Despite increased regulation in the petfood market, consumers are still concerned with the safety of their pet's food and where the ingredients are sourced from, according to a Baltimore Sun article.
Knowing where products come from may offer consumers the best chance at making informed choices when selecting a petfood. In 2007, for example, petfood companies in China illegally added melamine and cyanuric acid to mimic increased protein levels in products that were exported to the US. Illinois, USA, Senator Dick Durbin, who serves on the Senate Appropriations Committee overseeing food safety, called for a hearing on the recall of these tainted petfood products and said that while it is not realistic to stop importing from countries like China, additional inspections may be one option for increased safety. Nearly all vitamins and minerals for human and pet consumption are imported to the US from China, according to Tiffany Bierer, health, sciences and nutrition manager at Mars Petcare US.
"At Mars, we have people on the ground in China, auditing facilities. All petfood companies can't say that. Also, check the packaging to ensure the product is manufactured in the US, if that is important to you," Bierer said. "Consumers do have the right to ask these types of question. Nearly all petfood brands include a phone number on the packaging."