It is well known that the pet food industry is a multi-billion dollar industry, which seems to be growing in terms of revenue each and every year.
There are more and more pets that are either sold or adopted and we are led to believe that we will be meeting their daily nutritional requirements by feeding them pet food sold off the shelves.
Much to our surprise, this is the power of marketing and advertising at its best.
Through the power of suggestion, Dog owners believe that processed dog food will lead to a healthier and livelier pet dog.
An article by Laura Cunningham was published in the NY Times back in 1981.
She reported that people spent about 4 billion dollars a year on commercial pet food.
In 2007, a massive recall took place.
It was then reported that people were spending more than 16 billion dollars a year on pet food alone.
You may ask yourself how this figure is possible.
The APPA (American Pet Products Association) in 1988 conducted a study that came up with some interesting facts.
They reported that 56% of American households either owned a dog or a cat.
In a more current poll, it was stated that about 63% of households across the United States owns a pet.
Although a more accurate figure cannot be gathered, it simply shows that there has been approximately a 7% increase in pet owners across the country.
The numbers just did not add up.
How could this mere 7% increase spend 16 billion dollars a year on pet food alone, compared to 4 billion dollars in 1981? The answer was simple.
In the past, more people preferred to prepare food for their pets from scratch, as opposed to today's practice of consuming processed food.
We all know the dangers of consuming processed food, so was the massive recall really that surprising? We Are Now The Wiser There are a growing number of pet owners that can now see the truth, despite the all out marketing and advertising campaigns.
The saying, "Pet food is best for pets.
" is now a myth.
However, due to the demands of the western workplace, we often have less time to prepare our pet's meals from scratch.
This is why we find purchasing pet food more convenient, hence, the misconception of pet food being the most ideal for our pets.
Due to the recent recall, a lot of dog owners are now waking up to reality.
There is now a growing awareness regarding the true facts; commercial pet food may not have been as healthy as we were led to believe.
Although there are still a lot of people who still fail to see the truth, this does not mean that these people do not care for their pets.
We all strive to keep our pets healthy and happy.
Unfortunately, there are still a lot of people who still believe in the wrong practice.
Fortunately, the facts are too hard to deny as more and more of our pets are stricken by diseases and it some cases, death.
This will surely be an eye-opener, which will make way for a healthy change.