By Steve Maesen, Grand Rapids Public Library, Van Belkum Branch
Within the “I didn’t know I needed it until I read it” genre Marion Nestle and Malden C. Neshiem’s Feed Your Pet Right: The Authoritative Guide to Feeding your Dog and Cat is an informative overview on pet nutrition as well as an interesting look inside the multi-billion dollar a year pet food industry. Investigating both the widely available commercial foods and the less common, though growing, holistic/organic/natural/raw pet food movements, what they discover about what goes into our pet’s food is surprisingly comforting.
Throughout the book the authors provide detailed descriptions of the different kinds of pet foods, treats and supplements on the market: where they come from, why they are used and whether or not they should be used in pet food. Looking into such controversial ingredients like animal by-products the reader may well be surprised by their conclusions. Acknowledging the various issues many people have with feeding their pets “commercial” grade food, they engage the reader in a discussion about what roles personal ethics and morals play in selecting pet foods.
Worth the read, if only for the brief but fascinating history of pet food in America, the book also serves as an informative and objective reference for any pet owner who wants to make sure they are doing the best they can for their four-legged friend.
