Regulation of commercial pet food in the US can be confusing for pet owners, making it difficult to identify safe, nutritious food.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) typically serves as the major regulator for commercial pet food. But recent mass layoffs, including those impacting the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine, put the agency’s oversight at risk.
There are other entities (states, private companies, and nonprofit organizations) that purportedly set standards and definitions to help consumers choose the best products. But they often produce more confusion than they clear up.
The result is a sprawling pet food industry fraught with confusion, trendy diets, and a lot of misinformation. We need veterinarians – both locally and at the FDA – to cut through the noise.
I wrote about this yesterday for STAT. You can read more here.
