What Does "Cruelty-Free" Really Mean?
You may see the term "cruelty-free" as you shop for food products, beauty products, or even household products. But do you know what this terminology actually means as well as its impact on animals and the environment?
At Wild Earth, we proudly label ourselves a cruelty-free dog food brand because of our passion for providing dogs with the healthiest food option possible without sacrificing other animals in the process.
By being a cruelty-free brand we provide consumers with the ability to make a powerful impact on the lives of animals who would normally be sacrificed for conventional meat-based dog food brands, as well as the ability to battle against climate change. We hope this article helps to educate you on the importance of cruelty-free brands and we hope that you will join our mission!
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SHOP DOG FOODWhat Cruelty-Free Means According To The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
According to the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA), there isn't a set legal standard definition for the term "cruelty-free". The FDA currently doesn't restrict labeling or advertising of this type of terminology because there is no set legal definition for the term.
This means many companies are able to use terms such as "cruelty-free" or "not tested on animals" on their product labels or in their advertising efforts. This is common within the cosmetic or beauty industry but this makes it difficult for the consumer to understand what the term "cruelty-free" actually means.
At its core, the term "cruelty-free" means a product was created from top-to-bottom, without harming or killing an animal in the process of designing, producing, testing, and transporting the product. The barbaric process of testing beauty products or household products on animals is still common in many parts of the world which in its essence is torture to these helpless animals.
The term "cruelty-free" has a farther reach past just animal testing within the dog food industry, as it impacts the farm animals that are slaughtered to make the food, the carbon and greenhouse gas emissions that damage the planet, as well as the overall health of the dog which eats the food.
At Wild Earth, we strive to apply the "cruelty-free" label to every aspect of our company in order to provide the best product for your dog and for the planet.
Why Wild Earth Is Cruelty-Free
At Wild Earth, we strive to be cruelty-free in all aspects of our company, but a few of the most commonly talked about aspects are: saving farm animals from being slaughtered, reducing our carbon footprint on the planet, and providing dogs with food that will help them live the healthiest version of themselves.
Saving Farm Animals From Being Slaughtered
Every year billions of land animals are slaughtered to provide food for humans but also for companion animals such as dogs and cats. A 2017 study found that of all of the animals slaughtered and of all of the environmental impacts from animal production, around 30% can be attributed to providing food to dogs and cats. This means that out of the billions of land animals slaughtered each year for food, around 30% of these animals are killed to feed our household dogs and cats.
At Wild Earth, we don't believe this has to be the case. Our dog food utilizes plant-based ingredients and provides your dog with the complete protein and amino acids that they need to thrive. We believe we can provide our dogs with incredible nutrition without slaughtering animals like the conventional meat-based dog foods that have been popular in years past.
The food your dog eats doesn't have to be cruel towards farm animals -- our food utilizes high-quality plant-based ingredients such as yeast protein, blueberries, spinach, and sweet potatoes that you and your dog will love. Save farm animals from being slaughtered by switching to Wild Earth.
Reducing Our Carbon Footprint On The Planet
Collectively, the millions of household pets around the world create a massive amount of carbon emissions because of their meat consumption. The meat consumption of cats and dogs is responsible for over 64 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year. This amount of carbon emissions is equivalent to the annual carbon emissions from 14 million cars.
UCLA professor Gregory Okin explains that "Compared to a plant-based diet, meat requires more energy, land, and water to produce, and has greater environmental consequences in terms of erosion, pesticides, and waste." This means that conventional meat-based dog food brands use a significant amount more energy, land, and water, which in turn emits tremendously more carbon and greenhouse gases into the air compared to our plant-based dog food.
Conventional meat-based dog foods can be cruel to the environment and the planet as they emit more carbon, use immense amounts of water and land and also pollute nearby areas. At Wild Earth, we stand for protecting and promoting environmentally-friendly practices.
Providing Dogs With The Healthiest Food Possible
We believe your dog deserves the high-quality nutrition and food available. Unfortunately, many conventional meat-based dog foods use low-quality ingredients and meat fillers in order to keep costs down. This provides your dog with subpar nutrition which can keep them from living life to the fullest.
At Wild Earth, we believe dogs deserve the high-quality ingredients that you would trust feeding to your family members - because dogs are part of the family! We utilize trusted ingredients such as sweet potatoes, spinach, oats, blueberries, and other ingredients you can trust.
The most common allergens for dogs are meats such as beef, chicken, and fish, which can cause allergic reactions to over 40% of dogs. A plant-based option is not only healthier for the environment but it can help to relieve your dog from constant allergies such as itchy paws as well as aid digestive health.
A 2022 peer-reviewed scientific journal has recently proved that a vegan diet is healthier for dogs compared to conventional meat-based diets because of the healthier ingredients and the ability to resolve allergies that can be caused by meat-based diets.
Why You Should Choose Cruelty-Free
Choosing to support a cruelty-free brand is a powerful decision that can have positive impacts on the planet and animals around the world, but in the case of Wild Earth can also have a positive impact on the health of your dog.
To date, Wild Earth has saved over a million chickens from being slaughtered because our incredible customers decided to feed their pup Wild Earth instead of conventional meat-based dog food. We strive to make a positive impact on the planet as well as on the health and nutrition of your dog.
We hope you join us on our mission for a cruelty-free ecosystem.
