Why a BARF Diet?

Why give my pet natural food?

Animals are carnivores and a real healthy diet for your cat or dog is something that is as close to their wild cousins as possible, as no animal cooks it’s food.

Raw feeding suits the physiology and digestive functions of dogs and cats much more closely than cooked, processed foods. Improved digestion promotes the absorption of more nutrients with less waste. It satisfies our pets' instinctive needs to consume healthier raw foods and provides flavours and aromas that are more attractive to them.

A healthy immune system starts with the gut and investing in food not medicine, is the first prevention against disease. Good nutrition is the foundation of good health and nutritional deficiencies are the biggest cause of disease.

The point of a raw food diet is that it is not heated, not processed, it doesn’t need to be fortified with synthetic vitamins and minerals or loaded with starches and cereals to hold it together in convenient kibble form. A raw diet is all about the stuff that’s NOT in it. Uncover the myths of raw feeding here.

What is human grade and why is it important?

Human grade means the product is formulated, tested and approved for use or edible by humans.
Normal pet food is not edible for humans and can only be legally fed to animals as the regulations around pet food are less controlled.

Pet food or “feed-grade only” ingredients are typically waste products from the human food industry that become “by-products” such as dead animals from farms, animal shelters, grease and fats from restaurants etc. Products not suitable for human consumption.

Human grade is important in pet food as it means the ingredients in the products are more rigorously regulated than normal pet food and are of a higher quality, as they are classed as “edible” and therefore more costly.

What are the benefits of raw feeding for my cat or dog?

Fed poor quality ingredients we are seeing a dramatic rise in human diseases affecting dogs and cats. Sadly, it’s become the norm to see pets with heart problems, obesity, teeth problems, flaky coats, diabetes, urinary tract diseases, high mortality at young ages etc. For pets on a raw food diet, these things are not normal. For more information on how raw feeding can help certain pet illnesses read "Let Raw Be Thy Healing Medicine".

One of the main benefits your pet will get from eating natural or raw food is excellent health. The whole purpose of food is to nourish the body and to provide both macro and micro nutrients needed for optimum health. Some of the benefits you can expect quickly are shiny softer coats, cleaner teeth, fresher breath, odourless poo and generally a healthy happier pet. 

Nature is the source of all things healthy so think of a natural diet as a fast track to vibrant health and happiness and nothing is more important than providing your pet with a biologically appropriate diet in order to help your pet have a long healthy life. For more information on why raw is important check out our mini series on prebiotics and probiotics, digestive enzymes and mitochondria if you want to dig deeper into your pet's health.

Is it Safe?

Yes. Dogs and cats are naturally able to cope with higher levels of microbial activity in food. It's us over-domesticated humans that are less able! Use the same hygiene common-sense you would in preparing raw ingredients for yourself; wash hands after handling the food and clean thoroughly all contact surfaces. Never re-freeze defrosted products. 

What ingredients are used?

We source human grade, organically grown and locally produced ingredients wherever possible. 

All our recipes are formulated in accordance with the European FEDIAF guidelines for optimal nutrition for dogs and cats.

We use human grade meats, fish, vegetables, fruits, herbs, and oils. We're very proud that our food contains no added fillers, chemicals, by-products, harmful products, sugars, salts, grains or preservatives.