Dog food brands that use horse meat in Australia. So you have a dog, and you feed it dog food? Well, in Australia, many dog food brands are using horse meat.
This is because the companies can buy it cheaper than other meats, and they don’t need to declare that it contains horse meat.
If you have a pet of your own, we would all assume that you care about them and want them to be healthy.
However, many of the leading brands in Australia use horse meat as one of the main ingredients in their products.
Dog food brands that use horse meat in Australia
The two leading brands, One Dog and Happy Dog, use horse meat in their products and the supermarket brand Special Dog.
The dog food brands were removed from the shelves in Britain when it was discovered that they were using meat from horses that were slaughtered in their countries of origin and then smuggled into Britain for human consumption.
However, there are approximately 80 other brands of dog food that also use horse meat in Australia.
Is there horse meat in dog food in Australia?
Yes, there is. Some of Australia’s leading brands of dog food use horse meat as one of the main ingredients, for example, Happy Dog and One Dog.
Other brands are less obvious about it but still use it, for example, Special Dog. Here is an image showing the dog foods with horse meat listed on their websites.
What dog food has horse Meat?
One Dog and Happy Dog has a range of dog foods sold in supermarkets around Australia. It is also available at other pet stores and vet clinics.
It is sold in various flavors, such as lamb and Chicken. However, each flavor uses different meats as the main ingredient.
The One Dog brand of dog food was recently removed from sale in the United Kingdom. This was because it was discovered that horse DNA had been found in some of their products.
The government bodies also found that since 2007 about 700 tons of horse meat had been smuggled into Britain for human consumption.
15 dog food brands that use horse meat in Australia
- One Dog
- Happy Dog
- Special Dog
- Eukanuba (owned by Mars petcare)
- Iams (owned by Proctor and Gamble)
- Sheba (owned by Mars)
- Pedigree (owned by Mars)
- Advance Dermocare (owned by Colgate-Palmolive)
- Hill’s Pet Nutrition
- Pro Plan (owned by Colgate-Palmolive)
- Purina One (owned by Nestle)
- Ralston Purina’s Beneful brand of dog food
- Science Diet (owned by Colgate-Palmolive)
- Canidae (owned by P & G)
- Pro Plan (owned by Colgate-Palmolive)
Does dog food still contain horse meat?
Yes, it does. In some cases, horse meat is listed as the second or third ingredient in the product.
For example, in a recipe for Beef with Carrots and Zucchini Dog Food, which lists Chicken as the main ingredient, the list of ingredients also includes Carrots (10%), Horse Meat (9%), Beef (12%), Onion, Garlic, Celery, Tomato, and Sweet Potato.
In other cases, it is not obvious that it has been used. It may be listed as a “meat and bone meal” in some cases.
Is horse meat healthy for dogs?
The companies that use horse meat in their products might tell you that it is perfectly fine to feed your dog horse meat. After all, they would argue, why not use a cheap and readily available protein source?
However, the matter is that there is no real research done on how safe this is. Furthermore, some vets argue that feeding your dog horse meat can even be dangerous.
The Humane Society in America has argued that horse meat could be very dangerous for dogs. They claim that some of the additives used to make horse meat taste nice for dogs can be toxic.
How much is horse meat in dog food?
It varies. When used as the second or third ingredient in a recipe, the horse meat is usually listed as 15% by weight. In other products, there aren’t always clear numbers listed.
For example, the Happy Dog Chicken with Green Beans and Barley recipe mentions “rich in protein (18%)” but does not give any more information about how much of that protein is from horse meat.
Why don’t some companies not use horse meat?
Well, it is cheap. Some companies would tell you that they do not use horse meat in their products simply because their customers prefer it.
After all, they argue, why should they use a more expensive ingredient when they can get away with using a cheaper one?
Some companies refuse to put horse meat in their products because of the negative feeling that many people have toward it.
What are the advantages of horse meat in dog food?
Here are a few things that they might tell you.
1. It is a good source of protein.
2. It is rich in iron, zinc, and calcium.
3. It contains high levels of vitamin B and E, which are believed to be absorbed into the dog’s body more easily than other nutrients.
4. It is low in fat (1-2%), so it will not cause problems with obesity in dogs. However, this claim is something that many vets do not agree with as there is no real scientific evidence behind it.
5. It is good for your dog’s digestion, as it is designed to make sure that the food goes down the dogs’ throats easily.
6. It contains plant proteins that are believed to be easier for dogs to digest than meat proteins (because they are smaller in size).
7. It is often more natural for dogs than meat, as it does not contain antibiotics or other chemicals which can be harmful to them.
8. It may contain suitable vitamins and minerals that cannot be found in the human diet.
9. It is cheaper than other types of dog food.
10. Your dog will like it.
11. It is safer than some other types of dog food that you can buy.
What are the Disadvantages of horse meat in dog food?
Here are a few things they might tell you about horse meat and why it may be dangerous for your dogs to eat it.
1. It can make your dog’s breath bad.
2. If it gets stuck in your dogs’ throat, they may choke on it or damage their teeth and gums.
3. It may contain dangerous additives banned in the human food chain, such as traces of arsenic and DDT.
4. It can make your dog sick because of certain types of antibiotics which have not been removed from the horse meat during the preparation process.
5. It can contain traces of other harmful substances such as mercury and lead.
6. It can make your dog violently ill from eating it.
7. It contains bacteria that can be harmful to dogs, such as e-Coli, salmonella, and listeria.
8. It may contain traces of anti-freeze and other chemicals that animals should not consume.
9. It could have been fattened up on grains and additives rather than naturally lean.
10. It may contain drugs that have not been declared on the label.
11. It may contain traces of parasites, such as worms and insect larvae.
12. The safety testing that companies do before putting it into dog food is not perfect, so there might be other contaminants in the horse meat which are not known to be harmful to dogs.
How can I find out if horse meat is in my dogs’ food?
It depends on the company. If you buy from one of the companies that use horse meat as the main ingredient, you should be able to find out in the ingredients list. If you buy from another company, likely, this information will not be listed.
What can I use to replace dog food with horse meat in it?
There are many recipes online that will give you suggestions for healthy alternatives to the types of dog food with horse meat in it, such as dog treats. You could also ask your vet for their recommendations if you want to find a suitable alternative.
How do I know if a company uses horse meat?
It should be listed on the packaging or ingredients label of the product you buy from them. Alternatively, you can ask your vet what type of dog food they recommend for your pet.
How much is horse meat dangerous?
Firstly, no actual research proves that the amount of horse meat in dog food is dangerous. Some vets argue that the very small amounts of horse meat used in products are not harmful.
Therefore, if your dog seems to be doing fine eating this type of dog food, it may not be a problem.
What is the price of good quality dog food without horse meat?
It depends on the type of dog food and the brand. The cheapest decent quality dog food without horse meat will usually be around $25-$30 a month.
Less expensive brands from stores like Wal-Mart or Target may cost as little as $15 a month, but you have to remember that these products are often lower in quality and can contain harmful substances for your pet.
Where can I find a dog food with no horse meat in it?
You can find a dog food that does not have traces of horse meat in it by going on the internet. Most dog food that does not use horse meat is homemade and thus is more expensive than store-bought products.
If you buy from a company like Merrick, you can expect to pay around $50 a month for the type of food they sell (although cheaper brands from Wal-Mart or Target are often cheaper).
Conclusion
This article has shown many valuable reasons to switch your dog’s food to a brand that contains no horse meat.
It is also important that you make sure that the food you decide on is one of the best brands available. Eating horse meat may scare some people, and this is completely reasonable.
However, there is no evidence suggesting that horses are any more diseased than cows or chickens, and it is not a good idea to discriminate against animals just because we find them different.
It may also be hard for some people to admit that they are buying and eating an animal that is often considered of high value and a pet.
However, it would help if you remembered that not every dog food contains horse meat, and this should give you peace of mind.
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