# Pet Food

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-food/66917>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 29, 2001, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-food/66917 "2001-05-29T19:10:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![uncle\_squeegee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b5e925/32.png) [@uncle\_squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/uncle_squeegee)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2001, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-food/66917/1 "2001-05-29T19:10:26Z")

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There’s one American dollar riding on the answer to this question: Do pet food companies employ people (and I mean humans, I’m not in the ‘dogs are people, too!’ camp) to taste-test their products? A co-worker says yes, I say no. (Would you use horses to test monkey chow? I think not.)

If by chance I am wrong (and if I am, I hope those brave souls are paid a pretty large sum to subject their taste buds to such torture), what qualifications does one need to earn their keep by discerning the subtle hints of cardamom in New & Improved! Kibbles & Bits! or critiquing the mouthfeel of Alpo Alfredo?

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**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\
**Post date:** [May 30, 2001, 10:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-food/66917/2 "2001-05-30T10:10:58Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by uncle squeegee \*  
> \*\*There’s one American dollar riding on the answer to this question: Do pet food companies employ people (and I mean humans, I’m not in the ‘dogs are people, too!’ camp) to taste-test their products? A co-worker says yes, I say no. (Would you use horses to test monkey chow? I think not.)  
> \*\*

I’m afraid you’ll have to hand out the money. I once heard an interview on the radio with a cat food tester, and he sounded definitely human.