Is Fido getting hungry as Passover approaches? Find out what Jewish law says you can -- and can't -- feed your family pet.

by Rabbi Shraga Simmons

Jews around the world are perplexed by what to feed the family pet during Passover. The Talmud states that not only is it forbidden for a Jew to eat chametz on Passover, but it is also forbidden to own chametz or to have any benefit from it.

Additionally, it is forbidden to have a non-Jew give your pet chametz since we are not to derive any benefit from chametz on Passover -- and feeding your pet is regarded as "deriving benefit."

Yet... if the dog is not properly fed, he will chew the furniture instead! What to do?

You simply have to feed your pet human food that is kosher for Passover. Alternatively, there are stores which sell pet foods that are kosher for Passover, and may even ship nationally.Call your local rabbi for advice, or check out http://www.kosherpets.com/.

Also, it is permitted to feed pets kitniyot -- rice, corn, soy beans, etc. -- which Ashkenazi Jews do not eat on Passover.

If this becomes unusually difficult, there is a leniency to buy regular pet food and rely on the fact that humans wouldn't eat these foods. However you must read the ingredients and be sure it does not contain any wheat, oats or other grains (nor meat and milk together, which is a separate, non-Passover problem). Also it should not include "by-products" of these. Furthermore, you must purchase the pet food before Passover begins.

Even aquarium foods must not contain chametz. Most flake or pellet fish foods contain wheat products. This includes the most popular name brands such as Wardley's and Tetra-min. Alternative foods for your fish on Passover are the various freeze-dried worms, live foods, or frozen foods. (Freeze-dried blood worms are commonly available -- the icky name is only because of the red color.) Be sure to check the labels of any commercial foods.

Happy Passover! Woof woof!

(source: Chayei Adam, Hilchot Pesach 121:7 and 124:12)

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Published: Wednesday, April 2, 2003

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Visitor Comments: 3

(2) R' David, March 21, 2011 5:26 PM

Forgot to mention

If you aren't concerned about gebrachts, you can also feed your mouse Pesadich matzo.They love it.

(1) Anonymous, March 18, 2010 12:27 AM

Some pets are harder than others...

What about rodents? Mouse food is made of assorted grains- intrinsically chametz, it would seem. What to do, what to do?

R' David, March 16, 2011 6:28 PM

Not so difficult

You can feed an animal kitniyos during Pesach. Your mice will do just fine on rice, corn, and peas, or any combination thereof. If you want to be unnecessarily machmir and spend a fortune, quinoa is neither chometz nor kitnyos.

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About the Author

Rabbi Shraga Simmons

Rabbi Shraga Simmons spent his childhood trekking through snow in Buffalo, New York. He holds a degree in journalism from the University of Texas at Austin, and rabbinic ordination from the Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem. He is the senior editor of Aish.com and the director of JewishPathways.com. He is also regarded as an expert on media bias relating to the Middle East conflict, and was the founding editor of HonestReporting.com. Rabbi Simmons lives with his wife and children in the Modi'in region of Israel.

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