Is Raw Feeding possible with children in the home?
With any raw food in the home, there is always some level of risk involved, and yes, this includes the raw meat purchased for human consumption.
However, this does not mean we don't have raw meat in our home, and you can absolutely still raw feed your dogs with children in the home.
Our co-owner, Keisha, personally does this herself.
Keisha started raw feeding around three years ago when her youngest was just six years old. Many of you have seen her raw reviews on the Facebook group #freyasrawreviews. She has taken a huge interest in canine nutrition.
Now, aged ten years old, she prepares and feeds their three girls unaided, taking into account standard hygiene practices.
The standard hygiene Freya has learned while helping prepare the girls' meals is as follows:
Hands washed after touching any raw meat.
Sometimes, when we are prepping meals, she will wear gloves to save constant washing.
She helps wash down any surfaces the meats have touched and loves to help wash up the plates, bowls, and enrichment items after use.
What about younger children?
Raw feeding with babies and toddlers in the home is also a big concern for many parents, leading them to avoid raw feeding altogether.
However, raw feeding can still be successfully done with babies and toddlers in the home, as long as basic hygiene practices are followed.
One important measure is to have a designated feeding area for your dog(s) that is separate from the babies' or toddlers' playing area.
This area should be easily cleanable so that it can be thoroughly cleaned after meal times, providing peace of mind for parents.
By giving your dog(s) a safe space to eat away from curious hands, you can also start an amazing learning journey with your child from a young age.
What about bacteria?
Did you know raw dog food is tested to high quality standard.
Every batch of raw food produced by a raw company has to have samples taken and be sent off to be tested by DEFRA also known as Department for Environmental, Food & Rural Affairs for contaminated bacteria such as salmonella and Enterobacteriaceae.
If these batches test positive, they have to be destroyed
Human meat doesn't have to go through this extensive testing process as the food we consume we cook on a high enough temperature to ensure all bacteria has been killed.
Therefore, raw pet food from a DEFRA licensed manufacturer is safer than supermarket meat!
The Know How
You can use raw feeding as an educational opportunity for your children, teaching them about food hygiene and kitchen cleanliness, but also about the importance of feeding pets a species appropriate diet, and potentially even about what the various animals parts are and where they come from.
Scientific evidence suggests that dog saliva has some antibacterial and antimicrobial properties.
Dog saliva is even slightly bactericidal against Escherichia coli (E. coli), and against Streptococcus canis, which can be passed from companion animals to humans.
But if your still unsure after a meal you can always wipe your dogs mouth with a dog safe wet wipe to give you more peace of mind.
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