Raw Dog Food Safety: Handling, Storage & Defrosting

Keep raw dog food frozen until needed, thaw the next meal in a sealed container in the fridge, and clean the equipment and feeding area after use. A simple routine helps reduce cross-contamination; it does not make raw meat free of harmful bacteria. Follow the instructions on each pack, including its storage temperature and use-by guidance.

1. Check and store your delivery promptly

Make space before your order arrives. Unpack it promptly, check the seals and labels, and put suitable frozen food into the freezer. Keep the product identity, batch number and storage instructions with the food if you remove an outer box.

A partly softened delivery needs an arrival check, rather than a decision based on one block's appearance. Our partly thawed raw food delivery checklist explains our policy for still-cold packs and what to do if food arrives warm, damaged or with an uncertain temperature history.

2. Give raw pet food its own storage space

Keep raw pet food separate from food for people, using labelled containers to contain any leaks. Store only food with an identifiable label and follow its frozen-storage instructions. The Food Standards Agency's general guidance recommends a freezer around −18°C and a fridge between 0°C and 5°C; check the appliance with a thermometer.

Need room for a larger order? Our freezer size and pack-planning guide compares practical chest and upright freezer considerations. Food weight in kilograms is not a reliable shortcut to the litres of freezer space you need.

3. Defrost the next meal in the fridge

Plan ahead so the next pack can thaw in a covered, leak-proof container at the bottom of the fridge, away from food for people. The time needed varies with the pack and fridge. Do not use a warm worktop or microwave to speed up the process.

Choose packs that fit your routine so you can thaw what you need. PDSA advises using fully defrosted raw meat within 24 hours; follow any shorter limit on the product label. Keep the food chilled until serving.

4. Keep a separate preparation and cleaning routine

• Wash your hands with soap and water before and after handling the food.
• Use dedicated utensils, containers and feeding bowls for raw pet food.
• Clean and disinfect the equipment, worktop and any area touched by raw food. Follow the cleaning product's instructions.
• Keep children away from food preparation and the feeding area.
• Clear away uneaten raw food promptly, then clean the bowl and any spills. Do not return food from a used bowl to the main pack.

5. Choose food and pack sizes for your dog

Storage convenience and nutritional suitability are different checks. Compare the Southcliffe raw dog food range for 454g blocks, mixed boxes and smaller-portion products. Check the life-stage and complete or complementary declaration on the actual product you choose.

If those labels are unfamiliar, read our complete versus complementary raw food guide before building a regular diet. A small pack or a particular meat-to-bone ratio does not by itself establish nutritional adequacy.

When extra advice matters

For households with pregnant people, very young children, older adults or someone who is immunocompromised, PDSA advises against raw feeding because of infection risk. Discuss the household's circumstances and an appropriate diet with your vet. Hygiene precautions reduce risk; they do not remove it.

Raw food storage questions

Does freezing kill the bacteria in raw food?

No. Freezing limits bacterial growth but does not reliably eliminate the bacteria present. The food still needs careful handling as it thaws. Smell and appearance cannot prove that a pack is safe.

Can a partly thawed delivery go back in the freezer?

Our shipping policy allows suitable partly thawed deliveries that have remained cold to be frozen promptly, subject to the pack instructions. This is different from repeatedly thawing meals at home, or trying to rescue food that has become warm. Use the arrival checklist if you are unsure about a parcel.

Independent guidance used for this update

Food Standards Agency: raw pet food; Food Standards Agency: chilling, freezing and defrosting; Food Standards Scotland: raw pet food hygiene; PDSA: raw diets and household precautions. The delivery-policy explanation above describes Raw Dogs Dorset's policy; it is not a guarantee that an individual parcel is safe.