In April 2007, distinguished veterinarian Dr. Elizabeth Hodgkins testified before the Senate's Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee in their hearings on tainted and contaminated pet foods. Dr. Hodgkin's testimony calls the pet food industry to task for the manner in which they have attempted to preempt the pet owner's ability to make informed dietary and nutritional choices for their companions. Her testimony suggests a willful initiative by the industry, in concert with the American Association of Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), to effectively limit the public's access to truthful and reliable information on pet nutrition and to become dependent instead upon industry claims of safety and nutritional adequacy. She contrasts this with the situation as regard to human nutrition and points out how health interest groups, schools and government agencies are proactive in their attempts to education consumers and to improve people's food choices. Why then should pet owners be expected to be totally dependent upon the pet food industry and the AAFCO to be the sole arbitor of what our pets should eat. She goes on to make several recommendations to the committee on changes she feels would benefit our pets and empower their owners to make more informed decisions on their pet's nutritional needs. (Click Here to Access Article)

This extremely informative and insightful paper, entitled Destructing the Regulatory Facade … , was written by Justine Patrick in satisfaction of third-year course requirements at the Harvard School of Law. In this paper Ms. Patrick takes a comprehensive and revealing look into the commercial pet food industry and explains how federal and state governments have virtually abdicated any oversight of the industry to the American Association of Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), a private organization with no enforcement authority and with close ties to the industry itself. Patrick points out how this incestuous relationship between the AAGCO and the industry has resulted in product labeling and nutritional guidelines that are arguable developed more in the interest of the pet food industry than for the pet or the pet owner. (Click Here to Access Article)

This article by the Animal Protection Institute takes a critical look into the commercial pet food industry and reveals who are the huge multi-national, agri-business corporations that actually own the popular pet food brands that are on our store shelves. It also looks at pet food labeling laws, industry standards and how they are derived, as well as an unappetizing view into pet food ingredients and how commercial products are manufactured. (Click Here to Access Article)

Another well researched and footnoted article by John Pelozi that discusses the commercial pet food industry and its conflict of interest with the independent advisory organization AAFCO. This article also addresses the issues of pet food quality and just how poorly we really understand the true nutritional requirements of our canine and feline pets. The paper concludes that the true "gold standard" for pet nutrition is to simply observe what the wild ancestors of our pets have been eating and thriving on for thousands of years - a raw carnivorous diet. (Click Here to Access Article)

Ever wonder about the nutrient content of a tadpole or prarie dog? It's all here in this interesting, if somewhat esoteric, paper entitled Nutrient Composition of Whole Vertebrate Prey Fed in Zoos. Compiled by three professionals in the Animal Health and Sciences field, this paper (written for the professional zookeeper) addresses procuring, handling and storage as well as nutrient content. Also includes information on chicken, rabbit, quail and other items that might be of more immediate interest to the raw feeder when you're just not able to find those prized Cuban tree frogs at the local pet food shop. (Click Here to Access Article)

This site is dedicated to providing information about the potential health effect that vaccines can have on our pets. Each pet owner must make his own informed decision about vaccines for their pets - which one?, how often?, etc. This site provides information to help you evaluate the these issues and assist you in making a decision. Your pet's lifestyle, boarding requirements and other factors weight into this decision, however, there is growing evidence that over-vaccination imposes unnecessary health risks for both pets and humans.This site also provides valuable information related to human vaccines, childhood vaccination, flea, tick, and heartworms treatments, and other chemical assaults to both our family and pets. (Click Here to Access Article)