Most pet owners don’t like to think about killing pets in shelters. Even fewer like to think about the possibility of those dead shelter pets being ground up for use as an ingredient in pet food. While I don’t know of any unequivocal proof that dead shelter pets sent to rendering facilities end up being purchased as a protein source by pet food manufacturers, I think it’s a question worth asking.
Slate asked the question last week and tragically bungled the thing worse than I could have imagined. The author determines that dead shelter pets are likely in your pet’s food dish but closes with this so very wrong paragraph:
Go ahead, feed this stuff to your dogs. I’m not kidding. They have to eat something, and this is what is available. Until we have a better answer for the millions of unwanted pets waiting in shelters for homes that aren’t there, and until we figure out a more efficient means of turning subsidized grain into steak, this stuff exists, and we’ve got to do something with it. Put Lassie on the label, since she’s on the menu anyway. If you don’t like it, adopt a shelter dog and make sure it’s neutered.
Fail, fail everywhere and all the brains did shrink.
Dogs do have to eat something but commercial mystery meat food is not the only thing available. Table scraps, in their various forms, have been used to feed dogs since dogs started hanging around humans and there were no “subsidized grains” being turned into steak then. There are plenty of other foods dogs can be fed besides steak anyway.
Millions of shelter pets are not unwanted. They are wanted. Shelters and rescues prevent pets from getting into homes by keeping the pets hidden, turning down adopters who don’t meet arbitrary criteria such as a fenced yard and failing to do their jobs overall.
Homes are there. More than enough homes. Check the math.
I have adopted shelter dogs. I’ve gotten them neutered. It didn’t make any shelter directors do their jobs. Problem still unsolved. Or to put it more lovingly, your solution sucks, makes no sense and sucks more.
At least you got it right the second time. If at first you don’t succeed try, try again.
X
My dogs eat what we eat. I would never feed them cows or pigs, much less other dogs and cats.
I have the fact sheet signed by Los Angeles Animal Control that breaks down where the rendererd yes renered pet go and the products shelter animals are made into.. Tallow is the fat rendered pets.. from the shelters own facts sheet as if it’s nothing..soap, cosmetics, shampoo, crayons, tires.. fish meal to feed the fish farm raised in China..One company serves all the very low cost contact in S. Cal.. Because the ingredients are then resold!!!! I can send you the FYI sheet from the director Marcia Mayeda.. While they won’t admit pet food.. The meal goes to China..the FYI sheet was shocking they acted like this was ok with society.. As long as they have NO knowledge the company sells for pet food..!!!!!
My lipstick, tires, children’s crayons!! Soap!
Unknown to me products I buy!
Not too often you see someone take a subject like food and turn it into an apology for shelter killing, but then again, this is a man who argues for hunting, killing and eating animals that have been introduced to the continent (“invasive species” from which we are “under attack”). So he’s someone predisposed to think that there are animals who should be classified as “extra.”
A much higher quality of research — and different conclusions — can be found in Ted Kerasote’s new book Pukka’s Promise. Kerasote visited rendering plants in person and spoke with rendering company executives as part of his preparation for writing. In the part of the book that’s about food (for both pets and people), he included detailed descriptions of what he saw and learned.
Thanks for the heads up. I actually have that book but went straight for the chapter on tubal ligations/vasectomies. I need to go back and have a look at the rest of the book.
WHAT A STUPID JERK!
I have seen “animal” and “meat” listed as ingredients on pet food. While I don’t know if it is dead dogs and cats, the fact that it is not listed as a type of animal raises red flags to me. I don’t want Rocky eating dead Fluffy. Frankly, my dogs love human food. Prior to having some strongly worded conversations with some of my vets, when I was just started having pets, they pretty much ate most of what I ate (I knew what was on the forbidden list). They were much happier that way. My mother told me it is natural for them to eat leftovers, she said – what do you think they did before there was dog food?
Never mind the fact that having your dog or cat eat another dog or cat is just wrong, those shelter pets have been (or should have been) killed with extremely strong, extremely dangerous drugs. If your animal eats other animals killed with those drugs, your pet ingests those drugs.
I read a book a few years ago, and it was several years old even then, about the dangers of commercial pet food. I wish I could remember the name of either the author or the book. The author had found the same information abot dead pets going to rendering plants that then sold the rendered products to pet food makers. Pets that ate this food seemed extra sensitive to aenesthesia drugs, having reactions they shouldn’t, had they only had the drugs at times known to the vet. Some of these reactions were strong enough to kill.
(Please note, it has been several years since I read this book so this information is very vague and may be slightly inaccurate.)
I think proof of our the other consumers products I have the lost directly from LA Animal Care and Control is enough said about rendering shelter pets.
I would be happy to e-mail you the list yesbiscuit and it directly from the directer. All the shelter contact the same company because no others accepts dogs or cats.
The Q and A is very shocking and that they write it likes it nothing is just horrible.
Just comment someone if the want it.
It’s you SOAP..Cosmetics.. And, more!!!
My e-mail is eiderdown@yesbiscuit.com if you would like to send me a copy. Thank you.
I will pull you the information as soon S I
get to
my desktop YesBiscuit.. It will make a interesting blog.. People don’t believe until
they read.. They think it rumor and myth I found the in shelter documents.. !
I have read that rendering plants do sell ingredients to dog & cat food manufacturing plants that does go into the dog/cat food Spot & Fluffy eats. Their ingredients also go into chicken, cow & pig feed. Look at the by-product ingredients on your pet food bags. I have also read about the shameful dog pound & rendering plant in southern California.
Twenty five years ago, Memphis used to have a rendering plant & the smell reeked throughout the entire area. Dog food was also made within that area which was blamed for the smells. It did smell sort of like dog food. And there was a rumor long ago of MAS sending their kills to that rendering plant. I can’t verify it, but I’ve heard about it many times.
Yesbiscuit I sent the rendering doc’s to your e-mail for LA/CA.
Can you send me a copy?
That is why I buy the $50.00 bag instead of the $5.00 bag. I also read everything that is listed on the bag to make sure that MY dogs and cats don’t end up with all of the residual garbage that I know is going into the other foods. I knew about the rendering of dead pound animals over 20 years ago. I was told this by the manager of a shelter here in California. And the drugs that are used to “safely put them to sleep”, do get transferred into the food that has it in it. It can make pets sick. So check the ingredients people. Your pet depends on it.