The origin of Fur Real Meal coincides with the arrival of a very special “furbaby” in my life. Even years later, I still remember vividly the day in November when Fofa (Portuguese for ‘Fluffy’), a tiny two-pound "furball," walked into my home. When she was two and a half months old, she was given to us by the guardian of her parents; two small dogs of different breeds.

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Amidst the joy of playing and adapting with the newest member of the family, I was certain that teaching her to pee and poop in the right place would be my biggest challenge ahead. Little did I know, however, what awaited us.

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During the first months Fofa spent at our house, a series of episodes of vomiting, diarrhea, fevers and hospitalizations showed us that our little dog had a severe food intolerance. 

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The veterinarians we consulted with offered us several solutions. However, all of them were palliative, with no real perspective of cure. Before she was even two years old, due to the high degree of malnutrition and significant delay in her development, Fofa had a very low life expectancy.

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It became clear to me that something urgent needed to be done to transform my little girl's reality. And to be able do that, I also needed a big change in my own life.

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Thus began a period of total dedication to finding a source of protein that Fofa would tolerate. Being a food engineer, I was able to use my own knowledge and professional experience as allies in this process, which involved a series of studies and tests to find the ideal diet for Fofa.

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During this stage, I realized that it was necessary to study not only Fofa's reactions, but also a series of factors that involve the animal feed manufacturing process and the legislation that regulates this segment. The discoveries I made during this period were fundamental in helping me get where I wanted to be.  

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After months of taking courses and doing a lot of research, I managed, with the help of an excellent specialist in animal science, to find the perfect diet for Fofa – a female dog with intolerance to 98% of protein sources, 90% of vegetables and that only accepts a carbohydrate source.

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Today, the same puppy who once required so much care to complete the first 20 months of her life has already reached the age of six. She is healthy, slender and with an enviable quality of life.

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And, parallel to the journey to cure Fofa, there was also the journey towards the creation of Fur Real Meal, a company founded by a woman, food engineer, and animal lover determined to provide other dogs with the opportunity to get the best diet possible and achieve ever-improving health.

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Although Fofa's story will forever relate to Fur Real Meal, we are eager to embrace new stories, such as yours and your pet's, with the continuous goal of transforming lives, while cultivating health and care, always.