Truth About Pet Food
What It Is, Why It Matters, and How It Can Save Your Dog’s Health
“Very often, you pay for someone else’s garbage — condemned, diseased animal carcasses — and you don’t even know it. That’s NOT food.” - Susan Thixton
If you’ve ever stared at a pet food label and felt confused, overwhelmed, or straight-up skeptical… welcome to the club! As pet parents and professionals, we want the best for our animals — but the pet food industry doesn’t always make that easy. That’s why TruthAboutPetFood.com is one of the most important resources I recommend to anyone who wants transparency, honesty, and real education about what we feed our pets. Join me as I break down exactly what the website offers, why it’s so valuable, and how you can use it’s tools — like the annual food and treat lists — to make confident decisions for your pet.
What Is ‘TruthAbout Pet Food’ ?
Created by consumer advocate Susan Thixton, Truth About Pet Food is a platform dedicated to exposing the hidden realities of the pet food industry.
Such as:
Lack of regulation
Recalls and safety issues
AAFCO inconsistencies
Industry lobbying
Consumer rights
Susan has spent years digging into government documents, attending regulatory meetings, and fighting for transparency on behalf of pet parents everywhere. Her work is not funded by pet food companies — which means she’s free to tell the truth that the industry doesn’t always want us to hear.
Susan Thixton’s “The List”
Each year, Susan releases her highly anticipated ‘List’, offering carefully curated selections of pet food and treat companies that meet strict standards for safety, quality, and transparency. These Lists are not rankings — they’re trusted guides designed to help make informed choices. Available for the fee of your choice (minimum of $12), 100% of the proceeds go directly to supporting Susan’s independent consumer advocacy that’s free from industry influence and fully focused on safeguarding the health and well-being of our pets.
✔️ The List of Pet Foods (Released every December)
Susan evaluates far beyond the label, including:
Sourcing and whether ingredients are human or feed grade
Transparency (what companies disclose and what they don’t)
Consumer communication and responsiveness
Safety standards and testing protocols
Accountability when issues arise
Values and ethics, not just marketing claims
These brands are often smaller, independently owned, and deeply committed to high-quality sourcing. Many will never appear on big-box store shelves—because they prioritize quality over mass-market production.
✔️ The List of Pet Treats (Released every June)
Treat companies included on the list must demonstrate:
Clear, honest sourcing of ingredients
Safe manufacturing practices
Transparency around where and how products are made
No risky imports, fillers, or vague ingredient labeling
A commitment to consumer trust
Because treats are less regulated and more variable than complete diets, Susan applies rigorous criteria to evaluate treat companies, which is essential given that many treats are imported from countries with weaker safety regulations, mislabeled or inaccurately sourced, or made with low-quality by-products or preservatives. This list helps ensure your pets are getting clean, high-quality, and trustworthy options!
⭐ Examples of Brands You’ll Commonly See on “the List”
While Susan keeps her lists behind a paywall to protect the integrity of the vetting process, several companies proudly share when they’ve been selected.
These are brands that consistently meet high standards for sourcing, transparency, and integrity and that we personally feed to our own dogs:
Green Juju – Known for their whole-food blends & fresh toppers
All Provide – A trusted maker of fresh & gently cooked meals
Solutions – Raw-focused company committed to regenerative agriculture
These examples give pet parents a sense of the type of companies that do the work, invest in quality, and prioritize animal health over shortcuts.
The Must-Read Book for Every Pet Parent
Susan’s book, “Buyer Beware: The Crimes, Lies, and Truth About Pet Food”, is one of the most eye-opening reads you’ll ever pick up.
Inside, she breaks down:
What pet food can legally contain (spoiler: it’s horrifying)
How companies mislead consumers
The difference between feed-grade and food-grade
How to choose safe, high-quality foods
What none of the marketing claims actually mean
If you want a crash course in decoding labels, avoiding harmful ingredients, and understanding how regulation really works—this book is your roadmap.
The Petsumer Report
Long before other resources existed, Susan created The Petsumer Report, a massive searchable database that scored and compared thousands of pet foods and treats. It helped countless pet parents avoid unsafe or low-quality products. While it’s retired now, it paved the way for a more refined annual “List”. The shift allows Susan to spend more time fighting for regulatory change—and less time sorting through thousands of mediocre brands.
Association for Truth in Pet Food
Beyond education, Susan founded the Association for Truth in Pet Food (ATPF) — a consumer organization that represents pet parents at regulatory meetings, challenges unsafe policies, and pushes for meaningful change.
In 2015, ATPF published the Pet Food Test results, a comprehensive project funded entirely by pet owners that revealed shocking truths about pet food quality.
In 2021, ATPF presented a video briefing to the FDA, continuing their work to hold the industry accountable and push for meaningful regulatory change.
Memberships fund advocacy, travel, research, and legal efforts. It’s one of the few organizations fighting for pet parents—not the industry—ensuring that the voices of those who feed and love pets every day are heard at the highest level.
Why This Matters for Every Pet Parent
We’re living in a time where pet food choices are endless—but transparency is limited. TruthAboutPetFood.com fills that gap by offering:
✔ Education
✔ Advocacy
✔ Accountability
✔ Vetted resources
✔ Empowerment
As someone who works with pet parents every day — and who has lived through my own journey caring for my dog’s health — I cannot recommend this resource enough. Knowledge is power, and in the world of pet nutrition, it can add years to your dog’s life.
If you’re ready to become a more informed, empowered, and confident pet parent, start with these steps:
Visit TruthAboutPetFood.com
Purchase the List annually
Read Buyer Beware
Consider joining the Association for Truth in Pet Food
Share this resource with friends, family and professionals
Our pets depend on us to advocate for them — and Susan Thixton’s TruthAboutPetFood.com is one of the strongest tools we have in that mission.