FREE DELIVERY > $39 😛 3.3% REBATES 🚀 REGISTER FOR 100 FREE LICKS

TRUTH & TRANSPARENCY

Let's talk about FOOD baby!

Look out for the following icons at the top of every main food description. Our pet nutrition specialist has put these in place to make it a breeze for us to
shop smarter and feed better.

👍🏼 WTF PREFERRED 

  • marks food that pass our RIG(OROUS) test
  • if you don't see this sign, it means that the food may have had recent recalls or contains controversial ingredients in the table below

    🚨 RECALL HISTORY 

    • summarised with the year and reason for each recall 

      THE R.I.G.(OUROUS) TEST

      R is for RECALL HISTORY

      • must be recall-free for at least 5 years
      • corporate transparency & ethical action following recall

      I is for INGREDIENTS

      • must not contain any red ingredients in the table below
      • minimal content of orange ingredients in the table below

      G is for GNAWLITY CONTROL

      • palatability approved by Lumi and the #WTFsquad
      • human taste test *you'll be surprised how overwhelmingly salty some food can be, even with salt/sodium listed low on the list! 🤔

       

      CONTROVERSIAL INGREDIENTS

      RED INGREDIENTS

      • can cause real damage if consumed in main food which makes up 90% of your pet's diet

      ORANGE INGREDIENTS

      • unnecessary but may not be dangerous, especially if only consumed in treats which should not make up more than 10% of your pet's diet
      INGREDIENT RATIONALE TO AVOID
      by-product meal
      Defined by AAFCO as “rendered product from animal tissues, exclusive of added hair, hoof, horn, hide trimmings, manure, stomach and rumen contents, except in such amounts as may occur unavoidably in good processing practices.” Can contain road kill, dead zoo animals, dead and diseased livestock and euthanised animals. There is an allowable level of barbiturates (a central nervous system depressant that can produce a wide spectrum of effects from mild sedation to death) in rendered meats. Heat used in rendering will kill pathogens but may not reduce the amount of antibiotics and drugs that can be found in these meats. Rendering industry also admits that meat wrappers (e.g. cellophane from discarded grocery store meats) can be mixed in with raw materials. Very questionable origin and often an inconsistent mix of several protein sources. While AAFCO definitions state the source of the protein for meals, they don’t specify the freshness of the sources or how they were handled. So any meat not for human consumption, such as spoiled or rancid meats that might sit in the hot sun at the farm or rendering plant, would be allowed in by-product meals.
      generic & unspecified
      meat/animal/poultry/
      bone/blood meal or fat
      Basically, you want to see the type of animal named on a pet food label. If you see generic meat or poultry used, it means the quality of the meat is probably low and the manufacturer is free to frequently change protein sources, making these foods a disaster for any dog with allergies or sensitivities.
      vegetable oil
      (any type)
      Look for olive oil or flax seed oil and stay away from vegetable oil - this is often restaurant oil recycled from deep fryers.
      canola oil/
      cottonseed oil
      Almost all are genetically modified and GMO foods have been shown to cause liver and kidney damage, changes in the intestinal flora, endocrine disruption, allergies, digestive disorders and cancer.
      cottonseed oil/
      sunflower oil/
      soybean oil
      Likely to harbour mycotoxin, a toxic mould.
      corn Used to boost foods that don’t contain enough animal protein. Almost all corn is genetically modified and GMO foods have been shown to cause liver and kidney damage, changes in the intestinal flora, endocrine disruption, allergies, digestive disorders and cancer.
      soy products Used to boost foods that don’t contain enough animal protein. Contains phytoestrogens (called isoflavones), an estrogen-like compound found in members of the legume family, grains, and some vegetables and fruits. They mimic or interfere with estrogen production by binding to estrogen receptors which could lead to delayed puberty and infertility. Endocrine disruptors have also been linked to autoimmune diseases and developmental problems. While nearly all foods contain some amount of phytoestrogens, the levels found in soy are extremely high and dogs are especially susceptible to soy-based food sensitivities. Almost all soy is genetically modified and GMO foods have been shown to cause liver and kidney damage, changes in the intestinal flora, endocrine disruption, allergies, digestive disorders and cancer.
      carrageenan Extracted from red algae, carrageenan is a thickener found in canned foods. Although it sounds natural, it’s controversial as a thickener and has been linked to cancer and GI inflammation. Often contains MSG (monosodium glutamate), which is an excitotoxin that can damage or kill brain cells and lead to liver inflammation, obesity and diabetes. Disodium inosinate and disodium guanylate are flavour enhancers that are effective only in the presence of MSG.
      natural flavour/
      artificial flavour/
      liver flavour/
      egg flavour/
      beef flavour/
      chicken flavour/
      chicken liver flavour/
      protein/
      textured protein/
      soy protein/
      pea protein/
      gelatin/
      powdered milk/
      citric acid/
      soy isolate/
      isolate/
      glutamate/
      glutamic acid/
      free glutamate/
      monopotassium glutamate/
      calcium caseinate/
      sodium caseinate/
      disodium inosinate/
      disodium guanylate/
      hydrolysed/
      hydrolysed yeast/
      hydrolysed yeast nutrients/
      autolyzed yeast/
      yeast food/
      yeast extracts
      Often contains MSG (monosodium glutamate), which is an excitotoxin that can damage or kill brain cells and lead to liver inflammation, obesity and diabetes. Disodium inosinate and disodium guanylate are flavour enhancers that are effective only in the presence of MSG.
      tallow/beef tallow Inexpensive source of fat used to make low-quality food more enticing and is a by-product of the rendering industry. Tallow that doesn’t identify the animal source can cause havoc in pets with allergies.
      digest/
      animal digest/
      poultry digest
      Protein that’s been either chemically or enzymatically hydrolysed. Used to boost the protein content of food and as a palatant that's sprayed onto kibble or mixed in. If the source isn’t specified and is just called Animal Digest or Poultry Digest, then the animals used can be from any source, making it a disaster for dogs with food allergies or sensitivities.
      colours/dyes/
      blue #1 & #2/
      red #3 & #40/
      yellow #5 & #6/
      titanium dioxide
      Controversial dyes shown to cause behavior and other disorders in children. No nutritional value and only put in the food to make it more attractive to humans.
      calcium propionate Chemical preservative added to bread products to prevent mould growth. Potential to permanently damage stomach lining by exacerbating gastritis and inducing severe ulcers; it’s also a potential carcinogen.
      sodium hexametaphosphate Commonly found in dental care foods and products, this chemical is a known human skin and inhalation irritant and is dangerous to consume in high doses.
      tetrasodium pyrophosphate Sometimes used in household detergents and as a thickening agent in pet foods, this chemical compound is also added to remove calcium deposits on teeth. Any phosphate compound is high in fluoride, which can ironically cause teeth decay as well as bone loss and bone cancer.
      propylene glycol Key component of antifreeze used to preserve the moisture content in many moist foods. FDA has banned its use in cat food because it can cause Heinz body anemia but it can be added to dog food. Its safety has only been shown in small, infrequent doses. No safety studies have been done on dogs eating regular amounts for months or years. This ingredient has been implicated in many pet deaths.
      ethoxyquin/
      bha/bht/tbhq
      Most higher quality foods no longer use these synthetic preservatives. Ethoxyquin is a pesticide and is not approved as a direct food additive for humans. BHA and BHT are both artificial preservatives that have been linked to cancer in lab animals. The EU classifies BHA as an endocrine disruptor. BHT has also been shown to cause developmental defects and thyroid changes, suggesting it too might be an endocrine disruptor. TBHQ is derived from butane. Dogs are thought to be more sensitive to TBHQ than humans and studies suggest a wide margin of safety between a toxic dose and a safe one. Toxicity studies haven’t lasted longer than a month, so its safety is still questionable. High doses of TBHQ in lab animals show pre-cancerous changes in their stomachs and even DNA damage.
      specified meal
      e.g. beef meal
      Unlike meats and by-products, meals are rendered so it’s critical to know and trust the company using meals. While some rendering plants have high standards, others have deplorable ones that can contain cellophane wrapping from discarded grocery store meats, roadkill, and euthanized livestock and zoo animals. Even if a manufacturer wants to put the highest quality ingredients in their food, they’re at the mercy of the rendering plant they buy their meals from. It’s much safer to look for specific meat meals such as beef meal or turkey meal to avoid low quality, potentially harmful ingredients but there are still risks. There is an allowable level of barbiturates (a central nervous system depressant that can produce a wide spectrum of effects from mild sedation to death) in rendered meats. Heat used in rendering will kill pathogens but may not reduce the amount of antibiotics and drugs that can be found in these meats. Defined by AAFCO as “rendered product from animal tissues, exclusive of added hair, hoof, horn, hide trimmings, manure, stomach and rumen contents, except in such amounts as may occur unavoidably in good processing practices.” While AAFCO definitions state the source of the protein for meals, they don’t specify the freshness of the sources or how they were handled. So any meat not for human consumption, such as spoiled or rancid meats that might sit in the hot sun at the farm or rendering plant, would be allowed.
      fish meal The main issue with fish meal is that it needs to be stabilized because its fatty acids easily oxidize. This is often done with controversial synthetic antioxidants such as ethoxyquin or BHT (which have been linked to cancer and other health issues). Some fish meals are stabilized with vitamin E but most contain the more dangerous synthetic antioxidants.
      specified by-product
      e.g. turkey by-product
      By-products can be good or bad - it really depends on how they’re produced. AAFCO defines meat by-products as “The non-rendered, clean parts, other than meat, derived from slaughtered mammals. It includes, but is not limited to, lungs, spleen, kidneys, brain, livers, blood, bone, partially de-fatted low temperature fatty tissue, and stomachs and intestines freed of their contents. It does not include hair, horns, teeth and hoofs.” Organs are packed with vitamins and minerals and are the most nutrient-dense source of protein so it's a good thing if the manufacturer uses organs but if they use fatty tissue or intestines, then by-products will be a low-quality source of protein. Unfortunately, AAFCO doesn’t require manufacturers to disclose the source of by-products, so you’ll need to trust the manufacturer.
      fish oil (any type)/
      salmon oil/
      herring oil
      Fats and oils are susceptible to oxidation, and fish oils are the least stable of fats. When fat particles oxidize, they break down into smaller compounds such as malondialdehyde, which can damage proteins, DNA and other cellular structures. Good packaging may keep fish oil intact, but once the bag is opened, the fat will oxidize (or turn rancid). And every time the bag is opened, the fats become more and more rancid. Fish oil is added because consumers want it, but it’s too unstable to be in processed pet foods! If you want your pet to have fish oil, add it to the food separately and avoid processed food that contains it.
      beef/chicken/pork fat Fats are skimmed from meats when rendered at high temperatures then added back into the food. Fats can oxidize and chicken fat is much more likely to oxidize and turn rancid than beef or pork fat. Because these are products of the rendering industry, they’re mid to low quality ingredients, depending on the quality of the rendering plant.
      liver (generic) If the type of animal the liver came from isn’t listed, it means the quality is low and the manufacturer is free to frequently change protein sources, making these foods a disaster for any dog with allergies or sensitivities.
      eggs (generic)/
      egg product
      AAFCO defines egg product as “... obtained from egg graders, egg breakers and/or hatchery operations. This product shall be free of shells and/or other non-egg materials, except in such amounts which might occur unavoidably in good processing practices.” Eggs are added to foods to boost the amino acid content, so it's commonly found in foods with low levels of animal protein. Egg product can be a disaster for dogs that have allergies as the source isn’t listed.
      barley/millet/corn/
      oats/peas/potatoes/
      sweet potatoes/
      quinoa/wheat/sorghum/
      rice/white rice/brown rice
      Carbohydrates are the least expensive source of nutrition in pet foods and starch is needed to manufacture kibble. Higher quality foods will choose whole grain oats, rice and barley as opposed to corn, wheat and soy, but dogs and cats have no dietary need for them and they can cause metabolic disease. In nature, the highest carbohydrate content of unprocessed foods is found in fruit, which averages 6% to 8% whereas 30% to 60% is found in dry pet foods. When dogs eat carbohydrates, insulin is released to move the resulting blood sugar into the cells and to convert glucose into fat and store it in the body so foods high in carbohydrates can cause obesity. Carbohydrates are also the preferred food source of many pathogenic bacteria in the gut, causing an imbalance in intestinal flora and the immune system. This is why many dogs with allergies and joint pain see rapid relief when their owners stop feeding them kibble or foods with large amounts of carbohydrate.
      alfalfa/beets Almost all are genetically modified and GMO foods have been shown to cause liver and kidney damage, changes in the intestinal flora, endocrine disruption, allergies, digestive disorders and cancer. Choose organic alfalfa/beets.
      beets/caramel/
      cane molasses/
      corn syrup/sorbitol/
      fructose/glucose/
      glycerin/sugar/
      malt extract/peas/
      chickpea flour/carrots
      Sweeteners added to make processed foods more enticing. It’s also addictive, making it difficult to get your pet to eat healthier food and the glycemic load can cause insulin spikes and an imbalance in gut bacteria, leading to allergies, joint pain, decreased immune function and other common health issues.
      pea products/
      starch/flour/protein
      Used to boost foods (especially grain-free) that don’t contain enough animal protein.
      peanut hulls/rice hulls/
      oat hulls or groats/
      soybean hulls/
      cottonseed hulls/
      brewers rice/cellulose/
      cereal fines/
      potato products
      Forms of carbohydrate made from waste from the human food industry and are usually what’s swept off the floor after the more nutritious parts of the plant have been used for human foods.
      brewer's yeast Safe dietary supplement rich in B vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7 and B9) and antioxidants that promotes healthy skin, hair, eyes, digestion and liver function, and may reduce anxiety. In large dogs, the amount of brewer’s yeast needed to have an effect may cause stomach and intestinal upset. Gas is the most commonly reported side effect in all dogs. Brewer’s yeast can interact with some types of anti-anxiety and anti-depressant medications. It should not be given to dogs who are immunocompromised, prone to yeast infections, has yeast allergies, colitis and other types of bowel disease.
      garlic or garlic oil/extract/
      powder/flavour
      Whole raw garlic and garlic oil have antioxidant and antibiotic properties and can be good but there’s probably not enough in pet food for any real health benefit. Also, these ingredients often come from China and quality may be questionable.
      tapioca Used in some grain-free food as a starch substitute. It’s a source of carbohydrates and has no nutritional value.
      wheat gluten Used to boost foods that don’t contain enough animal protein.
      guar gum/
      xanthan gum/
      any type of gum
      Used as thickening agents in canned foods. Safer than carrageenan but not the highest quality thickeners and can cause changes in blood glucose and GI issues.
      salt/sodium (most kinds) Used as a preservative and to increase palatability but while it's a necessary mineral, it can be acquired naturally from meats so additional salt may be unnecessary and overconsumption can lead to sodium ion poisoning - symptoms include vomiting, diarrhoea, depression, tremors, high body temperature, seizures and may even cause death. The rule of thumb is that it must be listed just above or below vitamins & minerals, never before any protein, fruits or vegetables.
      bacillus coagulans/
      bifidobacterium animals/
      bifidobacterium bifidum/
      bifidobacterium lactis/
      bifidobacterium longum/
      enterococcus faecium/
      lactobacillus acidophilus/
      lactobacillus bulgaricus/
      lactobacillus casei/
      lactobacillus rhamnosus
      Probiotics are a great way to promote good gut health and help maintain overall gastrointestinal health but, when added to pet food during processing, the extreme temperatures kill off the beneficial bacteria leaving them ineffective and giving pet owners the false sense of security that their dogs are getting live probiotics in their food. It's a better idea to supplement probiotics separately.
      beet root/chicory/
      fructo-oligosaccharides
      Prebiotics are added to the diet to feed beneficial bacteria in the gut. The problem with prebiotics is that they will also feed unhealthy bacteria. So any dog with leaky gut, allergies, yeast or digestive upset will likely not benefit from added prebiotics - in fact, they can often worsen their health issues because they only increase the imbalance in the gut bacteria that causes these common issues.
      ascorbic acid/
      biotin/
      beta-carotene/
      choline bitartrate/
      choline chloride/
      d-alpha tocopherol/
      dl-alpha tocopherol/
      folic acid/
      menadione sodium bisulfate/
      niacin/
      nicotinic acid/
      pantothenic acid/
      pyridoxine hydrochloride/
      retinyl acetate/
      retinyl palmitate/
      riboflavin/
      sodium bisulfate/
      vitamin A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, B12, C, D, D3, E, K3

      Unavoidable synthetic vitamins added to processed foods because either ingredients are low quality or processing caused a significant loss of naturally occurring vitamins. Most vitamins are manufactured in China and India, where food safety is questionable. Most vitamins are manufactured from waste products such as restaurant grease. There are also many research studies showing that synthetic vitamins don’t work in the body the same way naturally occurring vitamins do, and toxicity is more likely to occur.

      chloride/
      cobalt amino acid chelate/
      cobalt carbonate/
      copper/
      copper amino acid chelate/
      dicalcium phosphate/
      ferrous sulphate/
      iodine/
      iron/
      manganese/
      potassium/
      potassium iodide/
      proteinate/
      sodium/
      sodium selenite/
      sulfate/
      sulphur/
      tricalcium phosphate
      Unavoidable synthetic minerals added to processed foods because either ingredients are low quality or processing caused a significant loss of naturally occurring minerals.
      sodium selenite Synthetic form of essential mineral selenium with a notably thin margin of safety (for both forms) between effective and toxic doses. May be an unnecessary concern as records show that the only cases of toxicity occured several decades ago by inexperienced supplement manufacturers. Favouring biologically superior selenium yeast may be a better idea but since it's rare to find foods that use this, avoiding sodium selenite in processed foods may be impractical.
      arginine/
      cysteine/
      l-carnitine/
      l-lysine/
      methionine/
      taurine
      These are amino acids, the building blocks of proteins. Animal proteins contain a good array of amino acids but plant-based proteins lack many. Amino acids are added to food because either animal proteins are low quality or the food is reliant on plant-based proteins.
      Close (esc)

      🎉 $10 OFF with 'FIRST10' >$80!

      Age verification

      By clicking enter you are verifying that you are old enough to consume alcohol.

      Search

      Shopping Cart

      Your cart is currently empty.
      Shop now