Feeding Pets the Right Food

I posted an article over on our website's homepage, just a bit of topical news that seems humorous and entertaining enough – you can read the article here.

However I noticed that the article drew a lot of comments and opinions when it was posted on www.dailymail.co.uk and though I didn’t want to comment on the site I thought it worth a moment to reflect here.

Most of the comments I spotted are from concerned pet owners and pet lovers worried about the fact that this lovely rabbit was eating the wrong dietary needs, and due to this had become increasingly overweight.

The other comments were typically aimed at the other side of the coin, saying these people should ‘butt-out’ and mind their own business; what these people choose to do with their pets is up to them.

Now I can’t help but think that, though there is a truth in what people choose to do is their own business, there is also a much stronger argument for the former group and their comments.
Each and every animal out there has a diet they require, it’s how it has been since the dawn of time. They eat these foods because they give them their required nutritional and dietary needs, and because – in an evolutionary sense, they can only eat what they can get their hands (or paws, claws, etc) on.

Of course we humans have stepped in and changed this over the years, especially when it comes to domestic animals such as cats and dogs, but these are typically the exceptions rather than the rule (few wild cats or dogs would choose dry food for example).

Rabbits eat vegetation and greenery, it’s a given fact. They have thrived both in wild and domesticated forms through the consumption of vegetables, hay and other similar foods. The same can be said for many animals, and most of them we strive, when we have them as pets, to feed them what they would naturally.

So feeding a rabbit the same food as a dog, cute or not, does seem irresponsible. Of course it won’t refuse the food it’s given, few animals turn their noses up at food when it’s offered, and that includes pigs eating ham or pork.

Now if it were as easy as to just give every pet the same diet, without any consequences, think of the money pet food manufacturers would make. But it isn’t that easy, pet food manufacturers do try to provide good, sensible and nutritional food, and they try to keep to the traditions of what those pets should be eating.

We will all probably be guilty of feeding our pets the odd treat or titbit we shouldn’t now and then, but try to think about it before making it a regular thing or doing it at all, as in the long run the chances are it won’t be good for your pet’s health. Remember we have a choice in what we eat, but our pets don’t.

For a great range of pet food, visit www.petshop247.co.uk. We stock food for a whole range of pets from dogs and cats to rabbits, hamsters, reptiles, horses, fish and much more.