A nationwide pet food recall has terrified many pet owners and organic and holistic pet food retailers say they’re making a profit from pet-owners looking for an alternative. Shirley Peacock is changing the way she shops for dog food Peacock says, "I’ll get her something different be on the safe side." Since the pet food re-call Peacock says she’s buying pet food with more natural ingredients.
The owner of Pawsitively Pets in Dubuque, Cheri Basten, says organic and holistic pet food is flying off the shelves. "I just know I’m ordering more and I’m ordering more often," Basten says. The food Basten sells contains no corn, wheat or soy, ingredients she says many pets are allergic to. Basten says, "People like knowing that when they open up this can, that it’s certified organic, so what’s in here is very healthy, you and I can eat this."
Across town at Theisen’s Supply Store, clerk Erik Runaas says many pet owners had already switched to natural pet foods. Runaas says: "Pre-recall we had a lot of customers decide to start choosing to feed their dog or cat something more healthy. Post re-call it has helped a little bit, but there hasn’t been a huge influx of customers." Organic pet food is more expensive than generic pet food. It costs about the same as some higher-end brands.
Natural dog food is certainly on the minds of many pet owners. Several internet search engines currently list "homemade dog food recipes" in their top ten searches. Dog biscuits made by an Alabama company are the latest addition to the pet food recall. In the latest re-call, the FDA says Sunshine Mills of Red Bay, Alabama, is calling back dog biscuits made with imported Chinese wheat gluten. The dog biscuits were sold under Sunshine brands as well as private labels sold by grocery and dollar stores. They were marketed at Wal-Mart under the Ol’Roy brand.