DOG FOOD AND POOR PEOPLE

We have been thinking about the letter we received from Rabbi Fishbane of the cRc (www.crcweb.org) concerning Kosher Pets pet food.

In part, the rabbi wrote: “I think the real question that needs to be answered is – do humans ever eat dog food? If yes, then we must examine the whole issue from scratch. To be honest we set up our certification with the understanding that humans most definitely do not eat it and… .”

We have all along insisted that people “might” eat pet food, and that the cRc is wrong in their assumption.

Yesterday, we met with Rabbi Saul Eisner of the Staten Island COJO. (Disclosure: Rabbi Eisner is also a major source for kashruth information as he is a “mumcheh l’rabim” (a master) in matters of kashruth.)In his work with COJO’s food distribution system, the rabbi tells me that he is well aware of the fact that indigent people- JEWS INCLUDED- often eat pet food. I spoke with a representative of the Metropolitan Coordinating Council on Jewish Poverty, and he also said the same thing: Poor people have long been known to eat dog food. In the past, NYC area newspapers have done feature stories on poor people eating dog food.

Both of my sources told me that one of the reasons all the kosher food programs now exist is to keep poor Jews from eating dog food. Met Council runs one of the largest food distribution systems in the whole country.

We think their words stand alone. We hope the cRc will revisit their stance.
(RJR)