A US pet food company video appears to show a chef feeding children and adults dog meat without their knowledge. Photo / 123rf
A US pet food company video appears to show a chef feeding children and adults dog meat without their knowledge. Photo / 123rf
A US pet food company video appears to show a chef feeding children and adults dog food without their knowledge.
In a video made by Freshpet, taste testers from the UK, including young children, had three meaty meals placed in front of them by a chef experimenting with a range of recipes.
"My name is William. In front of you is three dishes, three recipes I've been working really hard on," the chef tells the taste testers ranging between young and old.
"[We have] homemade shepherd's pie, spaghetti meatballs, and shredded chicken fajita. Enjoy your food and I look forward to hearing your feedback."
But what they weren't told was the meal placed in front of them contained dog food.
The young taste testers were left stunned after it was revealed their delicious meals contained dog meat. Photo / Freshpet
Before they were told their meals contained dog food, many of the taste testers described the meat as a "good texture", "very good flavour" and "it's like your mum would do it on a Sunday".
Others said there was "something nice and tasty in the meat", "there's something different about it but I love it" and "it was really delicious, I could polish off three of those".
But when the chef revealed that what they were eating was dog food, their faces dropped in disbelief.
The taste testers were served homemade shepherd's pie, spaghetti meatballs, and shredded chicken fajita. Photo / Freshpet
"No it's not! No it's not!" one teen said before another young child began to cough.
One young tester said: "I feel like my brain is gone forever", while another said: "That's a first!".
The video, which was posted to social media on Monday, has received some backlash with many people questioning the legality of the stunt.
Others also questioned the ethical decision not to tell the taste testers.
Freshpet responded to one query, saying: "Our pet food is made with real, fresh and all-natural ingredients. And while it's made specifically with the nutrition of our pets in mind, it's okay to taste. But of course, we recommend that humans stick to their own meals!"
One young teen was left stunned, saying "no it's not! No it's not!". Photo / Freshpet
The New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries has warned Kiwis not to consume pet food, saying it doesn't meet the same standards as food made for humans.
"Pet food is not safe for human consumption. It doesn't meet the same standards as food made for people," it says on its website.
"It's illegal to process and sell pet food for human consumption. You shouldn't eat it because you may become ill."
According to the US Food and Drug Administration the FDA's Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act requires that pet foods, like human foods, be safe to eat, produced under sanitary conditions, contain no harmful substances and be truthfully labelled."
Despite the initial shock from the taste testers, they revealed they enjoyed the dog food, with one teen saying: "It does actually taste better than the stuff they serve at school."
Another tester said: "In some ways, I preferred it to ordinary meat.
"If you brought me out another tortilla I'd probably eat it."
The Freshpet video, which has been viewed more than 369,000 times, was released to show their pet food products are extremely tasty and are made of real meat, freshly created and contain all-natural ingredients.
"Freshpet is bringing real, fresh food to dogs and cats everywhere. And this unforgettable dinner was the BEST way to introduce the UK to the family," the company said on Facebook.
