Pet Food Isn't 'Human Grade,' Class Claims

[Therese]

Pet Food Isn't 'Human Grade,' Class Claims


    LOS ANGELES (CN) - PetCo and Old Mother Hubbard sell pet food under the false claim that it contains only "human grade" meat, though it actually contains feathers, viscera, skin and bones, a class action claims in Federal Court. The class challenges the claim that the ingredients of "Wellness" brand dry pet food are of "the same quality you would feed to your own family."
     Lead plaintiffs Julie Barney and Candice Winzen say the defendants made millions from pet owners who are willing to pay extra for Wellness pet food, based on the false claims about its ingredients.
     Wellness dog food contains chicken meal and other animal meal, which the class claims "consists of low quality poultry meat, poultry skin, bones, and may include feathers, internal organ and other viscera. Chicken meal is never suitable for human consumption."
     The class seeks punitive damages and an injunction stopping the allegedly misleading ads. They are represented by Scott Ferrell with Call, Jensen & Ferrell of Newport Beach.


SOURCE:
http://www.courthousenews.com/2009/08/31/Pet_Food_Isn_t_Human_Grade_Class_Claims.htm

[Bonkers]

In an article written by Laurinda Morris DVM, she explains the so called differences between Pet Grade and Human Grade.

 "There shouldn’t be – but there is - a gray area to a solid understanding and definition of human grade ingredients. The gray area happens for two reasons. One – AAFCO has no official definition of human grade ingredients. So a manufacturer can say human grade and not be held accountable for such claims. Second, it happens because pet food manufacturers that purchase by-products (feet, heads, intestines, and so on) purchase these ingredients from a USDA approved meat processing facility. They are using (or misusing) the term human grade/quality to mean the products come from a USDA approved meat processing facility. The reality that by-products are human grade/quality is far from the truth. "


[/i]"One thing that just a couple of pet food manufacturers do to provide their customers with absolute proof they use human grade ingredients is called APHIS European certification. APHIS (Animal Plant Health Inspection Services) is a division of the USDA. If a pet food is manufactured in the US and they wish to market their products in Europe – they must have APHIS European certification. European countries demand that all ingredients (not just the meat) be human grade/quality and demand proof of such through the USDA and demand the manufacturer and all vendors be regularly inspected by the USDA. The few pet food manufacturers that do this – don’t even ship products to Europe. They go to this effort – to achieve the APHIS certification – to provide their customers with inexplicable proof of the quality of their ingredients." [/i]

 To read the entire article click on the link below.

  http://www.bigcatrescue.org/pets/PetGradeHumanGrade.htm