Raw pet food

It's important to follow good hygiene practices when preparing and handling raw pet food so that you can keep yourself and your family safe

A dog drinks from a bowl on a grassy field during sunset

The principles of food safety need to be applied when handling raw pet food because it can be contaminated with harmful bacteria that may cause food poisoning. Bacteria are found in the gut of animals and can spread when the meat is processed. Raw pet food and treats are more risky as they may still contain bacteria which would usually be killed during the cooking process.

Even pet food that has been lightly cooked could still contain potentially harmful bacteria, so it needs to be handled properly to help keep you and your family safe.

Hygiene around raw pet food

The most important thing is to keep your family and pets safe when handling raw pet food. Here are our top tips:

Hands should be washed with soap and warm water immediately after handling and preparing any raw pet food or treats
Thoroughly clean and disinfect all surfaces and objects that come in contact with raw pet food such as work surfaces, storage containers and utensils
Keep frozen raw pet food in the freezer until you’re ready to use it
Use a dedicated container for storing raw pet food and treats
Keep raw pet food away from other food in the fridge or freezer

A person washing hands with soap under running water from a faucet.

Defrosting

Defrost frozen pet foods away from other food in the fridge
Keep defrosted raw pet food in a sealed container that is clearly labelled at the bottom of the fridge, so that it can't touch or drip onto other foods

Feeding reptiles

Some reptile foods (such as frozen or defrosted mice, rats and chicks) can also contain harmful bacteria and be a potential source of infection for both the reptile and its owners. Reptiles can carry salmonella in their gut without showing any signs of infection, so there’s a chance it can pass from reptiles to people and cause illness.

The general advice mentioned above for handling raw pet food should be followed as well as:

Always wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water immediately after feeding your reptile and after handling raw (frozen or defrosted) mice, rats or chicks
Keep your reptile out of rooms where food is prepared and eaten

Orange and white king snake in a terrarium with sawdust bedding and a green plant

Children and pets

Infants and children are more at risk of becoming ill from food poisoning because their immune systems are still developing. Children can be more at risk because they’re more likely than others to put their fingers or other items into their mouths.

Try to keep infants and children away from areas where pets are fed and they should not touch or eat raw pet food or treats. If they do touch any raw pet food, wash their hands thoroughly with soap and warm water afterwards.

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