How about Made in Brazil? I've seen so many Beef Jerkies and Bully sticks from Brazil lately
If you go to your supermarket shelves and see pig's ears selling for $1 each (or even less) - make sure to check the ingredients list and country of manufacturing on the packaging.
These ears are likely to be "made in China" or "made in PRC". PRC, by the way, is an abbreviation for "People's Republic of China"- so still China, just abbreviated.
Is it really a big deal though?
Well, the main problem is that meats from these countries have to be irradiated as they enter Australia.
Irradiation is a sterilisation procedure to remove potential harmful bacteria, pests and microorganisms that can cause food poisoning in humans or animals. It is also used as a biosafety measure to protect the Australian agriculture industry from foreign pests and bacteria.
Irradiation hasn't been shown to affect dogs in the short or long term, but there have been studies that show irradiation causes paralysis and even death in cats. The RSPCA has a strong stance against irradiation of any pet food and is seeking to ban imported pet food in Australia to achieve this.
So, should you buy a 'Made in China' or 'Made in Brazil' Dog treat?
Well, it depends on how much of a risk taker you are. Though these imported treats come off cheaper, the long term health impact on your dog is still a big unknown.
If you have cats in the house, it is of utter importance that they do not have access to these imported dog treats.
Note that some treat brands source treats from all over the world as well as Australia. We at Ferguson's Treatos only source treats made in Australia using 100% Australian ingredients.
Stay tuned for our next blog post on how to spot dog treats made in other countries!