Dog Files

Freshpet Vital Makes Homemade Food For Your Dog!

2017-08-31T14:57:55Z

Freshpet® debuts an exciting new freshly prepared meal specially crafted for your dog with Freshpet® Vital® Fresh Cuts™ Chicken Recipe for Dogs.

I know that sometimes, my dog Remy just isn’t going to eat the normal dry food. It just doesn’t have an enticing smell. With can food, we have the smell, but who knows what they smushed together in that slimy mix? That’s why I love Freshpet. It has the smell that excites Remy and yes, it actually looks great. I can tell what’s in it!

Are there other reasons? Of course.

A growing number of consumers are making their own dog food. However, it may not have the right balance of protein and nutrition for their dogs. This is why Vital® hand-crafted Fresh Cuts™. It provides the goodness of a homecooked meal with a medley of shredded chicken, antioxidant-rich cranberries, and vegetables like sweet potatoes and green beans for the optimal mix of protein and nutrition.

From my view, I can just say that Remy devours Freshpet whenever I get it for him and it’s great to know I’m feeding him food that’s good for him.

Freshpet® brands include Freshpet® Select and Dog Joy™, available at select grocery and mass-market retailers; Deli Fresh®, Vital™ and Dognation™, available at pet specialty stores.

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Vote For Your Favorite Dog In BJ’s Great Pet Search!

2017-08-16T18:30:56Z

This post is sponsored by BJ’s Wholesale Club. Dog Files is being compensated
for helping spread the word about BJ’s Wholesale Club Pet Food.

The top five cats and top five dog finalists of the BJ’s Wholesale Club Great Pet Search Contest have been announced and now it’s your turn to vote for who you think should be the new face of BJ’s Wholesale Club Pet Food!

Here’s what you need to know:

1. From 8/14 to 8/18, vote for your favorite cat and favorite dog!

2. You can cast one vote per category and winners will be announced on 8/23.

3. Visit BJs.com/GreatPetSearch to cast your vote

The winning cat and dog will receive one special edition Berkley Jensen dog or cat food with their face on it, win a year’s supply of Berkley Jensen dog or cat food and will be in various BJ’s pet marketing materials for up to one year!

The winners will be announced on August 23, 2017!

#BJsGreatPetSearch #ad

VOTE HERE!

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Are Cosmetic Companies Still Testing On Animals?

2017-08-13T18:15:00Z

There has been a lot of talk in recent years about makeup companies testing their products on animals again. Ground zero was a post back in 2012 by PeTA that you can read here. While Dog Files is not an advocate of PeTA, their work over three decades earlier to stop makeup companies from testing on animals is indisputable.

One of the most read (and controversial) posts on Dog Files was about that PeTA report. You can read that post here, ANIMAL TESTING RESUMES FOR AVON, MARY KAY, AND ESTEE LAUDER. Our article was even highlighted on Snopes.com because the post warped into a rumor that the makeup companies started testing in the United States again. Something we never said.

The basics of our article was that Mary Kay, Avon and Estee Lauder began testing makeup on animals again in order to satisfy regulations from the Chinese government. Times have changed in the past 30 years, and China, with its own set of laws and regulations, is now a giant market for these companies.

This story caused a lot of uproar and it wasn’t only from animal welfare people that were angry about what was happening. It seemed that a lot of makeup sales people were extremely pissed off with the Dog Files and demanded that I was somehow making it all up.

They would contact their respective companies and they would be told that, of course the company wasn’t testing on animals. The person would then come back here and yell at me some more. That’s when I would explain to them that yes, technically the company WASN’T testing on animals. But China has laws and regulations that won’t allow the makeup company to sell there unless the makeup is tested on animals. So makeup companies would turn a blind eye and pay a Chinese government agency to do the actual animal testing. This way, makeup companies can take advantage of this new market AND technically “tell the truth” when saying that they weren’t testing on animals again.

So yes, the companies weren’t doing the testing themselves. They were allowing others to do it for them, and paying them, so they could increase their global reach and profits.

Well, it’s been quite a few years and I thought it was a good time to find out if anything has changed.

Avon

First, I thought I’d visit the AVON Company Website. I found this under, Corporate Responsibility.

“Respect for animal welfare is a cornerstone of Avon’s product safety philosophy. In fact, Avon was the first major cosmetic company to end animal testing nearly 25 years ago and we do not test on animals today. Instead, we use non-animal product safety testing methods.”

“Unfortunately, a few countries require additional safety testing, which may include animal testing. Avon, in partnership with other organizations, works to help advance government acceptance of alternative non-animal testing methods. But if a compromise cannot be reached, we must comply with the testing required by local law. Animal testing is an issue faced by all global beauty companies.”

And a few paragraphs down I saw a bit of a change.

“We are encouraged to see that China recently eliminated the animal testing requirement for certain products. However, China still requires testing on “special use” products (sunscreens, anti-pigmentation/whitening product, deodorant, fitness/slimming products, breast beautifying products, depilatories, hair growth products, hair perm and hair dyes).”

If you would like to read the entire Avon Page, here’s the link.

This was interesting. It seems that China was relaxing some of it’s rules, which is definitely a good thing. But not all of them. Avon would still allow them to test on animals for “special use” products.

While things have certainly gotten better, Avon stills get a big thumbs down from Dog Files.

Mary Kay

We spent over an hour trying to find any animal testing info I could on Mary Kay’s site and couldn’t find anything. Even on their Product Safety page, not one mention of it. But I did find this image that says they still sell in China.

If anyone can find anything on their site, please let us know. But for now, Mary Kay is still selling in China and if they are selling “special use” products then animals are still being used. Mary Kay gets a big thumbs down from Dog Files.

Estee Lauder

Now it’s Estee Lauder’s turn. I found the info pretty quickly, which I believe is a good thing, on their FAQ page.

“At The Estée Lauder Companies, the safety of our consumers is our highest priority. We utilize the latest advances in non-animal safety testing and human volunteer testing to deliver products of the highest safety and quality to our consumers. We do not test our products or ingredients on animals, or ask others to test on our behalf, except where required by law. We are proud that we were one of the first cosmetic companies to establish that cosmetic safety can be demonstrated by non‐animal testing methods. There are, however, still some countries that believe they need to conduct or require animal testing in order to validate the safety of cosmetic ingredients or products. Our Company and all of our brands remain dedicated to the elimination of animal testing on all cosmetic products and ingredients worldwide. We believe that animal testing should not be needed to validate safety of cosmetic products or ingredients and we are encouraging the use of alternatives and the elimination of such animal testing globally.”

Sadly, this means that it is still happening. Estee Lauder gets the big thumbs down from Dog Files.

Next we found an article on Teen Vogue, entitled MAC Is Finally Speaking Out Amid Criticism for Animal Testing dated July 7, 2017. MAC is another giant cosmetics company. Here’s an excerpt from the article.

“MAC doesn’t test on animals,” Anna Klein, vice president of Global Corporate Affairs, Global Communications at Estée Lauder Companies (MAC’s parent company), tells Teen Vogue. Technically, she’s right. MAC employees are not testing on animals. But the company’s products are tested on animals — in China, in government labs, by government employees.”

“The MAC team isn’t as clear on what happens within those labs. They’re government-run facilities, so MAC isn’t present. However, animal advocacy groups say the tests are torture for the animals. According to Kathy Guillermo, a senior vice president of PETA, “substances will be force-fed to the animals, smeared onto their [skin] and into their eyes,” adding that “the bottom line is death.”

We will add MAC to our list of companies getting the big thumbs down from Dog Files.

How To Find Out What Cosmetic Companies To Buy From?

It’s pretty easy actually. I went to the PeTA website and I found a page about companies that don’t test on animals, a page about companies that do test on animals, and a database where you can type in any company’s name to find out if they still participate in this horrible practice. Below are the links for your convenience.

Companies that DON’T test on animals.

Companies that DO test on animals.

PeTA Cruelty-Free Database.

Last Thoughts

One of the most disappointing things for me is seeing sites like Snopes and Fox Business specifically call out Dog Files to say we we were spreading false news. They literally say at the end of the post, “This story is part of an ongoing Associated Press effort to fact-check claims in suspected false news stories.” Each story acts like we said that the CEO of the company is personally blinding bunnies. Which, of course, isn’t true. Plus it’s just shameful when big corporations tow the line for other big corporations.

For cosmetics companies to say they aren’t testing on animals, but in reality they are paying a foreign entity to do it for them so they can enter a new profitable market is disingenuous if not dishonest.

That’s like saying, “I didn’t do it, I paid someone else to do it”. Technically, sure, you didn’t do it. But c’mon, how naive and gullible do you think your customers are?

Apparently, quite a bit.

The post Are Cosmetic Companies Still Testing On Animals? appeared first on Dog Files.

My Dog Celebrated His Thirteenth Birthday And I’m Sad

2017-07-09T16:17:19Z

KENN & REMY

PRINCETON, NJ 2013

When I adopted Remy in the summer of 2006 it was for all the wrong reasons.

The first of which was that I was having so much trouble with Max’s separation anxiety I decided to bring in another dog as a last ditch effort to get Max to relax when I left him at home.

The second? When I saw his photo on the Petfinder Website, he looked just like Max and his name was listed as… you guessed it, Max.

How’s that for a bunch of wrong reasons to adopt a dog?

At the time I was living about 15 minutes west of Manhattan in New Jersey. Remy, or “Max” at the time, was at BARCS, the Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter, about 4 hours away in Maryland.

The first time I took the trip, yes there was more than one trip, I asked to see “Max” by name. They jotted down my information and when they realized how far I had journeyed, they looked at me like I was a crazy person. I just shrugged my shoulders, told them, “long story”.

The next step was meeting him in the outside pen. They brought the dog out, closed the gate behind us and left us. He was pulling in every direction but me, so I look him off his lead. This is the part of the story where I tell you it was love at first sight. That we rolled around on the grass together and felt a connection that we had had never felt before. The truth? He basically spent the entire time sniffing around the edge of the fencing, ignoring that I was even there.

After five to ten anti-climactic minutes, I brought him back inside and declared, “I’ll take him.” Yep, I’m a glutton for punishment. I cleary DON’T see the forest for the trees. (Feel free to tack on your own favorite clichéd, ironic saying right here.)

The clerk looked back at me with a strange look on her face. “Really?” she said.

That even worried me a bit. What was I getting into here? “Yep, I’ll take him.”

“Okay, come back in a week after he’s been fixed and he’s yours.”

“Wait, I can’t take him now.”

“You can pay for him now”, she replied.

I took out my wallet, pulled out my credit card and prepared myself for the influx of paperwork. Then I drove four hours back home without a dog.

From clockwise:

1. Remy at shelter in Baltimore.

2. Max & Remy become brothers.

3. Remy at 13.

One week later I was back on the road. It was a non-eventful trip. I went to BARCS. I picked Remy up. I drove him to his new home. Yes, I had chosen his name by that time. I thought Max & Remy sounded great together, so Remy it was.

While my friend waited in my backyard with Remy, I brought Max out to join us. They sniffed and sniffed and sniffed (hounds, what can I say) and than Remy found a hole in the fence that Max never cared about and off he went, running through the neighborhood like a crazy dog. A portent of things to come.

Yes, I caught him and yes, it was the first of many escapes. The nose of a Beagle and the smarts of a Border Collie was a mixed blessing indeed. But in my own defense, I’m sure you experienced the same thing. A friend would come over and not immediately close the door behind them, hence providing an ample amount of space for the dog in your house that was always checking for escape routes. It was also a good tell that your friend never owned a dog.

Remy was a fun, rambunctious dog. He spun in cricles. He was the epitomé of a joyful dog, whereas Max was a bit more low key and soulful. But in spite of it all, my gambit had worked. Even though Remy was a dog that Max only kinda put up with, he succeeded in bringing down Max’s separation anxiety quite a bit.

Over the years, Remy took to his role of understudy for the Dog Files like a champ. Slowly, very slowly, really very slowly, Remy mellowed out a bit and I believe, enjoyed his job as Max’s crazy little buddy.

Many years later, in March of 2015, Max, truly my best friend, passed away at the age of thirteen and a half. It’s a pain I still feel over two and a half years later.

After Max died, many people on the Dog Files Facebook Page asked me, over and over again, when, not if,
I was going to adopt a new dog.
But I had already made my decision. Remy spent most of his life as second fiddle to Max. He deserved to have ALL of my time
to himself for the rest of his life.

That following Summer, I noticed Remy was coughing quite a bit. I took him to my vet and found out he had an enlarged heart and all the pain I had just felt with Max came pouring back over me. They told me not to worry, that Remy probably had a ton of time left and gave me two prescriptions that I’d have to give him daily for the rest of his life.

Two years later, Remy has his good days and his bad days. He stumbles a bit when walking and stairs can be a chore for him to climb. I know his time on this Earth is limited and I wish his birthday’s were joyous things for me, but they just remind me of the little time I have left with him.

It’s been a tough two and a half years for me. I’ve lost my best friend, Max. I’ve lost the greatest Dad you could ever wish for, after watching him battle a horrible muscular disease for two years. And now, with more and more frequency, the restlessness at night, the heavy breathing, and the coughing that Remy deals with, reminds me that I’m going to have to go through all this one more time. And probably sooner, then later.

But Remy doesn’t know any of that. He puts up with the coughing and the heavy breathing and the restlessness at night the only way he knows. With a big, beautiful Remy smile that he wears like no one else. He still can’t wait for his meals and he still loves prancing around at the dog park, albeit a little slower now, and he still loves bugging me all day for more treats.

And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Happy 13th Birthday, my dear Remy! I can only hope I’ve shown as much love to you over the years, as you’ve shown to me.

With love, from your very sad, but proud Dad.

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Royal Canin And Vet Set Go Team Up To Make Dreams Come True!

2017-05-23T15:27:18Z

Do you know a teen or tween that wants to become a veterinarian? What if they could attend a week-long camp at one of the most prestigious veterinary colleges in North America? If they are a junior high school student or entering junior high school this fall, this is the contest for them!

Royal Canin has teamed up with Vet Set Go, the only internet community for aspiring veterinarians, to help three very special students achieve the dream of a lifetime!

Three lucky grand prize winners will have their tuition, housing and meals covered for the Auburn Junior Veterinary Camp this summer – all made possible by Royal Canin and Vet Set Go. (Excludes travel.) Ten runners-up will also receive a free copy of Vet Set Go’s award-winning quick start guide to becoming a veterinarian.

Participants will learn about veterinary medicine first-hand in classrooms, laboratories, and outdoor facilities. They will also learn about public health, food animals, wildlife, anatomy, xrays, and first aid, as well as gain valuable mentoring about veterinary science careers.

The week long event will be an incredible experience for that future veterinarian in your family!

To enter, middle school students (or those entering middle school in fall 2017) and their parents should visit Vet Camp Contest between April 4 and May 4, 2017.

What is the Auburn Junior Vet Camp?

For over 125 years, the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine has educated and trained more than 6,400 veterinarians and more than 500 specialists and researchers. Now, through Auburn’s popular and prestigious Junior VET Camp for students in grades 6-8, dedicated middle school students who wish to become veterinarians are able to gain valuable mentoring about veterinary science careers. Through the Become a Vet: Camp Contest 2017, three dedicated students will have the chance to attend with their tuition, housing and meals covered! Click here to learn more about Junior VET Cam.

Fun Facts:

National surveys show that “veterinarian” is the umber one career choice of tweens*
18% (1 in 5) of tweens in the United States want to become a veterinarian
This represents approximately 6 million tweens & teens in the United States
Veterinary medicine is a calling. The majority of veterinarian practicing today decided to become a vet before they were 13 years of age

*Duracell, Time to Play Study, 2009, Nationwide survey of 512 8-12 year old US children

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