Customer Reviews

Protect Your Pet: More Shocking Facts

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

In Food Pets Die For, Ann Martin gave pet owners the shocking facts about the quality (rather, the lack of quality) of the ingredients in commercial pet food. One thing is clear from her new book: the situation has not improved. Pet food manufacturers continue to use highly questionable raw materials in their products that include drugs, hormones, diseased livestock, and the carcasses of euthanized pets collected from shelters and animal clinics. That's right. Euthanized dogs and cats are part of the mix in the meat meal used in kibble. Her investigatory revelations of pet food and regulatory deficiencies give us a clear picture as to why chronic disease among our companion animals is so widespread. If you think you are getting sirloin steak in those bags or cans of dog and cat food, think again. What you are getting is something unfit for human consumption that has been doctored by food magicians so your pet will eat it. Read Ann Martin. You'll never believe another pet food commercial again. And you'll learn how to feed your pet healthy.

This is by far one of the best books I have ever read on the subject of pet food. Anybody who has a companion animal in their life should read this book.

Ann Martin starts off the book explaining what has led her to doing this investigation and the many years of research that led up to writing this book--and also her first book, "Food Pets Die For". From page one, Ms. Martin makes a credible argument about why people should know more about this topic. Throughout this book, Ms. Martin writes about the past 12 years of research that included interviewing different organizations and people about the topic of pet food. She goes into great detail about her different request to both the US and Canadian governments and pet food industry groups to get more information. Most of these requests end up as dead ends. From here, Ms. Martin does her own research by starting with veterinarian clinics, hospitals and kill shelters asking the simple question of "where do these euthanized animals go from here...?" When she gets that answer, she goes to that source and asks the same questions. In all cases, the trail goes to pet food and livestock food manufacturers.

I already knew the main ingredients of kibble when I borrowed this book from my library. I was more interested in learning more about the BARF (bones and raw food) diet. From the other reviews on this book, I thought that Ann Martin would provide a non-biased viewpoint on this topic--as it seems that most people are very divided on the subject of BARF diets. Even though my interest was primarily on BARF diets and even though I already knew what pet food is made from, it was good to read about one person's investigative experience that spanned over 12 years.

I also read "Food Pets Die For". Between these two books, I preferred this book because of the new information on the BARF diet, vaccinations, puppy mills and the animal fur business. I had also already done a considerable amount of research on these topics as well and I found Ms. Martin's information to be in line with everything I already knew about these industries.

Our beloved 13 year old Chihuahua, Yoda passed away about two weeks ago at UC Davis Veterinary Hospital. When deciding what to do with his remains, we discussed the options with the Hospital staff. We were given the option of letting the hospital "handle his remains". I then ask how they "handle" the remains. I was told that "Yoda would be sent to a rendering plant, where he undergoes a 'chemical process' and then sent to a landfill for burial". The hospital staff worker went on to explain that we could be assured that "...Yoda certainly would not end up as pet food, as this is an urban legend." The next day, I did a quick google search on "rendered dog landfill California". The first link that popped up was a report in PDF format from Los Angeles County. Here is the first paragraph from this report: What happens to the bodies of animals that are euthanized at County shelters? Deceased animals are picked up by D&D Disposal, also known as West Coast Rendering, located in Vernon, Calif. The remains are rendered into animal by-products. D&D processes hundreds of tons of animal carcasses, tissues and by-products that would otherwise end up in landfills. Here's a link to that report: http://animalcontrol.co.la.ca.us/html/pages/for%20the%20record/Rendering%20and%20food%20&%20Ag%20Report%20.pdf . Ironically, Ms. Martin uncovers the same facts about this company, D&D Disposal (AKA West Coast Rendering, located in Vernon, Calif.)

It frightens me that such a respected place like UC Davis Veterinary Teaching Hospital is so misinformed.

Another interesting point made in this book that I can also confirm from personal experience. Ms. Martin has found that in most cases, veterinarians acquire knowledge about animal nutrition from "nutritional information" provided by Hill's Company--a well known pet food company. During Yoda's first visit at UC Davis in October 2005, the doctor sent us home with a WHOLE CASE of Hill's canned dog food and instructed us to feed Yoda this instead of the home-cooked diet he was on.

I applaud Ann N. Martin on this very important investigative research and I appreciate that she has made this information available to anyone who is interested in knowing more about what we are feeding the furry members of their family.

I found the book to be informative, however, I ask those of you who "poo poo" the idea of raw feeding, and still buy into the designer pet foods and "natural human grade" pet foods available...research, research, research. "Human grade" to start...but what about the quality to finish. Then ask yourself this simple question...what would a dog eat in the wild? What did dogs eat before commercial dog food became availible? I have NEVER fed my dogs "dog food". Dogs before commercial brainwashing were fed scraps. My grandmothers dogs always lived well into their late teens or more on that type of diet. My dogs, I am happy to say, have never had to go to the vet for illness...EVER! My oldest living was 23 long, active, healthy years...yep 23! If your dog is suffering from allergies, arthritus, etc....try raw...or quick stir fry for your dog...and watch the change. You can pre-cook or pre pack individual meals and freeze. It is very easy to do...and your pet will thank you for it. As for bones...they are NOT brittle...unless cooked. Look at wolves, foxes, dingo's, coyotes, hyeanas...wild, yes, but no different...they are all canines. The book is informative, but read on..and try real human grade...something you would put into your own, or your childs mouth without hesitation.

Martin's first book, "Food Pets Die For," is extremely useful if you really want to know what you're feeding your pet with those cheap commercial dog foods and how it may affect them negatively. (Some people may _not_ want to know, although you owe it to your companion animal(s) to find out.) This book, however, was disappointing. Much of it was common sense or, at least, common knowledge for anyone who has cared for animals and made any attempt to learn anything about their health (e.g., anti-freeze is bad, chocolate is bad, onion is bad). This book was repetitive and dull. I'd strongly recommend the first book, but skip this one unless you are just getting your first companion animal and/or don't know much about everyday dangers.

If you share your life with animals you owe it to them to buy and read this book. Ann Martin did all of us an enormous service when she exposed the sordid truth about the commercial pet food industry in 'Food Pets Die For'. Now she has written the logical sequel to that book. 'Protect Your Pet' is thoroughly researched, well written and logically constructed, and no one who reads it will ever again be able to feed their animals on commercial pet food - even the so-called 'premium' brands' - with equanimity.
There is a growing movement towards feeding companion animals 'naturally'as an essential component of the promotion of overall health. For many, this has meant adoption of raw meat or 'BARF' diets (diets composed wholly or in large part of raw, meaty bones). In a particularly well-argued chapter, Ann Martin questions the wisdom of these diets, allowing both veterinary professionals and pet owners who have been raw feeders but have abandoned the practice, to explain in their own words why they feel that raw feeding is both undesirable and, ultimately, dangerous. For many who are inclined to a holistic view of animal care, raw feeding has been almost an article of faith. Ann Martin has courageously and convincingly tackled this assumption, and for this alone she deserves a resounding thank you.

But the book goes beyond the immediate question of day-to-day feeding and examines other ways in which our pets' health may be compromised from within, for example by the excessive use of vaccines. It is becoming recognized within the veterinary profession that the practice of administering annual re-vaccinations or 'boosters' is neither desirable nor harmless. (Kirk's Current Veterinary Therapy states "A practice that was started many years ago and that lacks scientific validity or verification is annual revaccinations. Almost without exception there is no immunologic requirement for annual revaccination. Immunity to viruses persists for years or for the life of the animal." ) Ann Martin has pulled together a great deal of evidence to demonstrate powerfully that over-vaccination is directly damaging to the health of animals.

This is a wonderful book, a real tour de force. Buy it. Your pets will thank you.

I purchased this book before I got my 2nd Australian Shepherd puppy. I wanted to do "everything" right for her. This book has really made me think about the food my pets eat and also about their vaccinations.

I suggest that every person who owns and cares about their pets to read this book. Either you agree with what she says or you dont, but Ann (the author) does have a lot of people backing her opinions up. She has ALL of their names/contact info in the back of her book for references. You just cant doubt what she says by the way she documents herself.

I even purchased this book for Christmas gifts this year for 2 of my family members.

BUY IT!

I enjoyed Ann Martin's first book wherein she revealed the true nature of the pet food industry. More Shocking Facts rehashes some of what she wrote in her first book --- and then goes completely off track. Ms. Martin gives references to veterinarians whom she spoke to regarding the dangers of feeding a raw food diet, but doesn't let the reader know who these veterinarians are. The cat diets Ms. Martin gives in her book are way off base. I do not recommend feeding these diets to your cat. Ms. Martin should have stopped with her first book.

While this book certainly has its information pros regarding the disgusting secrets kept by commercial pet food companies, it appears to disagree with the idea that a raw food diet is healthy. I could not disagree more, and here's why... I have been working in animal nutrition as a pet chef for quite some time, dabbling in several areas of nutrition from standard commercial diets to cooked/raw food diets, and the fact is that commercial pet food is just plain harmful. Let me ask you this? Just because the grocery store sells pork rinds, does that mean they are good for you? NO! So why feed your pet anything that isn't something you yourself would EVER dream of eating? When America can pour a bowl of kibble for breakfast and come out looking and feeling the picture of health, then maybe I will change my tune. Until then, I choose to not only advise EVERYONE to feed a raw and/or cooked diet, I also feed my eight cats a total raw food diet. When I changed their diet, their world became a brighter place. No dandruff, no vomiting, no loose stool, brighter eyes, a full and sleek coat, better dental health, more restful sleep... etc. In addition, I recommend reading Anitra Fraizer's "The New Natural Cat" as well as the CatNutrition.Org website. Happy Reading!

I have to admit, I do like the Food Pets Die For book, but this...this has such a high level of misinformation and paranoia surrounding raw diet that I'd give it zero stars if possible.

Raw diet, when fed correctly is NOT dangerous and it's certainly not a 'fad'.
Perhaps for fickle owners it is, but not for owners who actually research and work at it.
Kibbles have only been around and popular for MAYBE 70-100 years tops, and in some parts of the world are still not very popular.
Raw food, and diets based on whole prey, meat scraps, vegetable scraps, and bones have been around for several thousand to million years. If anything is a 'fad', it's kibble.

http://www.rawfed.com/myths/ does an excellent job of dispelling the myths and overhyped fears surrounding raw diet which pretty much means it debunks a good portion of this book.

wow this book is as good as the first from Ms. Martin. Please read & pass info on to friends, neighbors, & family members. Our pets give us so much more than words can express, they deserve to have well informed owners that make good choices for them and their overall health/well being.