organic and wild-harvested meats are better for dogs, and more sustainable.

What are organic meats?

The meat in our Organic Chicken recipe has been certified organic by the USDA. This is the highest quality meat available in the United States, produced under strict regulations that ensure the meat is “produced sustainably, with the health of the animals and the health of the consumers in mind” (source). Organic meat production rules regulate:

1. What the animals eat (vegetables not treated with pesticides, pasture access for grazing on organic plants, entirely natural non-GMO diet).

2. Where/how they spend their time (outdoor access, exercise, shade, clean drinking water, room to roam, sunlight, fresh air).

3. How they’re treated when they get sick (no antibiotics or synthetic chemicals).

What ARE wild MEATS?

By “wild” we mean “not raised on a farm.” Wild meat comes from animals who lived in their natural environment, ate their natural diet, and were not exposed to any of the chemicals or antibiotics used in modern farming. For our fish, this means that the fish lived in the ocean and was caught by fishermen.

Wild meats have all of the same benefits as Certified Organic meats, but they can’t be certified by the USDA because the animals did not live on a farm. In the colloquial sense of the term “organic”, which most people understand to mean “natural”, our wild meats are as “organic” as they come.

organic and wild meats are better for dogs

There are several important benefits of organic and wild meats for dogs. Organic ruminant meats have nearly 50% more Omega 3 (healthy) fats compared to conventional meats because of how the animals are raised and fed (source). Some organic meats have 72% more taurine, 170% more heart-healthy alpha-linoleic acid, higher levels of antioxidants and lower levels of cholesterol (source).

In addition to a healthier nutritional profile, organic meats reduce exposure to pesticides. Many pesticides are known to cause cancer, and their presence in dog foods may be the reason why as many as 50% of dogs die from cancer (source, source). The USDA recently found pesticide residues in nearly half of foods they sampled (source), and several studies have found unacceptable pesticide levels in dog foods (source). Glyphosate – the world’s most common pesticide– has also been found in the urine of cats and dogs (source), showing that they are exposed to it through their diets.

Finally, organic meat is better for dogs because it reduces exposure to antibiotics. The use of antibiotics is banned in organic meat farming. This means antibiotic residues cannot end up in certified organic food, which helps to prevent antibiotic resistance.

organic farming is more sustainable

Compared to factory farming:

• organic meat farming increases biodiversity

• reduces harmful pesticide usage

• uses less energy-intensive inputs

• helps to sequester carbon (source). 

Overall, organic meat farming is a more natural approach that reduces environmental impact and gives farmed animals a better life.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN THAT OUR DOG FOOD IS CERTIFIED ORGANIC?

We worked with an organic certification agency to achieve USDA organic certification for our production kitchen, and for several organic recipes. The main benefits for your dogs are:

1. Our entire facility uses only certified organic cleaning and pest control methods. This prevents harmful cleaning chemicals from ending up in your pet’s food, which may reduce food sensitivities.

2. Our certified organic recipes use only certified organic agricultural ingredients. That means that no pesticides can end up in the food, and the meats have the additional nutritional benefits we mentioned above.

3. We are inspected regularly by the USDA to ensure that we’re maintaining compliance with the organic standards.

Are all of your recipes organic or wild?

Some of our recipes are made with conventional meats and vegetables. These are still 100% human-grade, and made with the highest quality ingredients available on the conventional (non-organic/wild) market. These recipes are more reasonably priced, to make it possible for more dog owners to feed their friends fresh food. Check out the recipes page for more info about which recipes are organic, wild and conventional.

Don’t just take our word it

Check out this report from the Organic Center— a research and education non-profit that focuses on the science of organic farming. It’s an easy, enlightening read about the benefits of organic meat.