Organic pet food is a popular choice in Ft. Lauderdale. If you walk into any pet food store, you will generally see the foods organized by their “class”. The cheaper brands full of lesser quality ingredients such as corn, wheat and by-products will be at the back. As you make your way to the front of the store you will go through premium brands, super premium, and finally end up at holistic, organic and raw foods. What makes your pet’s food organic or holistic? The answer may shock you.
In order for a food to be USDA Certified Organic, the food must contain 95% organic ingredients. For a food to simply be “organic” the food must contain 70% organic ingredients. The term “organic” is by no means an indicator of quality, you can have poor quality and high quality organic foods. For a food to be “holistic”, it implies that the foods are human grade and the formula contains fruits and vegetables.
According to the AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) however, the definitions for “holistic”, “organic” and “natural” pet foods have not yet been established. What this means is that these terms can be used at marketing buzz-words to convince consumers to purchase specific products.
With marketing schemes and misleading labels, how can you confidently choose a quality organic pet food in Ft. Lauderdale for your animal companion?
The only reliable information is on the government-regulated section of the pet food label. This is not to say that you should steer clear of these catch-phrase terms, but rather look more deeply into the ingredients of the food you choose. A high quality pet food will have whole meat ingredients and lack unnecessary fillers like wheat or corn. Pay attention to your pet. Are they healthy, active, displaying a shiny coat and clear eyes? These are all indicators that your animal is being fed a proper balanced diet.
In the end, the only way to truly guarantee that your pet’s food is organic and high quality is to adopt a raw diet where you manufacture the foods yourself. Even then, this method comes with its own inherent risks. Pay attention to your ingredients and make an educated decision without focusing on the company’s strategically worded and decorated front labels. Talk to your local pet store employees about organic pet food options here in Ft. Lauderdale.
