Pet Food
Americans want to buy their pets the best, but dog and cat food is frequently mislabeled, according to a report published last year by Chapman University. Thirty-eight percent of the products tested by its researchers were mislabeled, while one brand of pet food had what Chapman University called “a non-specific meat ingredient that could not be verified.”
The most common problem was pet food including a meat product, such as pork, that wasn’t included on the label.
That can become a problem for pets eating a special diet, or if the pet has an allergy or intolerance for a product that’s not identified on the label.
It’s not always easy to know if a product has been mislabeled, although the researchers found it was more common with wet food than in dry. Pet owners can get in touch with the food manufacturer to make sure they verify the sources of their ingredients. If they are very worried, they also have the option of making home-made meals for their pets.
