What would life be without chocolate? It’s delightfully sweet taste and creamy texture has the ability to ease a broken heart, improve a bad day or satisfy a craving. However, this dieter’s weakness and health nut’s reward could have dire consequences for your pets if ingested by them. So, especially with Easter often being celebrated with copious amounts of chocolate, the PFI (Pet Food Industry Association of Southern Africa) would like to warn pet owners against sharing thi

Thanks to advances in pet nutrition (in part) we are fortunate enough to enjoy our pets that much longer due to their extended life expectancies. However, with an extended life comes a higher possibility of suffering from age-related health issues so extra special care is needed as pets enter their geriatric years. Thankfully, most of these health issues, such as deterioration of the joints and coronary, cognitive & immune system function, can be treated quite effectively and

You’ve made the wise decision and purchased a pet food brand that puts the welling of your pet first – you’ve purchased a PFI (Pet Food Industry Association of Southern Africa) member brand, so you can rest assured that you’ve got a safe, nutritious food in your hands. But how should you best handle the foods now that you’re home, to ensure that the safety of the product is upheld in storage? Starting with the time that you purchase the food, begin by examining the packaging

From the bouncing bundle of puppy love to wise matriarch or patriarch, each stage of your dog’s life brings fresh challenges and rewards – all of which are better faced with a good diet. From a puppy’s energetic demands, to the unpredictability of adolescence, to self-assured adulthood and finally the comfortable pace of old age – providing the right diet for each stage will keep them functioning at their best. The stages of a dog’s life are roughly: Puppyhood: ± 1 – 6 months

Have you ever wondered what goes on inside your furry friend’s mind? They’re sometimes so “human” it feels like only their appearance proves we’re a different species. Not surprisingly, research has shown that our pets do in fact experience some of the emotional life that we do, such as basic emotions like happiness, anger, fear and loneliness. Which makes sense since their brain structure is remarkably similar to ours. This similarity gives us good grounding on which to base

While you’re working hard at sticking to those New Year’s resolutions, to improve your own life, why not consider making a change or 2 that will improve the lives of your beloved pets? Some of the ideas below will probably aid you in achieving your own goals for 2016 as well. Exercise Health and wellness cover the majority of our resolutions, and it should be no different with our pets. Ensuring pets get sufficient exercise will not only aid in maintaining a healthy weight b

With the Festive Season around the corner, relaxation begins to set in. And, with that, our dietary willpower seems to waiver. Not only for ourselves, but often for our beloved pets as well. Before you toss your pet a tasty Festive treat, consider the health risks associated with feeding your pet ‘human food’. “Often, the foods that us humans eat, contain salt, spices and preservatives that our pets are unable to digest, as well as excess fat (especially in leftovers)” says B

More and more we see dogs shifting roles from “watch guard” to “part of the family”, meaning that holidays are now, more than ever, being planned with pets in mind. Great news for dogs around the country, but this does mean that a little more planning and preparation is needed, to ensure your hounds are travel ready. “Dogs travel relatively well, especially those that have become accustomed to the car from their younger ages,” says Barry Hundley, Executive Director of the Pet

In the midst of one of the worst droughts and heat waves to ever hit South Africa, the Pet Food Industry Association of Southern Africa (PFI) urges pet owners to spare a thought for their furry friends who are most likely also struggling through the high temperatures. Here are 8 tips to help them cope: Access to water Clean, fresh and cool water is essential for all living animals. Sufficient amounts should be available at all times and should be left in the shade, out of th