Protecting Your Pets’ Plates
Consumers know food manufacturers have systems in place that reduce the risk of food-borne illness and other potential hazards in our food. Less common, is awareness of the rigorous policies of some pet food manufacturers to guarantee the quality and safety of your pet’s next meal.
For example, Diamond Pet Foods follows a quality assurance plan in its manufacturing plants that requires its product to pass 151 safety and quality checks before it reaches your pet’s food dish. The system is designed to add extra layers of protection.
“We believe pet owners should be able to purchase premium products at an affordable price, and, for the past 35 years, we’ve been committed to providing affordable, high-quality pet food options,” said Mark Brinkmann, the company’s chief operations officer. “The 151-check system will help us continue offering reasonably priced, premium products by adding extra assurance that our ingredients are top-quality and safe.”
The system consists of 141 separate tests and checks on the incoming pet food ingredients, and 10 safety and quality checks on the final bagged product prior to shipment.
For testing of incoming grain ingredients, 12 samples are taken of each shipment, which is three times the sample number regulatory standards require.
Mark Mascarenhas, the company’s quality control director, said the substantial final product tests provide additional assurance before the product is shipped to the customer.
“We have built redundancies into our 151-check system as an extra measure to prevent error,” said Mascarenhas. “Our quality system uses the latest technology and equipment, and high-quality ingredients that help animals digest nutrients.”
All of the company’s products are “precision formulated” for content, quality, consistency and uniformity. In addition to its commitment to safety and quality, Diamond undergoes audits by a respected independent laboratory for food safety, quality and palatability.
Why Do So Many People Keep Pets
Have you ever wondered about this? I don’t know for sure, but with the relatively sudden appearance of a plethora of super pet stores and the burgeoning growth of the industry in general, my guess is that it might have something to do with people wanting to decrease the stress that plagues all of us.
Personally, we do not have any pets, because we have no timeor spacefor them and don’t want the extra work and responsibility.
But many people, especially those with children at home, for some reason do wish to care for one or more pets. And I realize that some parents simply yield to the “want ones” from their kids. And that’s okay, as long as they also teach those kids the responsibility that goes along with pet ownership. Sadly, many don’t.
Some single people seem to acquire pet(s) as a status symbol or as a means of meeting someone by establishing an excuse to speak to someone while out walking or running.
Still others are simply lonely and dote on their pet(s) as they might dote on a mate if they had one.
Now, you would think that anyone who has or would be thinking about acquiring a pet, especially a relatively large one, would already be a home owner, wouldn’t you? Well, if that’s what you think, you would be wrong!
How do I know that?
Because I’m a property manager, and it just boggles my mind the number of people who call and ask if we accept pets. We have both single rooms and one-bedroom apartments, but that doesn’t seem to faze these people.
I mean, some of these people have not one large dog or cat, but several . . . and they expect someone to rent them a small room or apartment? Makes you wonder what goes through their minds (if anything)!
Don’t get me wrong. I love cuddly animals and have had many pets in years past . . . but always in a house with a yard that we owned. And our dogs did their business in our yard, not on public grounds.
Then, of course, there are those home owners (or home renters, as the case may be), who allow their dogs to become nuisances in otherwise quiet neighborhoods. They bark incessantly for hours at a time, to the apparent unconcern of their owners, and disturb others’ peace.
Years ago, I remember resorting to sleeping with a box fan on “high” just so that I could get to sleep, because of a neighbor’s “pet.” When I complained to that neighbor, she told me that their Border Collie was a “watch” dog . . . really? How would they ever know if someone was intruding, because the dog barked non-stop? She could not have cared less if neighbors were being disturbed!
Again, the question is, why do these people insist on harboring these animals at the expense of their neighbors’ peace and quiet?
Could it be that this somehow relieves their stress? I do not see how that would be possible, and it certainly adds to the stress of their neighbors!
But caring for an animal does seem to contribute to the happiness and peace of mind of many. I know, for instance, of a nursing home where an Irish Setter roams the halls and brings joy and happiness to the faces of the folks there.
Finally, I know of several couples who have reached the point in their relationships where they seem to just tolerate each other, and their pets are mutually enjoyed so that they have sort of a “substitute” to fill in the gaps that are wanting in their relationships.
It is as if these kinds of people transfer their affection for another human being to the pet kingdom, and they’re losing a lot in the end.
Loving animals is one thing. Giving them precedence over human beings is quite another. Everything should be done in moderation.
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