What are you feeding them?

Trust the tried and tested

An Ni, a senior pet nutritionist and expert from Hong Kong-based World Pet Association, says big brands with a long history and strong R&D capabilities should be the top choice for buyers.

"These companies have specific laboratories for pet food tests and make modifications accordingly," she says.

In this regard, foreign brands such as Royal Canin have an advantage over their domestic counterparts as few domestic companies have a history of more than 10 years or the funding for costly laboratory experiments.

Also, most foreign brands have an anti-counterfeit code which buyers can verify on the companies' websites.

These brands usually boast a relatively complete system in dealing with complaints or disputes while the smaller manufacturers make it harder for consumers to safeguard their rights.

It's common to see Chinese consumers resort to the media to pressurize small manufacturers in a dispute, as the legal framework for the pet food industry is still incomplete, An says.

"My advice for all pet owners is that they should stay away from unheard-of brands or illegitimate channels like smuggled products," she adds.

Wang Tianfei, a senior pet nutritionist and columnist, says buying pet food through a legitimate channel is an important means of ensuring that you get the genuine product.

As online shopping has become immensely popular in recent years, more are buying pet food on the Internet.

"Customers should always select online retailers with a good reputation and stay away from shops with negative reviews," he says.

Having said that, consumers should not blindly put their faith in well-known foreign brands either, as the recent scandal involving KFC, McDonald's and Starbucks shows. In the latest scandal the out-of-date meat was supplied by Shanghai Husi Food, which is owned by US-based OSI Group.

Pet food has to be stored properly as well, and experts say a specific container can help it from being exposed and contaminated, while keeping it fresh. Pet food should be kept cool and dry, especially in summer.

Yang Yuqing contributed to this story.