Not all raw pet foods are created raw.

Some dehydrated pet foods contain cooked meats, eggs, and fish but are marketed as ‘raw.’

It is unbelievable to me that such deceptive marketing is allowed. But then, one of these ‘dehydrated raw’ pet food manufacturers also markets their conventional (non-organic) pet foods very successfully as organic although their products aren’t organic at all.

It is sad but true that customers have to do a lot of leg work (or, nowadays, reading work) to find out the truth. Honesty isn’t everybody’s strength even if a suggestive name would leave you with this impression.

What makes it harder to find out the truth about one particular raw pet food scam is that a prominent raw feeder group (based in San Francisco) is selling such ‘dehydrated raw’ pet foods knowing that the company uses cooked animal-derived ingredients. Other retailers may either simply not know this little secret, or, for the sake of sales, they decide just as the raw feeder group, to keep these products on the shelf without explaining to customers that the main ingredients aren’t raw but cooked.

As always, buyer beware. Not every marketing claim can be believed, and in the case of the largely unregulated pet food industry, such intentional deceptions are more frequent than one would expect from the beautiful ads companies share with the world.

This is a good time to remind everybody that organic certification is the best assurance that marketing claims are really true. So far, certified organic pet foods are the most regulated ones,* which means that an unbiased party can verify a company’s claims. Until other regulations catch up with deceptive marketing, your best bet is to choose USDA organic pet foods to get what you are paying for

* Certified organic pet food companies are also expected at least once a year, while even human food processing plants are often inspected less than once in a decade (!)

Did you know…

“Everyday household cleaners can poison, harm, or kill a pet. Imagine your pets are like children and they can get into anything.” - Pet.tips.net

“Phenol - a chemical often found in floor cleaners is toxic. It is rapidly absorbed by the skin, and can cause damaging effects on the central nervous system, heart, blood vessels, lungs, and kidneys.” - National Institutes of Health

“A recent study done by the Environmental Working Group found that dogs and cats were contaminated with 48 of 70 industrial chemical tested, including 43 chemicals at levels higher than those typically found in people.” - Environmental Working Group

Most products out there just mask odors- they don’t get rid of the odor - and there are so many ‘natural’ claims that are nowhere near close to being completely natural.

In fact, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, “toxic chemicals found in common household cleaners, often dispersed in fumes, are three times more likely to cause cancer than other air pollutants.”

Protect yourself and your furry loved ones!

Aussan Natural is a new all-natural line of safe cleaning and odor eliminating products made completely from plant-based materials. I had the pleasure to try some of Aussan’s cleaning products and was really very happy with each of them (they also have a pleasant natural smell which is very different from the ‘chemical’ smells of the usual cleaners). Here are the products I tried out:

Floor Cleaner Concentrate
This is a great product to clean floors! It worked very well on our hardwood floors and did also a great job to spot clean ‘accidents’ below our birds’ day hangout.
Ingredients: Purified Water, Botanically Sourced Glycerin, Citric Fruit Extract, Potash, Sodium Gluconate, Lemongrass Oil, Plant Bioflavonoids, Octanoic Acid, Lactic Acid

All-Purpose Cleaner
This cleaner safely and effectively cleans just about anything from any hard, washable surface. For tougher spots, allow product to stand for a few minutes before wiping. It really does a wonderful job, even on mirrors which were ‘streak-free’ after one application and without struggle!
Ingredients: Purified Water, Botanically Sourced Glycerin, Citric Fruit Extract, Potash, Sodium Gluconate, Lemongrass Oil, Plant Bioflavonoids, Octanoic Acid, Lactic Acid

All-Purpose Pet Cleaner
I applied this cleaner in our pets’ dining and playing areas and simply and simply wiped them clean. For a few tougher stains I waited for a few minutes before wiping. This effective product has a very faint, pleasant smell, which is great for both me and our pets.
Ingredients: Purified Water, Botanically Sourced Glycerin, Citric Fruit Extract, Potash, Sodium Gluconate, Lemongrass Oil, Plant Bioflavonoids, Octanoic Acid, Lactic Acid

Small Pet Odor Eliminator
After removing pets and bedding from their cage and other living areas, I generously sprayed all surfaces. I wiped the surfaces clean and allowed the cage sides to air dry. I used this product on our birds’, dogs’ and rats’ sleeping areas. I was pleasantly surprised to see how effectively this product removed otherwise hard to remove spots on our birds’ cages. The solution has a somewhat stronger smell than the other Aussan cleaners I tried, but the smell is also pleasant and quickly disseminates.
Ingredients: Purified Water, Eucalyptus Oil – Steam Distilled, Vanilla Bean Oil, Peppermint Oil, Botanically Sourced Glycerin, Plant Bioflavonoids, Octanoic Acid, Lactic Acid

Aussan Natural products are third party verified all-natural, non-toxic products which are indeed among the safest possible alternatives to toxic chemical cleaning products. I am grateful I had the opportunity to try these safe and effective products!