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FOOD FOR THOUGHT:
A Book Review by LuluJones
If someone were to serve you a plate filled with road kill, flea collars, feces, euthanizing drugs, diseased cats, dogs, decaying animals of every kind, hair, nails, plastic bags and rocks, how would you react? Okay. After you fainted, gagged, threw up, cried, and screamed, how would you feel? Not very loved by the person serving you the ghastly feast, I'm sure.
You may be feeding these very noxious things to your beloved pet. Really. And that's just the short list. Though, after the description above you will most hopefully pursue this shocking news to find out what you're actually feeding your pet. Then, react accordingly. Your cute and cuddly friends aren't able to take responsibility for making the decisions about what they eat; you are.
In the book, Food Pets Die For: Shocking Facts About Pet Food, Ann N. Martin assertively reports the gruesome truth about the Pet Food Industry. After decades of research, she's compiled a comprehensive, revealing report that fully explains the details of commercial pet food. Her facts, figures and stories are all meat and no fat, so-to-speak.
This information is especially pertinent for pet owners who are concerned with the health and wellbeing of their pets but it’s a remarkable if not enlightening read for non-pet owners alike. While many moms and dads of cats and dogs are proud to believe they’re giving their pet the best food possible because they’ve seen words like “premium,” “quality,” “protein,” “wholesome,” etc. on their pets’ food packaging, buyer beware. Often times it’s a marketing strategy that stretches the truth to the umpteenth degree. And it’s your little Fidos, Fifis and Thors that are paying (with their health and lives) for your so-called practical and intelligent purchasing decisions.
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CHEW ON THIS
Though shocking, Ann N. Martin’s book is not meant to make you feel guilty or horrify you, rather, it’s meant to get you to question authority, be more proactive in looking for the truth on packaging labels, and to provide the finest care you possibly can offer to your pets. Fancy yourself an expert on reading labels? Don’t be too sure. Apparently, if “Protein” is listed first, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the highest percentage of an ingredient in the package. Most likely, the largest amount of one ingredient is corn, (but the listing of corn is split up into parts of the corn and by-products - so it looks like a lesser percentage than protein) and it’s the most non-nutritious portions of corn to boot. And, what IS “Protein” anyway? Hair and feathers are forms of protein. Hard to swallow, I know, but true.
Many commercial pet food companies are amazingly crafty in manipulating language and bending rules to fool you into thinking these ingredients listed are in fact good for your pets. Ann N. Martin demystifies the jargon of convoluted ingredient listings and provides a palatable explanation in plain English. Her clarifications are not only easy to understand but also, eye opening and vitally important to know.
Food Pets Die For skillfully covers the obvious topic of commercial pet food but also delves a bit into the bottom line mentality of big corporations in the pet food industry, which scarcely concerns itself with the ramifications of its products.
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Luckily, by some grace of nature, not all pet food companies think alike, and a handful of these companies understand the most essential principles of creating an excellent, healthful product. They will not include toxic or harmful substances in their pet food. Ann N. Martin discusses them briefly and makes some recommendations, so never fear, there’s still hope that you can find nourishing food for you pets! While few and far between, forward thinking companies do exist and value the basic concepts of ethical, honest business practices. Imagine that!
Another alternative Ms. Martin suggests is home cooked meals for your pets. This is not for everyone as it can be time-consuming for busy professionals, but seems to be the icing on the cake vis-à-vis the information provided in this book you may require for your pets. There are several recipes ranging from easy to complex for those interested in preparing home meals. However, if making meals for Spot is simply not your cup of tea, Food Pets Die For: Shocking Facts About Pet Food gives you several options.
Food Pets Die For: Shocking Facts About Pet Food
2003 Edition written by Ann N. Martin
163 Pages Publisher: New Sage Press
ISBN 0-939165-46-5
U.S. $13.95 / CDN $22.95
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