Why Certified Organic Dog Food?

How does Paw Naturaw define its meat?

What is the difference between certified organic and natural?

Why are purely pasture raised organic meats unique?

Why are grass fed certified organic meats nutritionally superior to conventional meats?

Why are AAFCO approved complete and balanced claims important and necessary?

Why isn’t AAFCO approved status alone enough to trust?

When will you produce certified organic, frozen, raw diets for felines?

Should I be concerned about salmonella, e coli, and toxoplasmosis in Paw Naturaw diets?

How does Paw Naturaw define meat?
Unlike pet food industry standards, Paw Naturaw defines muscle meat as separate from the diaphragm, esophagus, tongue, and heart to ensure a truly meaty product. Moreover, Paw Naturaw diets disclose the percentage of organs and bone contained in each diet if used.


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What is the difference between certified organic and natural?
“Organic” is a labeling term regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Organic Program (NOP) of which strictly prohibits the use of most synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, sewage sludge fertilizers, genetically modified organisms, growth hormones, irradiation, antibiotics, and artificial ingredients. Products may be labeled as “100% organic” when all ingredients are 100% organic, “organic” when products contain at least 95% organic ingredients, or “made with organic (specific ingredients list)” when product contains at least 70% organic ingredients. In contrast, “natural” has zero federal regulatory oversight, and therefore is essentially a meaningless marketing term. Any fresh meat may be considered “natural” irrespective to the use of antibiotics and growth hormones.

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Why are purely pasture raised organic meats unique?
Organic regulations only require farmers to provide animals with “access” to pastures. This condition creates a loophole for big agribusiness to establish organic feedlots where organic animals live in confinement similar to non organic livestock but eat organic feed, sometimes grass but often hay or grain. Paw Naturaw aligns itself with family farmers that follow the prohibitive rules organic offers yet choose to raise their animals on pastures for the entirety of their lives.

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Why are grass fed organic meats nutritionally superior to conventional meats?
First, grass is to bison and cattle as raw meat is to dog and cat companions; both foods are biologically appropriate to the respective species. According to The Union of Concerned Scientists, a non profit organization, by raising cattle and bison purely on pastures instead of in crowded feed lots their meat develops a natural balance of omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids, contains higher levels of cancer fighting conjugated linoleic acids (CLA), demonstrates higher levels of energy and vitamin E, and may end up leaner than conventional meat.

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Why are AAFCO approved complete and balanced claims important and necessary?
These levels are guides to prevent nutritional deficiencies from occurring, yet many diets still do not qualify. Paw Naturaw diets are Complete and Balanced for All Life Stages well beyond AAFCO’s bare minimum requirements.

AAFCO guidelines are updated based upon a compilation of scientific studies published in the National Research Council’s Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats. In addition to reporting “Minimal Requirements” this comprehensive review of scientific literature publishes two higher nutrient level categories, “Adequate Intake” and “Recommended Allowance”. New AAFCO guidelines from the most recently released publication in 2006 will not likely be released before 2008.

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Why isn’t AAFCO approved status alone enough to trust?
In a perfect world, AAFCO approved status guarantees a product meets your animal companion’s minimum nutrient needs. In reality, AAFCO claims fall into the honor system. No approval process exists to test acceptability of ingredients or to check the accuracy of nutrient claims. Furthermore, no enforcement body exists to punish companies knowingly using moldy or diseased products or misleading consumers with nutrient claims. Hypothetically, a morally defunct pet food company may legitimately utilize a three week old, tumor laden, animal carcass found rotting in a pool of pesticides, turn it into a bag of fat sprayed, crunchy, dry profit, and market the food as natural, premium, or gourmet.

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When will you produce cat companion, organic, frozen, raw diets?
Paw Naturaw will usher out its organic, raw, frozen formulas for feline companions in May of 2009.

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Should I be concerned harmful pathogen growth in Paw Naturaw diets?
No. Firstly, Paw Naturaw sources the highest quality USDA certified organic ingredients fit for human consumption to produce its foods for pets and further requires its suppliers to provide written "Letters of Guarantee" in addition to supplying organic certificates.  Ingredients deliver directly to Paw Naturaw from FSIS-USDA inspected processing plants.  Each Paw Naturaw manufactures its own foods in a temperature controlled production room at its own USDA certified organic and FDA registered manufacturing factory designed solely for producing organic, frozen, raw diets. Moreover, Paw Naturaw operates with a Pathogen Reduction/Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (PR/HACCP) system to effectively control potential contamination. As the last check in the safety system, Paw Naturaw sends out samples of each batch of food to be tested by an independent laboratory for E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella.  We possess a perfect track record of 100% of the samples testing negative for harmful pathogen growth.  Each Paw Naturaw product confidently delivers with a Pathogen-Free Delivery Guarantee.

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