Animal Digest

[dgibson]

So, having read the ingredients of the swill I feed my dog every day (thanks Elky!) and seeing the ingredient "animal digest," I decided to find out just what that was--it sure SOUNDS nasty!

Turns out it is. Here's a few of the definitions I got from various websites, ranging from PETA Nazis to more scientific analysis:

Disturbing news. There was a 'mad cow' man on Coast to Coast AM last night, discussing the disease and the ramifications, etc. (Apparently a lot of people who have Alzheimer's actually have mad cow! And after they die doctors won't perform autopsies to make sure because they're scared of touching mad cow brains.) So, I was feeling a little vegetarian smug-ness, though I was crushed by talk of the cows eating feed that has both other cows AND cow feces in it. It's doubly creepy cuz cows are natural herbivores; they are not designed to eat any meat at all, let alone engage in cannibalism. Other things in cow feed: roadkill, and dogs and cats that have been euthenized. I knew of this before, from Eric Schlosser's great book Fast Food Nation, but it's still so sad to hear. Then the man (I wish I could remember his name; he called himself 'The Mad Cowboy,' I think) said that sometimes our pets have the same sort of thing in their feed, too! I have read the ingredients on Sambuca's food before, so I wasn't concerned, but then he said that if the ingredients list 'animal digest,' that is just evil-man-talk for FECES. It was 1 in the morning but I jumped out of bed and checked; sure enough, Sambuca is eating literal shit every day. I was so upset, because I'm very careful about what I eat, but with Sam I really haven't paid too much attention. So tomorrow I'm going to go to a pet store and buy her a huge bag of organic, vegetarian cat food (They actually make that! It has plant protein in it). Anyway. What a creepy night. (Morgan - check Bro's food!)

www.negativespace.net/shots/archives/000499.html

Now that you’ve confronted the source of “dog food” I am going to really gross you out. Do not ever, ever, ever buy a product that says “animal digest.” Please. “Digest” is bad enough, you read what I just said, but “animal” digest could be your neighbor’s lost dog. Or what is “disposed of” after they have “disposed” of the one-time pets at the humane society. Nothing is wasted and nothing is refused. Cocker Spaniels, someone’s beloved little mop-haired lap dog that got lost, that litter of kittens the people down the street said they “found homes for” all of that becomes “animal digest.”

http://www.thedogplace.com/library/articles59.htm

Animal Digest is a material, which results from chemical and/or enzymatic hydrolysis of clean and undecomposed animal tissue. Animal digest is a palatability enhancer, which can contain unpredictable parts from animals of unknown origin.

http://www.ourpetfood.com/comparison.html

Comment: Animal Digest is usually used as a pet food flavouring. It is a cooked-down broth made from unspecified parts of unspecified animals. Any kind of animal can be included: goats, pigs, horses, rats, etc. The animals can be obtained from any source, so there is no control over quality or contamination.

http://www.cruzers.com/~twakeman/Dogs/food_ingredients.htm

No matter who you believe, it adds up to "Yuk."

 

[Nut]

yuk is right

 

[Elkhunter]

Good find D.

Not very appealing is it.

 

[RogueWarrior1957]

[ 02-28-2004, 11:58: Message edited by: RogueWarrior1957 ]

 

[maineiac]

I found out a few yrs ago,that sometimes "chicken parts" means groundup feathers and feet.Yuk is right.