Improving animal welfare among pet food manufacturers
Caru Pet Food joins an animal welfare program that commits to a more sustainable farming system.
Florida-headquartered Caru Pet Food is collaborating with the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) to build guidelines that are expected to create a resilient and sustainable farming system to improve the welfare of the chickens in its supply chain by 1 June 2025.
The company’s commitment to the ASPCA’s ‘Shop With Your Heart’ program is helping to develop higher-welfare sourcing policies for the chicken used in its dog food products.
“In a time where it can be hard to find pet food options that don’t come from factory farms, Caru Pet Food’s commitment to higher-welfare sourcing of chicken provides pet owners a much-desired option,” says Maral Cavner, Senior Manager of Corporate Policy at the ASPCA’s Farm Animal Welfare.
Humanely sourced ingredients
The ASPCA’s Shop with Your Heart program connects consumers with more humane food options, including pet food.
Sources indicate that approximately 25–30% of farm animals raised for food are used to produce dog and cat food. Moreover, pet owners’ concerns for animals extend beyond their pets, encompassing the farm animals raised to create pet food.
The ASPCA’s 2023 national survey identified that 87% of pet food shoppers would likely switch to alternative brands if they offered humanely sourced animal ingredients.
The higher-welfare pet food initiative verifies products that do not come from factory farms and offers guidance to manufacturers to build stronger welfare policies.
Welfare-certified products
The ASPCA has recognized 13 brands for offering 1 or more welfare-certified products. These include Freshpet, Halo Pets, Whole Paws by Whole Foods Market, Raw Farm, Earth Animal and more.
Besides Caru Pet Food, 9 other companies are committed to working with the ASPCA to implement industry-leading policies for sourcing better, more humane products and improving farm animal welfare. These include BIXBI Pet for select Liberty Kibble Chicken Recipes and Evermore Pet Food for its turkey-based cat food.