Animal By-products in Dog and Cat Food

Time and again, you can read online that even high-quality dog and cat food contains only animal by-products and no actual meat. Manufacturers are accused of using only the cheapest raw materials, which are said to be harmful to the health of our dogs and cats. Is that really true?

What are animal by-products?

Today, we only use about 50% of a slaughtered animal for human consumption. The entire remainder consists of slaughter by-products, which are now referred to as ‘animal by-products’. We consider it sensible and right that more than half of a slaughtered animal is not simply incinerated, but that these parts are utilized as pet food as much as possible.

How many animal by-products are contained in dog and cat food?

It is indeed true that all animal products used in dog and cat food are animal by-products! However, this has nothing to do with the quality of these products, but simply with the fact that the relevant regulation stipulates that all animal products not intended for use as foodstuffs must be designated as animal by-products. So, even a rib-eye steak that ends up in dog food would have to be called an animal by-product.

Which animal by-products are permitted in dog and cat food?

Only meat and slaughter by-products of risk category 3 may be processed into dog and cat food. These are slaughter by-products that (e.g., for commercial reasons) are not used as foodstuffs and pose no health risk to humans or animals. These include meat, bones, internal organs, rinds, udders, fats, etc.

In fact, less valuable materials such as hides, feathers, bristles, or claws are also used in the production of pet food. This is often criticized by those very circles who, in other contexts, like to point out that dogs and cats are predators and therefore eat whole prey animals (i.e., with bones, coat, and offal) and not just muscle meat. Of course, the proportion of such raw materials must not be too high, otherwise, the food becomes difficult to digest and leads to the animals experiencing flatulence and diarrhea.

Even though it is repeatedly claimed: No carcasses, stillborn, diseased, or animals not slaughtered for meat production may be used for the production of pet food!

Aren't animal by-products in pet food unhygienic?

Of course, the raw materials processed into dog and cat food often don't look appetizing in pictures! However, raw animal by-products must be continuously cooled in the slaughterhouse and during transport to the manufacturing company. In addition, it must be regularly checked that the raw materials, as well as the finished products, comply with hygienic standards.

Today, animal waste is therefore called animal by-products, which already indicates that these are not simply waste, but valuable products whose utilization in dog and cat food is very sensible.

Sources: BLV - Disposal of Animal By-products