Pet Food Experts

Adronie Verbrugghe, University of Guelph

Adronie Verbrugghe

University of Guelph

Pets are part of the family and like a good friend. But they also come with responsibility. The owner is caring for a creature dependent on them. An animal needs proper food, a safe place to live, exercise and stimulation. Similar need to their human owner.

While all of these areas are important, nutrition is an area where an informed owner can make a major difference. There is a wide variety of pet food, the choices can be overwhelming.

Pet food experts possess expertise in food safety, animal husbandry, nutritional and dietary scheduling, foodborne illness, food poisoning, and more. Many of them also have marketing knowledge to help protect pet owners from deceptive advertising. Lying or exaggerating in the pet food industry can lead to poor food choices for their pet, wasting money and even causing harm.

A related area of expertise is pet food design. In particular, the pet food designer understands product labeling. These labels are the primary sources of information about dog food and cat food, the two most popular domestic pets. They explain ingredients and how they are made and used.

Pet food, like any other type of food, must comply with certain rules and regulations. In the United States it falls under the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Failure to comply with FDA requirements is a violation of health and safety laws, which can lead to fines and court cases. When a case goes to court pet food experts are often brought in as they have the necessary knowledge to analyze food production, conduct laboratory tests and draw up a comprehensive product quality report.

Patent claim disputes, while not common, are another area where pet food experts can be required.

Looking for different expertise? Use the search bar