Raw Food Safety

The main risk to be aware of when feeding raw food or treats to your pets is that due to their uncooked nature, these products are naturally more susceptible to contamination with potentially harmful bacteria such as Campylobacter, Salmonella, E.coli and Listeria. While they may be processed by air drying, freeze drying or other means, it's important to be aware that these methods are not the same as cooking - exposure to heat is much more effective at killing bacteria.

While there is a chance these bacteria could make your pet unwell, the bigger risk is that you and your family members could be exposed to them through handling the contaminated treats or foods. Pets who eat contaminated products can also shed bacteria for a period of weeks even if they have no outward symptoms, putting any humans or other pets they come into contact with at risk.

The public health significance of raw pet food products is starting to become more apparent, with the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) and Federal Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States identifying cases of illness in humans linked back to pet food products. Both organisations have released position statements recommending that people be aware of the risks posed by raw pet foods^1,2.