Help! It has come to my attention that CAPS is in desperate need of dog food to feed our guests. This is a shameless plea to all the dog lovers reading this column to pitch in and help us out. I was told we need food without artificial coloring.
Hmmm ... that made me wonder. Why is artificial food coloring a no-no in dog food? The addition of coloring to dog food is to add appeal for the human, not the dog. Dogs are limited on the colors they see. Reds, greens and oranges are not distinguishable to dogs. The addition of dyes makes the food look more like meat and more appealing to humans.
The effects of dye range from benign to harmful. FD&C Red No. 40 is one of the most widely used and tested dyes. Unfortunately, the results of testing are inconclusive, and the evidence of harm is not consistent. But if there is any doubt, why take a chance?
The second most widely used is FD& C Yellow No. 5, and it can cause allergic reactions. FD&C Yellow No. 6, the third most widely used dye, causes tumors of the adrenal gland and kidney. In addition, several carcinogens contaminate Yellow 6. Yellow 6 may also cause allergic reactions.
The largest study suggested but did not prove that FD&C Blue No. 2 caused brain tumors in mice. If there is any question about safety, why not just eliminate the problem? Be sure to read the labels, look for artificial flavoring, artificial coloring and artificial preservatives. Don’t buy food that has anything artificial in it.
The pet food industry is not regulated as much as the people food industry. Many things are added to dog food that would never be acceptable in human products. Always consider the value of all the ingredients and choose the healthiest food you can afford.
Please consider our plight and donate some food for our guests. There are several brands to choose from: Iams, Purina Pro Plan, Taste of the Wild or Nature’s Recipe. Your generosity will benefit all of our guests. Fallon is the small town with a big heart and we thank you in advance for your generosity.
WHO’S WHO
Please be our Who’s Who by donating food for our canine guests. We would appreciate donations of food that don’t contain artificial dyes. Our four-paw guests will thank you from the bottom of their full little tummies.
WHO’S NEW AT THE CAPS’ ZOO?
If you like board games, we have a family of black and white kitties who love to play. Checkers is the mom and is two-years old. All three of her beautiful kitties are one-year old.
Yahtzee and Tiddlywinks are adorable boys and Domino is a dynamite girl. All the kitties are very sweet and loving but a bit shy. Come out and play a game with our gang. They are sure to win your heart.
Policy, however, prohibits adopting out puppies or kittens under the age of six months to a home with children under five years of age. This is to protect both the children and the animal.
CAPS’ NEWS AND EVENTS
CAPS will be at Walmart on April 16 along with adorable Ki at our Kissin’ Booth. There may also be a “mystery” kisser. Please come by and give our boys a big hug and kiss. We have hoodies, sweatshirts and caps, so please check them out before or after greeting our canine volunteers.
Flower Tree Nursery is again raffling a 15-gallon tree of your choice. The drawing date is June 15, and the winner doesn’t have to be present to win. Raffle tickets are available at Flower Tree, and they are $1 for one ticket and $5 for six tickets.
Bark in the Park will be held May 7: watch here for details.
CAPS’ mailing address is P.O. Box 5128, Fallon, NV 89407. CAPS’ phone number is 775-423-7500. Please visit our Facebook page (Churchill Animal Protection Society). Be sure to “Like” CAPS on Facebook because we are really likable. Our website is presently undergoing construction. Watch this column for the grand opening of our new site.
Do you have questions, comments or a great story? Contact me jkwmil@outlook.com.
Kathleen Williams-Miller, a CAPS volunteer, contributed this week’s column.