TikTok, in the COVID-19 pandemic, was largely thought to be an app showcasing funny dance videos. But as many pet parents already know, it’s also a great place to learn how to fix your pet a fancy feast.
But not the kind that involves kibble. Just as people increasingly care about what they put into their bodies, they also want to know that Fido is eating a nutritionally balanced diet, and oftentimes the only way to know that is by preparing it yourself
Cue the pet influencers. Cindy Ley is part of a growing genre of pet chef Tiktokers, who’ve gone viral as more people take their pet’s health to heart. While Ley said that she only started her TikTok account (@remithecanecorso) in January of this year, by the first week of March she has garnered over 66,000 followers. Ley credits her success to posting raw dog food content that contains tips, autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR), and her journey as a dog mom to her beloved Cane Corso, Remi.
For the uninitiated, raw dog food contains uncooked meats, fruits, vegetables, and additional supplements like spirulina, fish oil, or coconut oil. But the meat that you often see is not just chicken or beef: there is lamb, duck heads, liver, chicken feet, even kangaroo and other ingredients that would be “gross” for humans, but bon appétit for dogs.
Ley became a raw diet advocate after she consistently had dogs that suffered and died from the same disease: Cancer. She talked to her veterinarians about food and diet, and she was told repeatedly that dry foods are healthy and have the necessary vitamins according to the Association of Feed Control Officials, AAFCO, guidelines. Ley decided to do her own research on holistic solutions and found that adding more protein could be beneficial in preventing disease. She then started working with a canine nutritionist after her vet told her that, “he knew nothing about canine nutrition,” which is odd considering most dog-owners get guidance from their vets on recommended diets. But Ley explained that, like human doctors, veterinarians do not undergo nutritional training, rather they are better educated on disease.
Ley also credits her TikTok growth to getting involved with the ASMR trend, which is the triggering of a euphoric tingling sensation in response to different sounds, according to Buzzfeed.com. It happened inadvertently, however. After uploading meal prepping videos that had corresponding nosies, a surprised Ley says viewers began responding to the noises in the video. Her TikTok following, who is 80% female, she learned, enjoyed engaging with meal-prep content specifically and left comments like, “Can I just see your dog eat, but you don’t talk? Or can I just hear your dog crunch on a Duck Head?”
ASMR sounds in the kitchen range from the refreshing crack of an egg to the mushy noise of mashing an avocado. It is more appreciated by women, according to a survey conducted by ASMR university. “Female participants were more likely to watch ASMR videos” and the data linked a possible reason to “females being 3x more likely to feel stressed compared to male counterparts,” as ASMR is known to deliver a calming sensation.
Daniel Tomas, who founded Chefs and Dogs (@chefsanddogs), a Sydney, Australia-based holistic fresh and raw dog food company, said his ASMR content started similarly to Ley’s.
“I think I stumbled across it accidentally with the ASMR, just not wanting to make too much noise at night” while cooking, said Tomas. His following is also 75% female.
Tomas started his company and TikTok account with the goal of building a community of like-minded people wanting their pets to live as long as possible. He now has 2.5 million TikTok followers and counting. He went to culinary school before starting his own cafe. During this time his rescue dog Joey, an Australian kelpie, was diagnosed with lupus, an autoimmune disease. “His body was attacking itself and his nose was getting eaten away” bloodied and severely dried, Tomas said. The vet prescribed steroids and medicines that would help for a short period of time but Joey’s symptoms would always revert back. Finally, out of desperation, Tomas saw limited research on raw dog food and decided to try it, and like Ley, he sought a holistic veterinarian. Tomas took her advice and within three years Joey made a full recovery. Tomas was shocked at the positive impact a raw food diet had on his dog and wanted to share his story to help anyone else struggling with a sick dog.
However, not everyone looks at this trend optimistically. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), according to its website, said it does not recommend feeding raw diets to pets. “Germs like Salmonella and Listeria bacteria have been found in raw pet foods, even packaged ones sold in stores. These germs can make your pets sick. Your family also can get sick by handling the raw food or by taking care of your pet.”
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) also said in a press release, they still generally recommend high-quality commercial diets for pets. “Such foods are highly research-based, and are formulated with nutrients specific to your pet’s wellbeing.”
But the controversy is not enough to stop some dog owners. Sam Abuameir, an assistant manager at Pupculture, a doggy daycare on the Upper West Side in Manhattan, and whose family owns the popular pet store Petopia, said “raw food sales have been increasing year by year. The more people find out about raw foods, the more they want to stick with that and stay away from kibble.”
Abuameir said when his grandfather first opened Petopia in the East Village, he used to carry the big-brand pet foods like Iams and Fancy Feast, but customers kept asking for natural, organic, less processed brands. And with his sales decreasing on the kibble brands, he knew it was time to invest in the raw category.
Abuameir said now that pet-owners are in the digital age, they can research their own meal solutions outside of vet guidance. They are empowered to choose the healthiest option for their dogs, “At the end of the day dogs are carnivores, and once humans realize that, they realize that’s literally the best diet they can eat.”
Leave a Reply