Your Pet and the Raw Food Diet Trend

When Lola, a 5-year-old cat from Montreal, digs into her meals, you won't see any Friskies or Meow Mix in her bowl. Raw meats and fresh vegetables from local farms right here in Quebec! Is more like it!

"I think there are more than enough pesticides, chemicals and such in human food," says Lola’s owner, Kerry Jones, on a recent trip to her local specialty pet store right here in Montreal. "I only eat natural food, and believe that there is no reason why I shouldn't give it to my cat."

These days, it is possible that our pets are eating better than we are. Pet stores and exquisite little pet boutiques shelves are increasingly stocked with gourmet foods that are corn-free, wheat-free, locally sourced, by-product-free, free-range, minimally processed and raw. Many come with welcoming labels, and some look appetizing even for humans.

And if you think your pet's diet is still lacking, you can enhance it with supplements — containing brewer’s yeast, alfalfa, blueberries and more — that assure shiny coats, bright eyes and limber joints.

As more of us turn toward more healthful foods, we're doing the same for our pets, and the market has caught on. "If there's a trend in human food and supplements, you'll see it on the pet food aisle," said Bob Vetere, president of American Pet Products Assn., based in Greenwich, Conn. "Gluten-free, vitamin supplemented, breed-specific, senior formulas — all of these have taken over the pet marketplace, and we're seeing the competition increasing."

It's a matter of discussion whether these foods are significantly better for pets than the typical brands — but just as with debates on human foods, emotions can run high. Some pet owners are sure that the mega-brand foods are inflicting havoc on our pets' body structures, and some veterinarians aren't too enthusiastic about them either, while other vets think they're just fine.

"From the scientific point of view, is there objective evidence that any commercial diet leads to a better outcome than any other?" says Dr. Tony Buffington, a professor of veterinary clinical sciences at Ohio State University. "If there is, I'm not aware of it."

Pet food in Canada is a growing business sector. It has sales of approximately $2.0 billion a year, according to the Pet Food and Pet Care Products in Canada published by Euromonitor International in 2009. This growth is partly due to the high value many owners place on the health and comfort of their pets and the expansion of specialty product sales. The company predicts that sales of natural foods will probably outdo overall pet food sales in the next five years.

Simply put, our attitude toward pets has evolved, says Dr. Nancy Scanlan, a practicing veterinarian and executive director of the Maryland-based American Holistic Veterinary Medical Assn. "More owners are treating their pets like one of the family."

They pursue food they believe is more wholesome and natural compared with large commercial brands. They want food free of by-products (animal parts such as feet, ears and snout), food they hope will improve allergies or stomach problems, and think that grain-free food or raw food (sold frozen or dehydrated) are healthier options for animals who wouldn't eat corn in the wild. Many owners moved to specialty foods after the 2007 recall of brands found to be contaminated with melamine.