Fish and chips- It's not for pets!
A recent study showed that UK pets are being fed leftovers of takeaways such as fish and chips, curry and donor kebabs. PFMA is concerned about the trend for pets being fed on human leftovers as it is a direct cause of the seven million UK pets who are overweight, unhealthy and at risk of a shortened life, heart disease, diabetes and arthritis.
It is very important that pets are fed the right food for them. Human foods, particularly unhealthy takeaways, contain many more calories than a pet needs as well as ingredients that are unsuitable for pets, such as the onions and garlic found in many takeaway dishes which can irritate cat’s and dog’s stomachs and cause anaemia, the dairy products and yeast that can cause adverse effects and chocolate that is toxic to both cats and dogs.
It is not just what human leftovers contain that causes the problems, it is also what they are missing: all animals need different nutrients in different amounts so by feeding your dog human food such as fish chips they will be missing out on some of the 37 essential nutrients they need to eat daily to keep them healthy. Complete, prepared pet food must legally contain all the nutrients a pet needs to support its daily life so by following the feeding guidelines owners can have complete confidence that their pet is receiving the right amount of nutritional goodness to maintain a healthy weight and life style.
So, show your love for your pet by feeding them the right diet. Choosing a prepared, complete pet food makes life easy because it takes the guesswork out of feeding pets. There are a range of different diets available through various outlets that cater for all budgets. For further information and advice on specific foods many manufacturers offer carelines, often staffed by experts who would be happy to help owners identify the correct products for them and their pet.
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