So today we find out loving pet owners all over North America unwittingly fed rat poison to their precious Fluffies and Fidos. I couldn’t imagine the betrayal I would feel if I were a Menu Foods customer.
The companies relying on Menu Foods to make their concoctions should be quite angry – some brands may never recover from this awful tragedy. Responsibility for quality control falls squarely on Menu Foods’ shoulders. Life will march on for Menu Foods. Not so true for all the pets who have eaten the products they manufactured.
Thankfully, my neurotic but lovable cat Abu and his canine companion Sand are not affected by this catastrophe. I feed them Wellness brand and Newman’s Own products. This food is so healthy, I should stop eating the garbage I live on and add it to my diet. I am serious. It goes for at least 2 bucks a pound. But I spend the money for what I am not getting – cheap filler, byproducts, and heaven knows what else. I buy my pet food from a great little place – Lucas Avenue Pet Supply – and the guy running the place has done a great job educating me about all the things in pet food I really wouldn’t want my dog eating.
It all started with Clifford. He is a gorgeous Greater Swiss Mountain Dog I picked up from a doggie rescue. His only real problem was the stench emanating from him. His coat stunk as bad as his… well… gas. His coat was dry and flaky… did I mention stinky? “Stay out of the drive thru with him,” the veterinarian cautioned. “Buns are especially bad for dogs.”
It broke my heart to drive past Burgerville. Their Rogue River Valley Bacon Burgers were to die for, but I couldn’t stand to eat in front of Clifford. So we went cold turkey together, and something magical happened. He stopped stinking and I lost 15 pounds. I started looking at labels and researching foods. And one day it happened. It was like a movie – I swear. We were at the park and the sun danced off his smooth black coat. Every muscle in his body was defined while he shimmered. I know it sounds crazy, but I was so proud at that moment I knew without a doubt that his diet made him gorgeous. I never begrudged a $49.99 bag of food again. Once, when money was really tight, I felt so guilty stretching the budget by mixing in store brand kibble with the good stuff. Thank heaven he survived.
This recall has reminded me about the real costs of being mindless. I could just as easily be affected if not for Clifford. Abu and Sand survived the most recent skirmish in Lebanon and were evacuated to the United States as war refugees. It would’ve sucked if they dodged bombs and bullets to come to the land of opportunity to be felled by pet food filler – which is what wheat gluten is. I don’t mind paying for the peace of mind knowing my pets are eating the best foods out there. If only I took my own advice, put down the Diet Coke and ate out of their bowls, well, I would probably be as healthy as they are.
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