In spite of hysterical claims from other groups, the Australian Senate Committee on Pet the Food industry is so mild as to be only barely useful. Business planning will be affected as proposed regulation has given way to a series of Recommendations designed to use current consumer law to manage complaints, and implement a “watch and act” regime – surrounded by lots of “important sounding” words.

The recommendations HAVE NOT yet been adopted by the government, so in the end, nothing may happen at all!

In Summary, the Recommendations are:

1. Post the “Standard for the Manufacture and Marketing of Pet Food” on a government website.
2. • A. Form a Working Group to consider making FSANZ (Australian Food Standards group) include Pet Food
   • B. Draft a pet food safety policy framework for consideration by a Ministerial group
3. The proposed Working Group review the Australian Standard in (1) above
4. ACCC should make the Standard in (1) above mandatory
5. AVA should improve its reporting system under PetFAST, with ACCC.
6. ACCC should have a section on its website to help consumers report pet food problems
7. States and territories should have consumer education programs and have an investigation system.

In essence, the report largely maintains the “status quo” but has better reporting mechanisms. Much will depend on WHO is appointed to the Working Group.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN TO MY BUSINESS?

a) If you are manufacturing pet food and treats, aim to maintain the highest standards of quality and complaints investigation. Pets Australia can help with the latter.

b) LEARN about how pet food is regulated and your consumer rights. If it doesn’t say “COMPLETE FEED” or “MEETS AAFCO STANDARDS” don’t feed it to your pet. If you have a problem with a pet
food or treat, REPORT IT.

c) EDUCATE your clients. Use the client handout we have prepared for you. HERE

Copyright : Evgeny Sofrygin

Pets Australia was warmly welcomed by the Senate Committee Inquiry into Pet Food, with many comments about member’s sensible ideas and rational approach.

You can see the submission which was presented to the Committee HERE. Pets Australia was questioned about the standards applying to pet food ingredients and the pet food industry, the steps and commercial rationale behind setting up a product recall, how to establish whether a disease is CAUSED by an ingredient (including a short discussion on statistics). We discussed the association between “Grain free” and taurine investigation by the FDA(see here for more information), and how a Code of Practice could be administered in Australia. The Committee actually suggested a “tick” marketing mark or companies who had a series of positive audits!

This Committee is not necessarily keen to regulate beyond the minimum necessary to maintain standards, recognising that this adds significant costs to innovative local food manufacturers.

The Cat Protection Society and Nestle, who were present, both endorsed every aspect of the Pets Australia submission, so we must be doing something right!

Here are seven great tips to reduce barking in your boarding, pet sitting, pet minding, grooming, breeding or pet retail business. Loud, prolonged barking in pet industry businesses is stressful to you, your staff and to animals. It can result in neighborhood complaints, Council or EPA action; and business closure in extreme cases.

1. Make the Kennel/Crate/Cage/Yard A Great Place to Be

• Use comfortable bedding and stimulating toys to keep dogs happy and reduce boredom.
• Have volunteers and staff go into the kennels and spend time with the dogs there.
• Make an association between “quiet” and “treats” by having staff reward quiet dogs when passing, or attach containers with treats on each kennel and reward dogs for being quiet as you pass

2. Decrease Visual Stimulation

To decrease visual overstimulation, especially for very reactive dogs, put barriers between dogs and where dogs are regularly taken past kennel/gate openings.  Some kennels install “Stable doors” where the bottom half of the kennel door is covered so dogs can’t see other dogs as they walk by.

3. Control Noise Stimulation

Soothing music can decrease barking. Studies suggest gentle classical-style music with long, continuous notes, pure tones with regular rhythms and tempos that match a dog’s heart rate. Train staff to speak calmly and quietly in low tones to increase authority and reduce excitement. Reduce irritating sound sources, eg squeaky doors and loud cleaning equipment. Hanging fabric “sound baffles” form the ceiling or front openings can also reduce sound intensity, but these must be washed regularly.

4. Consider Pheromones

A pheromone is a natural compound produced by the animal that works at a subconscious level to control emotion and activity in humans and animal. Adaptil, a synthetic version of a natural “calming” pheromone, comes in a great plug-in diffuser and has a calming effect on animals (and humans, we are told, but there is less evidence for this).

5. Manage activity

A little activity outside the kennel/yard can actually increase the risk of barking when the animal is taken back to the kennel/crate/yard. If you are going to take the animal outside, keep it working/playing to the point of tiredness rather than setting all that energy up for no reward.

6. Manage nutrition.

Horse people know all about “hot” (energy intensifying) and “cold” (calming) feeds and dog people can learn the same. Most foods we give our pets are “hot” – rapidly burned to energy. Consider high fibre/low GI diets in large chunks that have to be eaten slowly.

7. Consider a Friend

Where Codes and regulations allow, placing two or more well matched dogs together in a yard/pen/kennel can decrease stress and reduce barking. You MUST ensure that the animals are well matched, that the “lowest” on the hierarchy has a place to hide from the “bully”, and close supervision is vital. Even if the animals normally live in the same household,  a change of environment can result in unexpected stoushes.