Two Major Pet Food Companies Recall Products

Two large pet food manufacturers, Nature’s Variety and Bravo Pet Foods, have issued recalls of its products after routine third-party testing yielded positive results for Salmonella contamination. Nature’s Variety is recalling its Instinct Raw Chicken Formula Bites and Patties with a “Best By date” of April 16, 2016, while Bravo says all Bravo Blend Chicken diet for dogs and cats with a “Best By date” before December 5, 2016 should be returned or discarded. According to the US Food and Drug Administration, food contaminated with Salmonella can sicken companion animals—causing lethargy, diarrhea, fever, vomiting, and decreased appetite—as well as humans who handle the food, especially if people do not wash their hands thoroughly after feeding their animals. Animals that have consumed the recalled products and have symptoms should visit their veterinarians. Even if guardians think their dogs and cats are safe from Salmonella risks, experts say commercial pet food is not always safe. “A lot of so-called feed can be hideous animal waste,” Association for Truth in Pet Food consumer advocate Susan Thixton says. Vegan cat and dog food, with healthier, cleaner ingredients and production conditions less susceptible to disease, is a safer and more nutritious way to feed companion animals.