Weil Lifestyle

My two Rhodesian Ridgebacks, Jambo and Daisy, are part of my family, part of my life. I have long enjoyed companion animals, and my commitment to providing for them includes feeding them with the same care that I take in feeding myself and my family. Most commercially available pet food - even those claiming to be "natural" or "scientific" - contain rendered meats, animal byproducts and slaughterhouse scraps.

I have long searched for products that would meet my standards along with the nutritional needs of my dogs-that would satisfy a dog or cat's natural instincts for meat, but be free of the additives and undesirable ingredients that make most commercial products unacceptable to me.

When you see ingredients like "beef or poultry byproducts" in your pet's food, do you know exactly what they are? "Byproducts" of animals include everything from chicken heads, blood, feet and viscera, to brain and spinal tissue; which I believe have no place in a companion animal's diet.

These are not ingredients you would choose to eat yourself, so why would you feed them to your pet? I want a pet food that uses no animal byproducts, no rendered or recycled meats, poultry or fats; that is processed only for excellent digestion and health - and with meat protein that is properly cooked before it's consumed.

There is a lot of ambiguity in labeling: reading the ingredient labels of your pet's food is important. Sometimes what the label doesn't say can be educational, too. If it doesn't state, "no added growth hormones, no antibiotic-fed protein sources, no rendered meats, fats or poultry," it's probably because it can't.

I prefer to feed my two dogs only pure and natural foods that taste good to them, along with appropriate supplements to promote optimum health.

I believe in caring for my companion animals the way I care for other members of my family.

Andrew Weil, M.D.

Watch the video to see what else Dr. Weil has to say about feeding your companion animals and about the Pet Promise line of pet foods.