Unfortunately, the pieces and parts grew to include things like chicken beaks and feet, entrails, the detritus of diseased and dead animals, even the bodies of euthanized companion pets and sick farm animals. Within a few decades, the lifespan of the average domestic dog and cat was reduced by almost ten years. Pets have been literally eating garbage mixed with low quality grains and rendered and processed to the point where the nutritional values are low.

A New Industry

In recent years, pet lovers have taken steps to change this scenario. A growing number of small, independent companies have been forming that use human grade foods and other nutritionally sound ingredients. They forego the use of dyes, preservatives, and other chemical additives and bake their products at temperatures that allow them to retain the highest possible level of nutrients. Instead of mass production, these companies produce smaller batches that are much fresher when they arrive at their customers' homes. Many people who start to use these quality products notice a relatively quick improvement in their pet's overall health. Also, since pets need less of the good food to thrive, the cost is not much higher than what can be bought in grocery and pet stores.