Tommyboy, all it would have taken was one post from Evy to answer my questions.  Then that would be all there was to it.  Instead, more than a week goes by, and finally an answer after repeating one of my questions.  Trying to find out answers isn't "badgering."  If you think it is, then I guess I can't ask anything at all
Sarah

But Evy I am not asking for documentation (except for where the FDA rule was about dogs and cats in dog and cat food which you brought up).  Just answers to my questions back on page 3.  They are very simple questions and if you know exactly what goes into your food, then why didn't you answer them?  Yes, I know your replies are for your blog, but this information would be just as useful here too.  Or, you can just say not to have any Kumpi thread at all, and instead direct all inquiries to your web site.

You post too much like Jennifer of Natural Balance, right down to the "Have a good Day."  You do not want to answer the questions, you have excuses about answering the questions, and I get the impression all this Jenniferspeak is hiding something.  I hope I am wrong, I don't want to upset you or anybody.  But in the aftermath of this pet food scandal, I have been asking both human food makers and pet food makers just what ingredients are in their food, and where they come from.  All I get is more evasiveness.  I cannot trust any company like that.  The lives of my pets are at stake.
Sarah

Well, no it doesn't.  I would assume it takes the same amount of time to answer my email privately as it does to answer in this forum.

And your source for rendered meat meal should welcome the interruption in their busy schedule to answer any and all questions - especially very simple ones like I am asking.

As for AAFCO, the president of AAFCO is on record as stating "you won't know if your pet food has beef, horse, or Fluffy."  I did find one web site that a person from the FDA said while the FDA frowns on dogs and cats in pet food, they can understand why using pets would be helpful to "use them up" so to speak.

Evy I can understand your situation, but quite frankly I am baffled at your reluctance to continually balk at answering very simple questions.  You should be aware of what goes in your pet food anyway, and to state that you have to find out, that is not very reassuring.

Thanks for your reply Evy, and thanks to Therese too.  I do get suspicious when questions like this aren't answered right away, I guess I have had too much "Jenniferspeak" (of Natural Balance).  So I'm suspicious of everyone now until they can persuade me otherwise.

I can appreciate that grieving pet parents that have lost, come first.  And this is a very good thing you are doing.  But if your pet food is a notch - or several - above the others then that is really important too.  People are really frantic about buying a food for their pets that at the least won't hurt them, and hopefully would be good for them.

I would like to get answers to my other questions, among them - you mentioned it is against the law or the FDA rules that dogs and cats cannot be used in pet food.  I looked for this law or rule but couldn't find anything about it.
Sarah

Evy it has been more than a week now and you still have not answered my question.  I will repeat it here, again.

This sounds like rendered meat, then.  So is this meat meal the same thing that other pet foods get?  From Ol' Roy to Natural Balance.  Correct?

Can you please answer this.
Sarah

This sounds like rendered meat, then.  So is this meat meal the same thing that other pet foods get?  From Ol' Roy to Natural Balance.  Correct?

Evy it has been a week now since I ask you about your dog food.  You have not answered any of my questions.  Is there a problem?
Sarah

Hi Evy, thanks for replying.  It's really bad when another poster invites me to switch to a different brand just for wanting to find out the facts.  So I'm glad you are here

Apparently this other poster neglected to take notice of my message - so I will repeat it here.  I already know you use varied meats as in case you can't get one then you can use another.  However, can this be stated on your label?  Something like this:

Meat meal: chicken or lamb or beef or pork.  If this can't be done legally then would you object to putting a notice on the label of your bag that says just these 4 meats are in your food, or whatever.

I want to emphasize that I am not trying to give you a hard time, but after dealing with Jennifer of Natural Balance and her evading, I want to ask questions that cover ingredients thoroughly.  You are not being singled out, I would ask the same of any other pet food I am considering - which at this point is none.  Yours right now is the only pet food I would feed if I can get the answers to my questions.  But I need those answers and I am sure others can benefit by them too.

I am still asking about meat meal.  Is it rendered?  Can humans eat this meat meal without harm?  Exactly what parts of the animal go into meat meal?  Is meat meal made in the same facilities as rendered by products?  If not then where is it made and how is it made.  Who makes the meat meal?  What condition is the meat before it is made into meat meal?

You state that cats and dogs, road kill, etc. are not in any pet foods at all.  What facts can you provide to prove this?  How do you explain the expose that 20-20 did.  And the news reporter that went undercover.  And if our pets are not being made into pet food, then what happens to all of this rendered meal that is not going in to pet foods?

I am convinced that you believe in good food ingredients for your products.  But how can you trust your suppliers?  The fact that you had to reject a shipment of meat sets alarms ringing - rendered!  Maybe I am wrong, so please state why I should not be suspicious in this day and age of adulterated food.
Sarah

Thanks for the info everyone.  I am suspicious of anything "meal."  It may be good, but how do we know it hasn't been rendered.  After all that is what remains after the fat from the dogs and cats and roadkill are scraped off.  It is also very disturbing that Evy uses "meat meal" rather than specifics.  I believe this is so if she can't get beef at the time then she can use chicken.  Well, why not list this on the label?  Chicken or beef or lamb meal.  If by law, it can't be listed in the ingredients section, then it can be mentioned someone on the bag - contains beef, chicken, or lamb ONLY.  No other meat.  But Evy doesn't do this.  And I can't help but be suspicious.  Is this meat meal that Evy puts in her dog food human grade?  Can humans eat it everyday and not get sick from it?  If I were not feeding my dogs what I eat then maybe I wouldn't be so particular.  But to go from my food to a commercial feed with ingredients that are so vague is scary.

Ah, what will happen to the bodies of those euthanized hogs?  Something to think about ...
Sarah

Mike you are totally wrong in every way to brag up China the way you do.  When even the government of China says there is no way to control what the farmers do, don't you think the government would know?  The FDA inspects just 1% of foods coming in to this country.  Of that 1%, most of the foods from China check bad - poisoned, contaminated, just plain filthy.  And all of the other bad stuff is getting by the FDA and in us.  God help us all.
Sarah

That may be so, but I think it would be good to have the reply on a public forum.  Other people are trying to find a pet food that at least won't kill their pets, and might even be good for them.  I don't quite trust any pet food anymore and I'm sure there are others like me.  People rather than choosing a GOOD dog food are now choosing the lesser of all evils.  I have read about Kumpi, I am interested in it, but am concerned about the rendered meats.  While I home cook there may be times when I have to feed kibble.  I am hoping Evy can convince me that rendered meats are good.
Sarah

Hi Evy, I am looking for a different dry food and would like to discuss the ingredients of what you make.  Before I didn't know any better I fed dog food that had rendered by-products.  Then I discovered human grade dog foods, only to learn they might not be so human grade after all.

Here's the thing:  I fix my dogs own meals now, but if a time should come when I can't give them their meals for a day or several, then I would need a commercial food.  The fact that you use meal scares me off.  To me, meal means rendered.  Just what is in this rendered meat that you use?

The other concern I have is your dog food has a lot of grains.  Dogs don't have a need for grains, they can cause allergies.  They are prone to mold.  With this horrible recall, I feel that the less ingredients that a pet food has, the safer.  Have you ever considered making a dog food without grains?  Except for maybe brown rice.
Sarah