Getting an alert that a dog food has been recalled can be scary. You scramble to check if it's the food you feed your canine companions. After all, you are putting a lot fo trust in the dog food company with your dog's health and safety. There's no shame in using a brand that has had past recalls - we do! Even the most recommended dog foods can have recalls, as accidents can happen to anyone. But here are 13 dry dog food brands that have never been recalled.
What Is A Dog Food Recall?
Recalls occur when issues or defects are discovered in a product that may jeopardize the health and safety of those consuming it. Once recalled, customers are requested to discontinue using the product in questions. There are two types of recalls:
- FDA-issued - recalls in response to customer complaints or issues discovered during product testing (examples include: product packaging defects or contamination, such as salmonella or E. coli)
- Voluntary - manufacturer requested recall during quality testing or in anticipation of an FDA-issues recall (examples include: insufficient levels of nutrients or vitamins, issues with an ingredient or formula, processing or packaging problem)
What To Do If Your Dog Food Is Recalled
There's no need to immediately panic if your dog's food has been recalled. This is because brands have a variety of products and your dog's specific food may not be the one recalled. To determine this, you'll want to read the report. If the recall was, in fact, your dog's food, stop using it right away - even if you don't witness any negative effects. If your dog is showing negative effects, you'll want to file a report with the FDA. It's always a good idea to check with your vet if your dog is having some issues, whether it was your dog's specific recipe or not.
Pro Tip: You can usually return the food to where you bought it for a refund or replacement. Make sure to dispose the food in a way that other animals won't become sick from it.
13 Brands That Have Never Been Recalled
It's important to note that just because these brands have never been recalled, doesn't mean they are better than others. As mentioned before, we use two brands that have had previous recalls, though not for our specific recipe.
1. ACANA
Per their website, ACANA makes premium pet food with with at least 50% fresh or raw animal ingredients balanced with whole fruit, vegetables, botanicals and nutrients. They add vitamins, minerals, natural preservatives and probiotics. But never include artificial flavors, colors, preservatives, soy, corn, tapioca or wheat ingredients.
2. Annamaet
Annamaet is a family-owned and operated company that provides holistic, GMO-free pet food manufactured in the U.S. They slow cook their food in small batches while using a strict standard for quality control and decades of research to create their products. Recipes are free of corn, wheat, soy, antibiotics and artificial preservatives. Annamaet is also dedicated to the environment, using sustainable fish sources and sustainable packaging made from biodegradable materials.
3. Blackwood
Blackwood provides limited ingredient pet food with all-natural ingredients that are slow-cooked for better nutrition, taste and digestion. Slow cooking in small batches at a lower temperature retains nutrients to help support the health of your dog's heart, hips, joints, brain, immune system, skin and coat. Their food is made in family-operated facilities in the U.S and validated by pet nutrition researchers at Kansas State University. They use high-quality proteins, essential fatty acids and unique fiber blends. They also help pets in need by partnering with organizations across the country and are focusing on sustainability, by currently transitioning to sustainable packaging.
4. Canine Caviar
Canine Caviar provides alkaline-based recipes to balance pH levels in your dog's body, as well as single-protein diets for those with allergies. According to their website, alkaline-diets help oxygen reach the body's tissue and remain healthy. This low-sodium holistic dog food is hypoallergenic as it is free of gluten, wheat, corn, soy, egg, dairy and potatoes. It also has zero chemical preservatives, by-products, GMOs, BHA, BHT and ethoxyquin.
5. Eagle Pack
Eagle Pack is manufactured in the U.S. and provides premium-quality natural pet food. Their recipes include all natural ingredients are balanced with proteins, fats and carbohydrates. They have added vitamins, minerals and antioxidant support and are free of artificial preservatives, colors or flavors.
They use their own Quality Assurance program with strict standards that, according to their website, "exceeds" the FDA and the Association of American Feed Control Officials standards for pet food. They boast the same strict guidelines for pet food that are applied to food for people and requiring suppliers to utilize the HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points) program. Their Quality Assurance program begins when selecting ingredients, continues during manufacturing operations and finishes in a final inspection.
6. Holistic Select
Holistic Select believes that healthy pets begin in the digestive system, as much of our dog's immune systems live there. Their recipes provide comprehensive digestive support and balanced nutrition with guaranteed levels of probiotics, digestive enzymes, and natural fiber. According to their website, they use six different types of probiotics and there are 100 million active probiotics in every pound of food. All of this combines to help your dog break down food, absorb more nutrients, move food through their body efficiently and reduce gas, bloating, and discomfort. Their food is free of artificial flavors, preservatives and other chemicals
They also have their own extensive quality assurance program for each step of the processs, with all recipes produced at their company-owned manufacturing facility in Indiana, U.S. Any suppliers they work with are required to meet strict standards that exceed those from the FDA. Holistic Select also gives back, having established the WellPet Foundation in 2007 to help pets live better, longer lives. Through their foundation, Holistic Select supports other local organizations in the communities where their employees live and work.
7. Jinx
Jinx is a dry kibble home-delivery service founded by dog owners who desired more from dog food. They hired industry-leading formulators, nutritionists, regulatory specialists and manufacturing partners to create recipes made from clean ingredients. These include real, lean, premium animal protein (organic chicken or salmon), 20+ plant-based natural superfoods for added nutrients and 40M+ probiotics for better gut health. They are also free of fillers, artificials, preservatives, food dyes, BHA/BHT, wheat, flour, pea protein, corn, soy, canola oil, corn syrup, byproducts and MSG. Their vet-approved food aligns with the dietary needs and lifestyles of dogs today.
8. Life's Abundance
Life's Abundance is more than just a dog food company - they also offer clean beauty, supplements and eco-friendly cleaners. They strive to provide an array of superior quality, safe and effective products born out of a commitment to improving the health of people, pets and the environment. Their dog food is uniquely formulated and with a nutritious blend of ingredients, including the essential amino acid Taurine. They emphasize quality, safety and expertise through research, testing and quality control. They adhere to the strict standards of Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) and are a certified Evergreen company by the Tugboat Institute.
9. Nature's Logic
Nature's Logic is a premium quality pet food focused on the benefits of whole food nutrition. They use 100% all natural ingredients, no synthetic vitamins or minerals. They do feeding trials according to the strict standards of Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO).
They are also a green company, leading the industry in sustainability by creating renewable energy with every pound of food. They offer the industry’s first Certified Plastic Neutral products, are pioneering carbon-neutral distribution are the first pet food member to join the American Sustainable Business Council, supporting local economies as a founding sponsor of IndiePet.org, and more. They were recently name a top-20 most sustainable brand by the Pet Sustainability Coalition (based on their performance against United Nations Sustainable Development Goals — SDGs). They are also transparent in how far they have to go, with goals of using less meat and 100% sustainably sourced, green packaging and diversifying their team.
10. Now Fresh
The idea behind Now Fresh pet food is that our pets deserve food that's made with the same love, care, and thoughtfulness as human food. Their team of dedicated nutritionists choose high-quality ingredients (like fresh meat and nutrient-rich superfoods) while keeping processing to a minimum. They cook their recipes at the lowest temperature possible to preserve nutrients and flavor and exclude meat meals. They also emphasize sustainability with their four-point plan modeled on the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals for 2030. Their ultimate goal is to provide high-quality food while reducing their carbon footprint on the planet and giving back to the community for long-term social and economic health. They also place great emphasis on transparency, consistently looking to be more accountable and ethical in the way they work.
11. VēRUS
VēRUS is a veteran and family-owned holistic pet food company that uses whole meats, whole grains, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and natural preservatives. They incorporate organic nutrient sources and live probiotics. In fact, they are currently the only formulas on the market to contain a freeze-dried live probiotic. Once consumed, these freeze-dried microrganisms reactivate, providing powerful probiotic benefits like improved digestion and nutrient absorption, better intestinal function, healthier stool and immune system enhancement. They use quality manufacturing processes (such as slow-cooking at lower temperatures) for maximum retention of nutrients, flavor, starch conversion and overall digestion. They also source their ingredients from valued and trusted European Union (EU)-certified suppliers.
12. Zignature
Zignature pet food, named after the founder's boxer Ziggy, was created to address food allergies in dogs. Their clean formulas are make with high-quality natural ingredients and are considered hypoallergenic as they are free of common allergens (such as chicken, chicken eggs, chicken meal, chicken by-products, corn, wheat, gluten, soy, potatoes, dairy,). They are also made with low glycemic carbohydrates from legumes, like chickpeas, to provide fiber and promote stable blood sugar. They add important vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, essential fatty acids to make them a holistic pet food. Zignature globally sources their ingredients - with pork, turkey, trout, whitefish and catfish and salmon from the U.S.; kangaroo and goat from Australia; lamb and venison from New Zealand; and duck and guinea fowl from Western France. Their single-protein, meat first, limited ingredient diets are created in their Minnesota and South Dakota kitchens.
13. ZIWI Peak
ZIWI was founded by a free-range deer farmer who was disappointed that pet food companies were blending his pure and natural raw ingredients with inexpensive carbohydrates to form less nutritious, highly processed kibble. Thus arose ZIWI Peak, an air-dried dog food that locks in the nutrition and taste of raw ingredients but in a ready-to-serve diet. Their modern take on the centuries‑old meat preserving technique of air drying technology means their recipes are prepared slowly, gently and simply. The process removes pathogenic bacteria and allows for natural preparation. They use ingredients like raw or fresh meat, seafood, organs, bone, and natural superfoods while eliminating grains, sugars and artificial preservatives. And their nutrient-dense products are quality tested to meet international food standards.
ZIWI is also committed to sustainability. Their free-range, grass-fed meats and cage-free local poultry are ethically raised under New Zealand’s Freedom Principles. Their sustainable seafood comes from the world’s top-ranked fisheries and clean waters. All their meat is free of added hormones, antibiotics or growth enhancers. They also abide by the Five Freedom Principles of animal welfare and only partner with farmers and fishermen who follow those strict, world-leading standards.