food industry. Check out the Animal Protection Institute for a comprehensive article on what is in pet food. Yuck!

If you continue to feed this garbage to your pets, and you can still look them in the eye at dinner time, get psychological counselling, fast.

But if you want to do something about it today, learn how to make your own pet food. If you can boil water, you’re on the track.

The Animal Protection Institute has some good recipes, and hey — if you’ve gotten out of the habit of cooking real food for yourself, you might even want to break bread with Fido and Fluffy, ’cause these recipes are pretty appetizing by comparison with the crap that most Canadians bring home from the store for their families.