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The federal government is under pressure to regulate to dog food industry after an increase in complaints from pet owners.
In March this year, Mars Petcare Australia has asked pet owners to return Advance Dermocare dry food for a full refund after a number of dogs were affected by megaesophagus.
More recently, dog owner, Ruth Quick reportedly said she found mould in a bag of food she recently bought for her pooch.
“I know of at least one person’s dog who basically ate about half the packet of Applaws and became ill for about a good week with diarrhoea and just being very unwell,” Ms Quick told 7.30.
The ABC reports there are currently no rules around pet food safety “only a voluntary standard.
Meaning, pet food companies are under no obligation to recall products. Something Ruth said she was surprised to learn.
“That was one of the things I said to him (the Applaws manager), ‘what about the people who had already purchased the bags?’,” Ruth said.
“Anybody can produce and put out whatever they want to.”
Veterinarian Dr Richard Malik said an intervention was overdue.
“There have been so many examples over the last 10 years of toxicity from food that the government must act to do something,” he told the ABC.
“To not act is to put their head in the sand.”
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