Book Title: "The Veterinarian's Guide to Natural Remedies for Cats: Safe and Effective Alternative Treatments and Healing Techniques from the Nation's Top Holistic Veterinarians"
Author: Martin Zucker.
Publisher: Three Rivers Press, NY.
Quotes:
Page 12
"Meat: condemned and contaminated protein from slaughter-houses. Road Kill. Four-D Livestock, meaning dead, disabled, and dying. And even euthanized companion animals- dogs and cats! These sources are rendered- that is, mixed together and "sterilized"- for use in subsequent processing into pet food. Many of the meat sources contain levels of drugs, horomones, and presticides condsidered too high for safe human consumption.
Grain: Two of the top three ingredients listed on the labels of dry pet food (kibble)are generally some form of grain. They tend to be the cheap dregs from the human food chain. Frequentlythe grain is corn or corn gluten meal. Cats are true carnivores. They need meat. A diet high in corn, or any grain, makes no sense for a cat. But from the manufacturing standpoint, corn and other cereals being used to replace meat provide much cheaper and inferior protein sources than meat."
Page 14
"Martin says her investigation revealed that "just about anything and everything is fair game for sue in pet food. Labels do not indicate the hidden hazards that lurk in most cans and bags." One of the most shocking practices she learned abouse was the use of eythanized pets as part of the rendered mix that goes into pet foods. Despite the denial by the industry that this is happening, says Martin, "dogs and cats from shelters, pounds, and even veterinary clinics are ending up in pet food. Some people seem to feel that this is not a problem, afterall, dogs and cats are a source of protein. What they neglect to consider is that 90 percent of these animals have been treated with high levels of drugs prior to their demise. These drgus, anitibiotics, horomones, and so on all withstand the rendering processand in face can become more toxic. The companies selling the dyes and flavor enhanceres are doing a landslide business, and as long as consumers are not offended by the smell and look of pet food, they assume it is a good quality.
In 1990, San Francisco Cronicle investigative reporter John Eckhouse brought this practice to public attention. He found that each year millions of dead American dogs and cats are processed along with billions of pounds of other animal materials into tallow and meat meal used for thousands of items, including cosmetics and pet food. The practice is not illegal and probably accounts for only a very small percentage of the protein content of pet food, Eckhouse reported. One veterinary official who confirmed the practice said that "when you read pet food labels and it says meat or bone meal, that's what it is- cooked and converted animals, including some dogs and cats.""
