A lawsuit filed against makers of prescription pet food claims that these foods are deceptive to consumers and that their price tag is artificially high.
Disclosure: This lawsuit was especially personal to me, because all of my animals have been on prescription pet food at some point. The prescription food was much more expensive than the food we were giving them, and I’m still not sure whether it helped them or not.
What I do know is that I did not feel like we could say no to the prescription food. For my family, and for most pet owners, our pets are like our babies. We’re not going to second-guess our vets when they recommend prescription food, because we will do whatever it takes to make our animals well.
Related: 9 Common Pet Food Questions, Answered
The lawsuit basically claims that prescription pet food is really just a marketing technique. The food is not a drug, and you don’t legally need a prescription to buy it. But when your vet prescribes food, pet owners are more willing to pay the high prices. The suit also claims that pet food companies are colluding to inflate the price of prescription food.
Marion Nestle, who co-wrote an investigative book about the pet food industry, shared her thoughts on the suit in a blog post. Nestle explains that, “all complete-and-balanced pet foods must meet identical nutritional standards.”
The only difference between a bargain brand and a high-end brand, she says, is ingredients sourcing. Nestle notes that there doesn’t seem to be evidence that expensive pet foods make pets healthier, but that this is an area where more research is definitely needed.
The case isn’t just against pet food companies, though. It’s also calling out two specific chain veterinary clinics: PetSmart’s Banfield Pet Hospital and Florida’s Blue Pearl Pet Hospital. Pet food company Mars, the makers of Royal Canin prescription pet food, actually owns 79 percent of Banfield and all of Blue Pearl.
The lawsuit is not alleging that prescription pet food is unsafe or harmful. The gist of the suit is that pet food-makers and certain veternarians are taking advantage of pet owners during a vulnerable time: when their pets are ill and emotions are high.
Right now, consumers can still sign on to the Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Shoenberger prescription pet food lawsuit. If you’ve purchased prescription pet food in the last four years, you are eligible to take part.
Related at Care2
Image via Thinkstock.
