And I’m guessing your pets probably don’t either. So I want to help you keep your pets happy and healthy, as I’ve seen firsthand how proper nutrition can impact pets. That’s why, now, through the end of the year, bring me the bag of dog or cat food you are currently feeding your pet, and I’ll give you a free bag of Nature’s Variety. I want you to see the difference, too!
Knowing where your pet food comes from is also important. I remember a customer coming to me upset because the food she’d been feeding her two cats was part of the 2007 nationwide pet food recall. She thought she’d been doing everything right — buying quality food from one of the big box pet chains. It was higher cost than other foods available, but she didn’t care because she was giving her pets what she thought was good nutrition. She’d researched the food company and liked that they used “natural” ingredients. So she was devastated to find out that her “high-quality” cat food had been causing kidney failure and death in cats in the U.S.
SATISFIED FELINES: Phoebe and Ty are two of my regulars. They became Ruff Haus customers after the food they were getting from a big box pet store was part of the nationwide 2007 pet food recall. I'm proud to say that none of the food sold at Ruff Haus was a part of that recall.
In the end, it came back to a pet food manufacturer, Menu Foods. The company was producing several of the low-cost and high-end pet foods that lined the shelves at many chain stores. Some major brands you see at your local grocery and major pet food stores were affected, including Iams/Eukanuba and Nutro. An investigation later found the products were contaminated with chemicals that caused renal failure in pets.
I tell this story by way of reminding how easy it is to be mislead by marketing. I talked with this customer for a bit and helped educate her on what she was feeding her pet. It’s easy to fall prey to marketing, especially when there are claims of it being “natural.” Chicken beaks are natural. But is that something you’d want to feed your pet? Pretty labels and good design don’t equate quality.
I Do The Research So You Don’t Have To
You wouldn’t expect to feel good eating a diet of preservative-laden foods. In fact, eating a bad diet has been linked to fatigue and constipation to more serious matters like cancer and heart disease. It’s no different for our furry companions. Whether human or a pet companion, nutrition makes a difference.
Before I stock any food or treat in Ruff Haus, I do my research. I look for food that undergoes the least amount of processing so it is as close as possible to what your pet would eat in the wild. I look at the back panel — the front might not be attractive, but it’s the nutrition panel that counts. It also has to contain quality protein.
For example, a food label my say the crude protein level is appropriate, but what does that really mean? It all comes back to what constitutes the protein. Real chicken, lamb and eggs are examples of quality proteins that your pet’s body can use and digest most efficiently. They’ll eat less and get more nutritional punch from their food. That’s the kind of protein I look for and stock at Ruff Haus. Hair is “natural” and would up the protein levels on some food brands. However, it’s not an acceptable source of a protein and your pet would have to eat more of the food just to get his or her nutritional requirements.
You may also automatically shy away from “byproducts” on labels. But the truth is not all byproducts are bad. Organ meats, like lungs, are a great protein for your pet. That kind of byproduct gets the OK from me. Ground up chicken feet or feathers? Not so much.
Why I’ll Take Your Current Food
I was reminded of that customer’s story when I heard P&G purchased Natura last year. I made the difficult decision to sever ties with the company, since I could no longer guarantee the quality of their products. At the time, Natura was one of the more popular brands in the store. Popularity and profitability are not traits that get food on the shelves at Ruff Haus, nor will they keep them there if quality is compromised.
So stop in and take me up on my food exchange offer. We can talk about your pet’s unique needs and what food might be best for him or her. Or, you can just exchange your current bag and head right out! But we’d love to hear your feedback on how your pet likes the food.
