The Hungry Pet

 

At the Hungry Pet we specialise in raw petfood for your cats and dogs and seek to bring you the highest quality natural product at the best possible price.

We have been operating our own processing facility for over 20 years and operate under a full MAF licensed Risk Management programme. Our Owner Grant is certified in large animal health care and is an accredited ante mortem / post mortem examiner for the pet food industry. Every animal that we process is examined before and after slaughter to ensure our raw petfood meets the highest standards.

At the Hungry Pet we are firm believers in the BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food or sometimes known as Bones and Raw Food) principles of feeding your pets. None of our products contain any preservatives or additives of any kind to ensure that the product we produce is as natural and nutritious as possible.

Biologically Appropriate Raw Feeding (BARF)

This is a principle of feeding that applies to all animals, not just your cat and dogs. While the principle has many detractors (usually those with a vested interest in selling you processed dry food) the fact is that this is a feeding system that is practised in virtually every major Zoo in the world. The reason is simple , their animals not only do better and are healthier, they are also happier and have loads more vitality and vigour. If it works so well in our Zoos it will also work just as well for your cats and dogs.

Its important to understand that in the wild your pet would devour all parts of its prey in order to give it a well balanced diet. Meat by itself is not enough so you must add some offals (appox 10% -15% of their diet) and bones.

Why it works so well

Cats and dogs both have digestive systems evolved and suited to digest a diet high in meat proteins and low in carbohydrates. Their intestines are relatively short and muscular and are designed to process and then eliminate in a short (usually 24hrs) period. When fed a raw meaty diet their stomach will usually have a PH level between 1 - 2. This is very acidic and allows the animal to digest its food (including bones) quickly and efficiently. It is also their first defense against harmful bacteria. Tests have proved that E Coli and salmonella are destroyed at these levels.

If you feed a diet of processed dry food which are rich in carbohydrates and commonly consist of around 80% grains the PH level will rise to 4-5. At this level the animal struggles to process its food fully so most of the time a good percentage simply passes through them. This is why their stools are larger and smellier. They are also at a greater risk of blockages because of the high level of undigested food.

Benefits of a BARF diet


Remember – variety is the spice of life so ensure you feed a range of raw food and you will have a happy and healthy pet