Naturally Better - Our Ethical Sourcing

The secret to Paleo Ridge’s quality is our relentless commitment to sourcing only the best ingredients. We search far and wide to find UK and Irish farms which align with our core values of high welfare, ethical rearing and sustainable farming. We visit them regularly to ensure we guarantee this quality. In addition to this, our commitment to only sourcing high welfare and ethically reared meats, means our raw dog food is not only free of chemical pollutant but naturally more nutrient dense. There is simply no comparison to naturally-fed animals.

Paleo Ridge are currently the most accredited Raw Dog Food manufacturer in the UK. We have sought and gained independent and globally recognised accreditation:

• OF&G Organic approved
• ISO 9001 approved
• Ethical pet award approved
• DEFRA approved (Defra licence no 15/103/8003/ABP/PTF)

Independent unannounced audits are mandatory for these extra accreditations. This ensures we meet their very high standards, every single day. The standards laid down by DEFRA are very basic compared to our other accreditations.

We carry out independent nutritional testing on products, to ensure they meet the nutritional requirements of your dog.

We only use ingredients that have passed veterinary inspection.

Paleo Ridge is officially the Best Raw Dog Food in the UK, second year in a row!

Certified organic poultry producers are subject to a strict production regime based on sound organic principles that cover the whole farming system. These methods protect our fragile environment; maintaining a respect and concern for the welfare of our animals through strictly controlled, natural rearing conditions and the use of high quality certified organic feedstuffs.

One benefit is, whilst free-range and barn-reared farmed birds live only 35-52 days, organic birds live almost twice as long at around 81 plus days.

The result is a wholesome and nutritious bird with:

• no antibiotic residues
• no GMOs
• naturally reared

One study found that organic chicken contained 38% more heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids (link). Organic chicken is also an excellent source of niacin and a very good source of protein and selenium. It is also a good source of vitamin B6, phosphorus, choline, pantothenic acid and vitamin B12.

As well as being the most ethical and high welfare method of rearing cattle, grass fed cattle also have a number of important differences from intensively reared beef:

• Monounsaturated fat: Grass-fed beef contains much less monounsaturated fat than grain-fed beef
• Omega 3: Grass-fed beef contains up to five times as much omega-3. This results in a more balanced ratio of omega 6:3 fats (3:1), which is less inflammatory to the body
• CLA: Grass-fed beef contains about twice as much conjugated linoleic acid as grain-fed beef. This polyunsaturated fatty acid is associated with a several health benefits including muscle building (and reduction of fat storage) as well as anti-inflammatory properties and likely cancer fighting.
• Vitamin A: Grass-fed beef contains carotenoid precursors to vitamin A, such as beta-carotene.
• Vitamin E: This is a vital antioxidant that resides in your cell membranes and protects them from oxidation.

Grass-fed beef also tends to be richer in other antioxidants such as vitamin B12, B3 and B6. It’s also an excellent source of highly bioavailable iron, selenium and zinc, creatine, carnosine, folate B9, choline, copper, vitamin A and many more. You’ll also find more iron, sodium, potassium, phosphorus and zinc in greater quantities in grass-fed meat. The beef contains more thiamine and riboflavin too! All of these minerals help keep your dog’s body healthy and feeling great.

As with beef, grass-fed lamb is a significant source of omega-3 fats and the ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fats is far better in grass-fed lamb, which is good news from an inflammatory point of view. Simply put, beef and sheep are designed to eat grass, not grain and other artificially modified food. Grass is what’s best for them and it’s without question, better for us to eat meat from animals naturally reared on grass.

• grass-fed lamb is an excellent source of CLA
• about 40% of the fat in grass-fed lamb comes from oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat. This type of fat has been associated with decreased risk of heart disease
• a very good source of selenium
• a good source of zinc

Healthy intake of these minerals is a protective factor against oxidative stress because they are co-factors in important antioxidant enzyme systems.

Our turkey meat comes from turkeys which are free to roam outside in the fresh air on real ground. It's a delight to see them in a more natural habitat, though they make a surprising amount of noise!

Free range turkey meat is a good source of:

• iron, zinc, potassium and phosphorus

• vitamin B6 and niacin, which are both essential for your dogs energy production
• low -GI and can help keep insulin levels stable

• contains a lot of the amino acid tryptophan

Tryptophan produces serotonin and plays an important role in strengthening the immune system. It is also a source of selenium, which is essential for thyroid hormone metabolism which boosts immunity and acts as an antioxidant.

We source our duck from high welfare, free to roam farms. Duck meat is abundant in a variety of essential vitamins and minerals such as:

• heme iron
• selenium
• B vitamins
• zinc
• potassium
• phosphorous

B vitamins and iron are central to energy production, helping to prevent anaemia in the animal, a condition that can cause fatigue and dizziness. The skin of free to roam duck contains about 1/3 saturated fat and 2/3 monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fat.

We, at Paleo Ridge, love pigs. A intelligent animals, they deserve some time nosing around outside. We only source pork from high welfare, outdoor reared farms. Pork is a nutrient-rich food.

Outdoor reared pork is a good source of:

• potassium
• riboflavin
  
• zinc
• vitamin B6
• thiamine
• phosphorous

It is also an excellent source of niacin and protein. Pork is naturally low in sodium too!

There is a lot of speculation about the safety of feeding pork. Pork is incredibly safe to feed. We source ours from Helen Browning's Farm. All of the pigs are treated with respect (as they should be!) with appropriate food, plenty of space to roam and live long, happy lives! All of our meat is tested through strict processes.

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