Several consumers have approached the association wanting to know how to reconcile their veterinarians’ recommendations to feed low protein pet food to dogs and cats in kidney failure while the owners’ desire to feed more species appropriate diets.
As leaders in the pet food industry, the members of Next Generation Pet Food Manufacturers Association pledge to work with consumers to answer questions such as these. On an anecdotal basis, both pet owners and NGPFMA members have witnessed the health benefits in kidney patients (and many other health issues) by feeding species appropriate foods, including raw diets. However, funded studies are rarely found supporting these diets; while there are many funded studies published in the peer-reviewed literature supporting low protein highly-processed, often kibble-based, pet food diets. One goal of NGPFMA is to fund research that supports the whole industry, not just the kibble manufacturers. This research will determine the health benefits of diets made with “nutritionally defensible” ^TM ingredients, not just raw foods.
This is one example of how the members of Next Gen will work with consumers on issues of transparency, food quality, and impacts on pet health. Because members of Next Gen PFMA are pet owners themselves, what’s important to the members is the same as what’s important to consumers: truth about ingredients, the sourcing, and health benefits from these great quality products
Membership in NGPFMA has many benefits – for manufacturers and consumers (and the animals they love).