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The food you feed your dog or cat could make your pet sick. But worse, it could make you or your family sick as well. In fact, illness caused by contaminated pet food is on the rise around the world and surprisingly common. And yes it does even happen in New Zealand. Here is what you need to be aware of to keep you and your family (including your pets) safe.
Both raw and dried foods can become infected with harmful bacteria. The most common of these is salmonella. This can be passed on to humans by handling the food and can cause diarrhea and other unpleasant effects. Another less common but also harmful bacteria found in contaminated pet food is campylobacter.

Contaminations are very common and every year there are numerous food "recalls" where companies remove their products from sale due to the ingredients being tested positive for harmful bacteria and other problems.Although feeding dried food appears to be safer than feeding raw (in fact the CDC, The American Center for Disease Control and Prevention "recommends against feeding raw food to dogs and cats because of the risk of illness to the pet as well as to people living in the household"*1) there are things you can do to ensure your risks are minimized.
When handling any pet food make sure you wash your hands thoroughly immediately afterwards. Also store the food away from human foods and don't prepare the food in the same area as you prepare human foods.

However, the easiest precaution you can take is to feed a brand of food that has a high safety record and scrupulous health and safety practices.And which company has the best record in all of these areas? Pro Pac and Earthborn Holistic. These are the only brands of pet food that have never been recalled due to contamination in their history - and that is 25 years!
While all of the other well-known brands have had numerous recalls, Pro Pac and Earthborn Holistic have never had a single instance of contamination - and there are a number of reasons why:

Firstly, all batches of Pro Pac and Earthborn Holistic that are exported (including to New Zealand) are produced to European Union requirements, which are much stricter than US standards. Most, if not all, other companies export their food to New Zealand using US standards.European Union standards require a higher level of testing of the food and checking of suppliers of the ingredients. There is simply a lot more time (and cost) involved, which is why other companies avoid it if they can.
Secondly, Pro Pac and Earthborn Holistic are made only from ingredients from named, US-based suppliers. They do not use 'anonymous' ingredients from Asia, which have been the source of big problems in pet food. Virtually every other well-known pet food company will use Asian ingredients - and they will certainly not guarantee that their products don't contain them. The corn used in Pro Pac is also non-GMO - unique for any US pet food.

Thirdly, both Pro Pac and Earthborn Holistic undergo testing far in excess of the norm for pet food. Every batch is tested by an independent laboratory five times before it is sent from the factory! This is the most rigorous testing in the pet food industry.Fourthly, both Pro Pac and Earthborn Holistic only use natural ingredients that have been proved to be nutritionally beneficial to pets. There are no by products, artificial colorings, flavorings or preservatives or any of the low-cost fillers that are found in the majority of other brands.
Food contamination - harming both pets and humans - is becoming an increasing problem worldwide. By feeding Pro Pac or Earthborn Holistic you can be assured of protecting your family to the highest level possible by using the safest foods on the market.

To order Pro Pac or Earthborn Holistic in New Zealand direct from the importer visit www.petfooddirect.co.nz*1 CDC website, http://www.cdc.gov/Features/SalmonellaDryPetFood/

Many dog owners leave food in their dog's bowl for it to eat whenever it likes. However, this is not a good idea, for you or your dog. In fact, it is bound to cause a lot of problems.
If you are in the habit of leaving your dog to 'graze' on its food bowl whenever it feels like it, be aware that it is sending the wrong messages to your dog. Doing this actually lessens the value of the food to the dog. This can create fussiness or it not being particularly interested in its food. In addition to this, a few kibbles of food can make a good treat to use in training or as a reward. If the dog is used to being able to eat food whenever it feels like it, it is not going to regard the food as special or worth working for.

The best way to feed a dog is to have two meal times a day, one in the morning and one in the evening. Try to keep to the same time each day if possible. Put the food bowl on the floor of fifteen minutes. If the dog has not eaten the food by then, remove the bowl until the next meal time. This teaches your dog that the food is important, meal times are special, and that if it does not eat there will be no more until the next meal time.By following this simple routine you teach your dog the right attitude towards its food. It greatly reduces any tendency to be fussy (which dogs naturally are not) and that you expect it to eat the food provided when it is made available. It is an expectation that will make life easier for both of you!
Also ensure you feed a high-quality food such as Pro Pac or Earthborn Holistic. This is the only way to ensure your dog gets all the nutrition it needs for healthy development. Just as with human food, there are 'junk foods' for dogs and feeding them will create the same health problems you would expect to develop in humans.

For more information about Pro Pac and Earthborn Holistic Grain Free dog foods visit www.petfooddirect.co.cz

 Great news! Buy any 15kg bag of Pro Pac this month and receive a Pro Pac Backpack absolutely free!
These stylish backpacks are both good looking and very useful. We normally sell them for $23.95 but you get one free with any order of Pro Pac 15kg dog food.

Limited supplies - be quick!To order your Pro Pac (and get your free backpack) just give us a call anytime on 0800 DOG FOOD (0800 364 366) or buy directly online here
Note: Limit of one backpack per customer. Available until the end of July or until supplies of backpacks run out. Range of colours; colour will be allocated on available basis.

We hope you enjoy your backpack! Thanks as always for your support and we look forward to hearing from you soon.Best wishes,
Liam and Mal

(Article reprinted and modified from http://www.allpetnews.com/questions-to-ask-before-choosing-your-pet-food)

With all of the pet food recalls that have occurred over the last few years, it has never been more important to be an informed pet parent, especially when it comes to the nutrition that you provide your dog or cat. It's also important to bear in mind that there are a lot of pet food companies vying for your attention and your money.  Remember that they still have costs to cut and profits to make.

How can you be sure you're buying a high quality pet food? Asking the right questions will guide you in the right direction. Start by looking on a company's website for the answers to the following inquiries. If you can't find the information there, don't hesitate to contact the company directly by phone or email. If they aren't willing to answer your questions, it's certainly a red flag to pay attention to and you may want to look elsewhere.

Where are the Ingredients Sourced From?  From poultry and seafood, to fruits, vegetables, and supplements, it's important to ask a pet food manufacturer where they're getting their ingredients from, and you want to steer clear of those companies that source cheap ingredients, which have been associated with toxins in pet food and treats that have been linked to sick and dead animals. Asking where the ingredients come from, whether they've been inspected and approved by the USDA, and where they're actually processed into your pet's food, are a few of the key questions that will let you know how much a company cares, and how much it's willing to spend on its ingredients.

Comment: Virtually all ingredients used in the production of PRO PAC & EARTHBORN HOLISTIC are sourced from North America (some of the vitamins come from Europe, the lamb comes from Australia). This is in contrast to most pet food manufacturers, which source at least some of their ingredients from Asia.

What Quality Control Measures are in Place?  In addition to knowing where the ingredients come from, it's also important to trust the facility that processes and packages the food. Therefore, asking a manufacturer about the quality control measures they have in place to assure pet owners that the food they're purchasing is free of contaminants is another key question in determining what food is worth your money.

Look for a company that keeps raw ingredients away from cooked ingredients in order to prevent cross-contamination. And make sure they test each batch to be sure there aren't any allergens, molds, bacteria, and other pathogens in the food before it's shipped for sale. A good company will test food throughout the manufacturing process as well as at the end, and will hold food until they've gotten test results stating that the food is safe to consume before letting it leave the facility.

Comment: PRO PAC & EARTHBORN HOLISTIC products have never been recalled.  This despite the fact that the manufacturer as run thousands of tests for pathogens, toxins and other harmful substances - just in the last few years. 

Pro Pac & Earthborn Holistic use "Positive Release".  That is, not releasing products to the market until they've been tested and found to be free of harmful substances.  The manufacturer actively utilises positive release on nearly all international shipments. 

All animal origin ingredient suppliers used in the production of Pro Pac & Earthborn Holistic are inspected at least annually by the US Department of Agriculture.  Material quality, adequate processing, quality control and sanitation are required.

The production facilities for Pro Pac & Earthborn Holistic are inspected at least annually by the USDA to ensure product quality, adequate processing, quality control and sanitation.  Included among the inspections are approvals for the European Union, Russia, Australia, Israel and other countries.  Approvals for the EU and Russia are the most comprehensive, costly and difficult approvals to obtain.  Ingredient flushing and separation procedures and finished product separation (to prevent cross-contamination) are required.

Other Questions You Can Ask to Make the Right Choice.  Feel free to ask any other questions that come to mind, such as if the packaging used by a company are BPA-free. Before purchasing a food, check the ingredients and guaranteed analysis on the label to ensure that it is appropriately balanced for your pet and doesn't contain any artificial ingredients or cheap fillers.

Comment: EARTHBORN HOLISTIC bags (and soon to be PRO PAC) are BPA-Free.

Neither Pro Pac nor Earthborn Holistic contain any artificial ingredients or cheap fillers.

Although adding to the cost of production, all of these factors make a huge difference to the quality of the food - and to the health of your dog. It is no secret that Pro Pac and Earthborn Holistic lead the world in quality and safety in pet food.

Available exclusively in New Zealand from Petfood Direct

We thought you might be interested to see the results of a study conducted by the Hong Kong Consumer Council in which 39 pet foods were sampled off the shelf and tested for a variety of pathogens, toxins, heavy metals and other potentially harmful substances.
Note the well-known brands also sold in New Zealand that were among those with problem results.

Seven products were found to contain the toxin aflatoxin, melamine was found in two products and cyanuric acid was also found in two products.  Consequently, of the 39 pet food products tested, nearly 30% were found to contain potentially harmful substances.*************

Here is the report:

Cancer-causing toxin found in Hong Kong pet food sparks alarm
15 April, 2014Consumer Council calls for regulations on animal food after it finds carcinogen and other contaminants in 20% of products tested.
A cancer-causing toxin has been found in seven types of pet food sold in Hong Kong.

The council's recent tests on 39 dry pet products - 20 dog foods and 19 cat foods - showed the amounts of aflatoxin found in four dog foods and three cat foods ranged from one to two micrograms per kilogram.
The tests also revealed two contaminants: melamine in Solid Gold and Iams; and cyanuric acid in Purina Pro Plan and 1st Choice.

One manufacturer of the pet foods found with aflatoxin, Purina One, said the carcinogen was an "unavoidable natural contaminant" found in grains such as corn, barley and rice. Another, AvoDerm, said it had since replaced the corn in its formula that was believed to be the source of the carcinogen.Animal welfare groups supported legislation.
Sally Andersen of Hong Kong Dog Rescue said many pet owners tried to save money by buying cheap dog food, but ended up paying more to the vets.
*************Products produced by the manufacturers of Pro Pac and Earthborn Holistic were also tested but came up ‘clean’, with no problems detected. Although the Pro Pac and Earthborn Holistic brands themselves were’t in the study, it’s important to remember that both of these brands have never been recalled due to problem ingredients - the only dog food brands to have achieved this.
As more and more health problems in dogs and cats become attributed to the foods they eating, you can rest assured that with Pro Pac and Earthborn Holistic you are feeding the safest foods on the market.