Raw Dog Food Diet (B.A.R.F.) and The Pros and Cons

MyFriend Team
- March 22, 2023

Both pets and humans have many diet styles and choices to pick from! Specific food choices have been turned into diets, curated to meet every individual’s subjective lifestyle, health, and even worldviews. As for pets, these diets are cultivated for our friends’ health and/or to fit the lifestyle of their pet pawrents, those of whom are the ones choosing what they think is right for their fur babies.

Disclaimer: This article’s purpose is to inform and educate pet parents about the options, choices, and alternatives that are available. Please keep in mind that we are not trying to promote or favor any methods, in particular, we simply want to educate our friends in an objective and unbiased nature. We recommend always going to the veterinarian if you are planning on adjusting your pet’s diet.

There are a large variety of diets that are popular for pets! Many pet parents have probably heard of home-cooked, vegan, or even insect-based pet foods. But today, we’re taking you all to get to know another trending diet called the Raw-Meat Diet or also known as B.A.R.F.

One of these popular diets is the Raw-Meat Diet Pet Food, also known as “B.A.R.F.” (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food) in Thailand. Due to the increasing popularity, many small business owners are making and distributing B.A.R.F. from their own backyards. Natural raw food that is non-processed, is believed to be more beneficial to the health of our pets. It’s been said that it helps with the digestive system, weight control, and odor issues, and provides a healthier coat and skin.

However, there are several research articles and studies that prove that feeding a B.A.R.F. diet to pets has potential risks to the pets as well as to the hoomans feeding them this diet.

In 2018, Paul Overgaauw, veterinarian and visiting researcher at Utrecht University, the Netherlands, reported that feeding a raw-meat diet to pets is risky to the pets themselves, but even riskier to the human bodies because pets can be carriers of pathogens, which can cause diseases in humans.

B.A.R.F.’s production process could contain cross-contamination in the ingredients and containers during food preparations as well as in the cleaning process. By examining 35 frozen pet foods from 8 brands in the Netherlands, researchers found that in 14 out of 35 products examined (40% of all products), there are high levels of E. coli, more than what humans can safely consume. There are also Listeria and Salmonella, both bacterias that have been causing illnesses in the human body for a long time. In addition to this, there are Sarcocystis Cruzi which are protozoa – a single cell parasite that is harmful to farm animals, and also Toxoplasma Gondii, parasites that might cause illness in both cats and humans.

The standard of the meat production process, as well as the slaughterhouse in Thailand, is not up to the quality of the European ones. Most brands produce homemade B.A.R.F. meal plans, all in Thailand’s tropical weather, which can be the breeding ground for bacteria. They are not audited by the Department of Livestock Development of Thailand. So, there’s a high chance of your pets getting infected from contamination. It’s important to make the decision to adjust your pet’s diet with the veterinarian’s advice in mind. Selecting good pet food should be considered based on sanitary, safety, and complete nutrition. 🐾

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