It’s no secret that what we put into our bodies each day seriously matters. Fuelling ourselves properly is essential for everything from our daily mood and focus to our overall health and longevity. But what we tend to forget is that the same applies for our four-legged companions. While we smother our pets in love and treat them like the furry kings and queens they are, many of us are guilty of inadvertently feeding them less-than-wholesome food. We’re not to blame—for a long time, preservative-packed pet food was the only affordable option.
However, times-are-a-changin’ and nobody knows this better than Pete Evans. The celebrity chef and paleo enthusiast just released a range of gourmet, low-sugar and low-carb pet food, Healthy Everyday Pets. Here, Pete gives Amodrn the lowdown on everything we need to know about feeding our pets well.
Amodrn: What do you think some of the most common misconceptions are when it comes to feeding your pet a healthy diet?
Pete: “It’s pretty simple—pets need to eat a species appropriate or species-specific diet. So, anything that strays far from that is going to cause problems with the health of your pet. If you look at what is in most pet food these days and actually read the label to not only see the ingredients but what ratio those ingredients are in, then you can see how completely wrong that is and how far away from a species-specific diet it is. The reason that pet food manufacturers put these items in is for one reason only… to make a cheap and profitable product to make money. In no way is it in the best interests of your pet.”
Do the same principles apply when it comes to feeding ourselves and our pets as well?
“Of course— we also need a species appropriate diet and when we veer away from that, then disease will present itself in one way or another.”
What are some common signs that you’re not feeding your pets the right type or amounts of foods?
“The signs include bad skin, joint problems, being overweight, digestive and poo problems and being lethargic or overactive.”
What are some surprising no no’s you should never feed your dog?
“Never feed your dog anything with any type of grain, legume or dairy in it and white potatoes are not something that should go in dog food.”
Is it ever okay for pet owners to feed their animals leftovers?
“It would depend on what it is and what ingredients are used. We try not to feed our dog anything cooked too often as we prefer a raw meat diet for her, but sometimes she might have some sardines, or roast organic chicken at the table in very small amounts.”
What made you decide you wanted to branch out into pet foods?
“Because I care about pets as we have our own and I realised that the marketplace was full of products that I would never ever feed to my own pet. So, something needed to be done and I know we have a voice in which we can create some much needed dialogue about what to feed our pets.”
What sets Healthy Everyday Pets aside from other pet foods on the market?
“The ingredients, first and foremost. We don’t include any grains, legumes, dairy, so basically, we don’t have inflammatory food for the pets in our range. We have worked with Australia’s leading pet nutritionist as well to make sure we have ticked all the boxes, too.”
