5 Myths About Raw Feeding 2/5: Raw Dog Food Makes Humans Sick

Welcome to “Raw Dog Food Makes Humans Sick”- or does it?

It’s part 2 of my Raw Feeding Myth Buster Mini Series which consists of 5 myths around the raw feeding world.

Check them out in the Related Reading section at the end of this blog post.

But don’t jump there quite yet!

Because today, I’ll be discussing how raw dog food can be safe for humans.

Unfortunately, opponents of the raw diet have actually managed to spread this fear of getting sick by handling the raw meat we feed our dogs.

They argue that this is the case because the raw meat could harbor salmonella, e.coli, and other bacteria. 

So without further ado, here’s how you can raw feed your dog without getting sick.

Hygiene In The Raw Dog Food Kitchen

Hygiene in the kitchen is my #1 tip in making sure that no bacteria from fresh meat is going to wreak havoc in your human body. 

This includes washing:

• Your dog’s bowl after they eat 
• Your hands with warm, soapy water
• All surfaces and utensils you use for raw dog food meal prep (counters, cutting boards, mixing bowls, knives, spoons, etc.)

I always toss empty meat packaging right away.

Tip: Rinse it before you throw it into the thrash, especially during the warmer months. That’ll keep your trash can from smelling.

I’ll have a plastic bag sitting right on the counter whenever I pull meat out that’s still wrapped.

The packaging goes right into the plastic bag after I rinse it.

Once I’m done handling the meat, I’ll tie a knot into the bag and then throw it out into the trash.

I also like to use towels.

For example, you can line your meal prep surfaces with towels to minimize clean up.

You can also line your dog’s eating area with towels and then throw them into the wash once they’re done eating.

I place a large doggie towel under Missy’s & Buzz’s bowls whenever I add a raw meaty bone because they will pull it out of their dish and eat it on the floor next to it.

Once they’re done eating, I simply toss the towel straight into the washing machine. 

Here’s 5 other surfaces you can safely use for raw dog food.

Optional: Disposable Gloves For Extra Protection

I’ve seen videos of raw feeders who wear disposable gloves while they handle and prepare their dog’s raw dog food.

I personally don’t do that because I also don’t wear gloves when I handle and prepare raw meat for myself. 

As mentioned above, I wash my hands thoroughly with warm, soapy water after I’m done handling my pups’ raw meals.

The same goes for raw meat I handle when I prepare it for myself – to me, that’s just common sense.

Side Note: I came across a video of Health & Wellness Couch Beth Carpenter from Austin, TX, where she’s making her very own raw dog food from scratch. 

She has an extra set of dishwashing gloves that she only uses for mixing pureed fruit and veggies with raw meat. Fast forward to minute 19 to see her gloves!

She explains that she washes them with hot, soapy water after each usage and then sterilizes them. 

I thought that was such a clever idea, and one that is gentler on the environment than using disposable gloves.

Only Buy High-Quality Meat From A Trusted Source

You should, of course, steer clear of rancid, bad meat, and make sure to only buy high quality meat from a trusted source. 

This could be your local butcher who doesn’t use growth-hormones and/or antibiotics in raising their animals. 

This could also be commercial raw dog food brands such as Raw Paws Pet Food, Darwin’s or Raw Feeding Miami to name just a few.

Freezing Kills Parasites, Not Bacteria (Here’s the Difference)

Freezing is genuinely effective against certain parasites. That’s exactly why it’s standard practice for wild venison and why the FDA requires fish destined to be eaten raw, like sushi-grade salmon and tuna, to be frozen at -4°F for at least 7 days (or -31°F until solid, then held at that temperature for 15 hours) before it’s served. Those specific times and temperatures are what kill parasites such as Anisakis.

What freezing doesn’t reliably do is kill bacteria. Salmonella, Listeria, and E. coli survive freezing largely intact, they just go dormant, and can become active again once the meat thaws. So while freezing your dog’s raw meat is a genuinely good practice for parasite risk, it’s not a substitute for the hygiene habits above when it comes to bacteria.

That’s an important distinction: two different food safety concerns (parasites vs. bacteria), two different solutions (freezing vs. clean handling), and raw feeding done right addresses both.

What About FDA and CDC Warnings?

If you’ve researched raw feeding, you’ve probably come across FDA and CDC advisories that raw pet food carries a higher risk of Salmonella and Listeria contamination than processed pet food. That part is accurate, and it’s worth taking seriously rather than dismissing.

What it doesn’t mean is that raw feeding is unsafe when handled properly. Raw meat, whether you’re feeding it to your dog or cooking it for yourself, requires the same food safety habits that professional kitchens and home cooks use with any raw protein.

The bacteria risk comes from the meat being raw, not from your dog eating it. That’s exactly why the hygiene habits above aren’t optional extras, they’re the actual answer to the myth. This is also where dog physiology plays a real role.

A healthy dog’s stomach is highly acidic, often in the pH 1 to 2 range compared to a human’s much milder pH 4 to 5, and their digestive tract is proportionally much shorter than ours. That combination means food, including any bacteria on it, moves through quickly and meets a much harsher acidic environment along the way. It’s a big part of why healthy dogs can eat things that would make a human sick without getting ill themselves.

That said, “not getting sick” isn’t the same as “not carrying bacteria.” A dog can still shed Salmonella in their stool without showing any symptoms, which is exactly why the hygiene habits above, especially cleaning up after your dog and washing your hands, matter regardless of how resilient their digestive system is.

One more note: if anyone in your household is immunocompromised, pregnant, elderly, or very young, it’s worth talking to your doctor about extra precautions, the same way you would before handling any raw meat in your kitchen.

5 Myths About Raw Feeding 2/5: Raw Dog Food Makes Humans Sick: Bottom Line

I began feeding Missy & Buzz a raw diet in 2015. Over the years, I’ve become very confident in feeding this healthy, minimally processed dog food. As of 2019, I’ve also been feeding my Feist-mix Wally the same way and as of 2025, my Labrador pup(py) Pepper.

Neither my family nor myself have become sick at any point in time throughout the years.

That’s although we handle raw dog food twice per day.

That’s 730 raw meals each year without any incidents because we apply common sense when handling raw meat:

• Wash your dog’s bowl after meal time
• Wash your hands with warm, soapy water
• Clean all surfaces and utensils used in preparing the raw meals (counters, cutting boards, mixing bowls, knives, spoons, etc.)

So no, feeding your dogs a raw diet will not get you and your family sick! #MythBusted

Has the myth of potentially getting sick from feeding your dog (or cat!) a raw diet kept you from giving it a try?

As always, I’d love to hear from you in the comment section below this blog post!

Related Reading

• 6 Surfaces for Raw Dog Food
• Raw Feeding My Labrador Puppy
• Myth 1/5: Raw Fed Dogs Are Aggressive
• Myth 3/5: Your Dog Will Get Sick From His Raw Diet
• Myth 4/5: Does Raw Feeding Cause Bad Breath?
• Myths 5/5: Your Dog Is Going To Die From Eating Raw Meat

Barbara Rivers

Barbara Rivers is the founder of K9sOverCoffee and a raw feeding educator with over a decade of hands-on experience.

She has fed raw in the US and Europe since 2015, after her Boxer mix Missy’s cancer diagnosis led her to move away from processed kibble and commit to species-appropriate nutrition.

As a former professional dog walker, she developed deep insight into canine behavior, conditioning, and the essential link between proper exercise and long-term health.

Barbara completed online training with veterinarian Dr. Marion Smart and Labrador breeder Dana Scott and works for one of Germany’s leading raw dog food brands, BARFER’S.

In 2026–2027, she is completing a year-long raw nutrition certification for dogs and cats at THP School, founded by raw feeding pioneer Swanie Simon.

Through her blog and weekly newsletter, she provides clear, experience-based guidance to help dog owners feed raw safely and confidently.