Brian Walsh was feeding his black Lab Sarah some Pedigree Marrowbone treats when he noticed something sharp sticking out of one.
“They have what looks like little paintbrush bristles in them, and I was poked by one of them,” he told News 10. “I actually got pricked by one.”
He looked in the bag and saw more of them — sharp little things sticking out of the pet treats.
They were pig hairs.
Pig hairs.
The hairs of pigs sticking out of the moist, delicious surfaces of Marrowbone dog treats.
What a world.
To get an idea of what that looks like, imagine the delicious little snacks below studded with thick, sharp pig hairs:
News 10 contacted Mars Pet Care, which makes Pedigree, and the company explained, no doubt patiently, that the things sticking out of Walsh’s pet treats were indeed “pig fur, which occasionally gets blended in during the cooking process.”
Imagine that.
The spokesperson maintained that pig fur “is safe for dogs to eat, is digestible, and meets all US AAFCO standards.”
That is good to know, for if you ever find pig hairs sticking out of your pet treat. And if your dog eats Marrowbones, that could happen sooner rather than later. When he checked online, Walsh found that people on blogs have been wondering about the sharp little things for more than a year.
Despite the company’s assurances that pig hair is safe to eat, Walsh said he’s going to “cut back” on the number of Marrowbones he tosses Sarah’s way.
What do you think? Are a certain amount of pig hairs sticking out of your dog’s treats acceptable? Or would you demand zero pig hair, regardless of whether they are “digestible”?
Here’s the full statement from Mars:
Mars Petcare is committed producing safe, nutritious, and great tasting pet food and treats. Our products meet all quality and food safety standards set by the Association of American Feed Control Officials as well as the Food and Drug Administration. Because PEDIGREE MARROBONE® treats are manufactured using meat and bone meal, it’s possible for natural fibers such as pig hair to appear in the finished product. While consumers may not have noticed these natural fibers when feeding their dog, we can assure them that the treats are safe for dogs to enjoy.
Via News 10
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