The Humane Society of the United States has entered the pet food business with the launch of Humane Choice, a vegetarian dog food made from United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) organic-certified ingredients. Manufactured in Uruguay, this product is sold through select PETCO and Whole Foods stores. A kibble which meets the American Association of Feed Control Officers (AAFCO) standards for adult maintenance is the only product available. Humane Choice’s marketing arm is the G&B Marketing company, which sends 6% of the wholesale price of each bag to the HSUS.
While I can only speculate about the motives behind the launch of this product, it seems more about providing a feeding option for people sympathetic toward the HSUS’s stand against domestic animals than the nutritional needs of dogs. The group actively opposes farming of animals and the feedstuffs fed to meat animals; they feel animals are equal in status to humans and should not be owned or consumed. HSUS opposes breeding and working with dogs, which may be the reason no growth or performance formulas are offered, I suspect it’s also hard to meet those standards without using animal protein.
I work at the HSUS, and would like to clarify a few things. This dog food is meant to serve as a choice for those who want to feed their dogs a plant based diet. If you visit the website, http://thehumanechoice.com/faq1.htm you will notice it also recommends checking with your vet before switching to this diet, as each dog is different.
In addition, the HSUS is against the inhumane treatment of all animals. We are for responsible pet ownership, (employees can even bring their dogs to the office!) and responsible breeders, we even have aguide on how to find a responsible breeder at humanesociety.org/puppy We want all animals to be treated humanely, including farm animals. If consumers want to avoid eating animals, we provide them with the information they need to make that decision. If they want to reduce the number of animals they eat, we give them recipes and useful information. And if they want to avoid products that cause the most animal suffering (e.g., by switching from battery cage eggs to cage-free eggs), we applaud that too, and give them the info they need on where they can find those products. This is exemplified by our work with all different companies – whether it’s helping them start to use cage free eggs, or adding a veg option to their menu.
The fact is, it isn’t about animal rights – it’s really about human responsibility, and we’re proud of the work we do on a daily basis to help the animals.
Well, we animal lovers better make sure we DON”T buy this dog food.
Sarah,
Americans are not buying the HSUS true agenda of a vegan and pet-free America…and especially this horrible idea of a vegan dog food. Are you high? Dogs are carnivores you idiot. HSUS spent less than 1 percent of its operating budget on hands-on animal care last year. They are Peta in suits. Shut up Sarah and leave pet lovers alone. Thank you.
Petfood Industry magazine editor Debbie Phillips-Donaldson weighed in on Humane Choice in an editorial in the April edition. (http://www.petfoodindustry.com/ViewArticle.aspx?id=27264 ) HSUS has had an adversarial relationship with both animal and feed producers in the agriculture industry, which of course are vital suppliers to the pet food industry, so as Debbie points out, this seems a curious turn for the advocacy organization.
Is there any place else We can get information about this? I’m thinking I might possibly write my term paper on it.