The FDA Weighs in on the BARF Diet for Dogs According to an article that appeared in the January-February 2004 issue of the FDA Consumer Magazine, the FDA does not endorse the practice of feeding dogs bones and raw food, also referred to as the BARF diet. While they recognize that this diet is "a growing trend on the part of pet owners to feed pets a diet... typical of what animals in the wild would eat," they do not feel that this diet provides "all the required nutrients" that a dog would need on a daily basis. William Burkholder, D.V.M., Ph.D., the Food and Drug Administration's pet food specialist, also urged pet owners to use caution when handling the raw foods in order to avoid bacterial contamination. That would include using "hot water and soap to wash hands, utensils, containers, and surfaces that come into contact with the food" as well as being careful not to let your pet "lick your face right after it has eaten raw meat." The complete article, "Keeping Pets (and People) Healthy," may be found here: http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2004/104_pets.html
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