Are there any risks associated with feeding raw meats to pets?
Healthy pets may be relatively resistant to developing disease associated with contamination of foods with bacteria. However, many of our pet animals have health problems and may be susceptible to infection by disease-causing strains of bacteria. Raw foods may themselves contaminate the environment and even if the pet is in a state of optimal health, it is still possible for him or her to contaminate the environment by shedding disease-causing bacteria in the feces. The bacteria of most concern are Salmonella, some species of E. coli, and Campylobacter jejuni, any of which can be present as contaminants on human-grade food products. In order to minimize these risks, it is imperative that you follow the same sanitation practices that you use in preparing your own foods. Wash your hands and all utensils thoroughly before and after handling raw meat. DO NOT use wooden chopping boards. Store the pet’s meat so that it can’t contaminate human foods (ideally, you should have a separate freeze
