Animal health advice and resources

PRESS RELEASE 1st October 2024

Pets fed raw meat are a walking BIOHAZARD

Biohazard warning sign

Just like us, pets that eat raw meats can get food poisoning and, just like us, most that are infected do not show any signs of sickness. However, these pets are often shedding harmful organisms in their motions which spread to their coat, mouths and their environment (e.g gardens, parks). Infectious agents, such as Salmonella will be shed within just one day and for up 11 days, avian flu can survive 4 weeks and others much longer (e,g, Toxoplasma oocysts).

Food-borne pathogens transmissible from pets to humans include Salmonella, Campylobacter, STEC E.coli, Listeria, Toxoplasma, Tuberculosis (TB) and Avian flu.

Whilst serious disease and fatalities are rare, they do occur and the most vulnerable people areyoung children, the elderly, anyone with a poor immune system due to disease or medications (e.g. steroids or chemotherapeutic agents) and pregnant women.

To reduce the risks to people and animals, responsible raw-feeding owners, could:

  1. Not allow vulnerable people to come into direct contact with their companion or its environment
  2. Never allow their pet to lick the face – especially babies and young children
  3. Advise vulnerable people who are in contact with the pet to wash their hands thoroughly after stroking, before touching face, handling or eating food
  4. Never take the pet to locations where high risk people will be present especially: maternity wards, nurseries, child care centres, primary schools, playground areas, hospital wards, hospices, care homes, residential homes for the elderly.
  5. If a high risk person lives at the same address consider cooking the meat (as you would for yourself) before feeding to your pet
  6. If you can afford it, have your pet’s motions tested regularly (say every 2 months) by genomic methods for its microbiome, and this will tell you ALL the organism present, including the bad guys. Although this is really hi-tech it costs less than £160.

For further information, including references, see our detailed press pack.

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