still more...
?Natural? and ?Organic? claims. The definition of ?natural? adopted by AAFCO is very broad, and allows for artificially processed ingredients that most of us would consider very unnatural indeed. The term ?organic?, on the other hand, has a very strict legal definition under the USDA National Organic Program. However, some companies are adept at evading the intent of both of these rules. For instance, the name of the company or product may be intentionally misleading. Some companies use terms such as ?Nature? or ?Natural? or even ?Organic? in the brand name, whether or not their products fit the definitions. Consumers should also be aware that the term ?organic? does not imply anything at all about animal welfare; products from cows and chickens can be organic, yet the animals themselves are still just ?production units? in enormous factory farms.
What Consumers Can Do
Write or call pet food companies and the Pet Food Institute and express your concerns about commercial pet foods. Demand that manufacturers improve the quality of ingredients in their products.
Print out a copy of this report for your veterinarian to further his or her knowledge about commercial pet food.
Direct your family and friends with companion animals to this website, to alert them of the dangers of commercial pet food. Print out copies of our Fact Sheet on Selecting a Good Commercial Food. (You may also download this fact sheet as a pdf.)
Stop buying commercial pet food; or at least stop buying dry food. Dry foods have been the subject of many more recalls, and have many adverse health effects. If that is not possible, reduce the quantity of commercial pet food and supplement with fresh, organic foods, especially meat. Purchase one or more of the many books available on pet nutrition and make your own food. Be sure that a veterinarian or a nutritionist has checked the recipes to ensure that they are balanced for long-term use.
If you would like to learn about how to make healthy food for your companion animal, read up on "Sample Diets," which contains simple recipes and important nutritional information.
Please be aware that API is not a veterinary hospital, clinic, or service. API does not and will not offer any medical advice. If you have concerns about your companion animal?s health or nutritional requirements, please consult your veterinarian.
Because pet food manufacturers frequently change the formulations of their products and API would not have conducted the necessary testing, we are unable to offer endorsements for particular brands of pet food. Many of our staff choose to make their own pet food or to purchase natural or organic products found in most feed and specialist stores but we cannot recommend brands that would be right for your companion animal or animals.
Those were just some highlights of one article. If you want to read the article in it's entirety you can find it here...
http://www.api4animals.org/facts?p=359&more=1cat=286
There are many others I have gotten info from as well but this one does seem to touch on most areas pretty well.
Kim