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This is what FDA and Department of Agriculture considers ‘Food’

Blood staining the street, uncovered trailer loads of pieces of dead animal carcasses traveling down roadways, a cow head in the street. This is what FDA and every State Department of Agriculture considers ‘food’; pet food. Very recent pictures from a rendering facility in Oklahoma. Warning graphic. Disgusting and absurd.

Blood staining the street, uncovered trailer loads of pieces of dead animal carcasses traveling down roadways, a cow head in the street. This is what FDA and every State Department of Agriculture considers ‘food’; pet food. Very recent pictures from a rendering facility in Oklahoma. Warning graphic. Disgusting and absurd.

Below is a picture of the lot of a rending facility in Oklahoma. The pile of bone scraps in the middle of the muddy parking lot is what FDA and every State Department of Agriculture allows to be called “food”…pet ‘food’ ingredients.

A close up of the pile of animal material…

Truck delivering raw material…

Notice the above trailer has no protective tarp covering it.

The road leading into the rendering facility where this material becomes ‘food’ ingredients is stained in blood…

A trailer load of finished product (meat and bone meal) leaves this rendering plant…again, with no tarp covering the load. Ground, cooked animal carcass blowing in the wind.

These pictures were taken by and provided by a neighbor of the Valley Proteins rendering facility located outside of Oklahoma City, OK – from his front yard. He shared with me the smell coming from the plant is horrendous. A smelly, wet mist covers his home, his car, even him if he walks outside during times of production. And he shared that he feels sick most of the time, has tiny bumps covering his body that were not there before the plant operated as a rendering facility (same facility used to process used restaurant grease into ‘food’). He shared another neighbor is ill as well – since the rendering facility opened.

Neighbors have found maggot infested bones and a cow head in the street; material that has fallen out of delivery trucks. Neighbors of the rendering plant have complained to every regulatory authority. But…not one authority has taken action to protect the people who live near this rending plant. Government authorities actions have been to protect Valley Proteins.

TruthaboutPetFood.com has reported this issue to the Food Safety division of Oklahoma Department of Agriculture (oversees rendering facilities in OK).

 

How can this material hauled down roadways in open trailers be safe? It’s not.

How can this material being dumped in a parking lot be safe for nearby residents? It’s not.

How can material like this ever be termed ‘food’ – with no warning to the consumer? This is NOT food, it is recycled waste.

For far too long, pet ‘food’ has been allowed to contain hideous waste unbeknownst to the consumer purchasing the ‘food’. This needs to stop.

 

 

Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,

Susan Thixton
Pet Food Safety Advocate
Author Buyer Beware, Co-Author Dinner PAWsible
TruthaboutPetFood.com
Association for Truth in Pet Food


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20 Comments

20 Comments

  1. Shirley Bryant

    March 16, 2018 at 3:00 pm

    This kind of crap is what Oklahomans have to live with – for people and animal food processing. Unfortunately I’m stuck here right now. Was born here in Democratic years of OK government and only moved back to help with my dying mother – and now husband is on his way out, so stuck again for a while. I wish it was only OK that had these conditions for pet food manufacturing but I’m sure it is not.

    So very, very bad and sad.

    I don’t ‘do’ any sort of social media – hope my comment makes it in, anyway.

  2. Terri Ellen

    March 16, 2018 at 3:13 pm

    I wonder what pet foods are actually using that sludge! I certainly hope there are some that don’t or would never. 🙁 so so sad.

    • Mike Porter

      March 16, 2018 at 5:28 pm

      Rendered crap is to fill the cans and bags of so called food. It a filler so it’s cheaper to make. More profit for the pet for industry, more harm to the health of cats and dogs.

    • jennifer hahn

      May 17, 2018 at 11:25 pm

      petgrade foods-purina, hills, mars, friskies, all big box brands ar epet ffeed -not food

  3. Mike Porter

    March 16, 2018 at 3:23 pm

    This got Bad under Obama and will only get worse with the current Regime. People you have to vote when the times comes. Understand the issues, know what will happen and is. This world of American Great Again, is BS, our animal companions are going to suffer as much more. When the FDA allowed pet food makers to police themselves, well that was the writing on the wall. Pet food med in the Great USA is not great if it makes your companion dogs and cats sick or dead. You have a responsibility to them to make sure you feed them responsibly and from companies who can be trusted. I am a vegan, my cats are not. They eat meat and need it to survive. Its there life that this applies too. In additional to dogs. This all means, you have to know what is in the food you are feeding your friends. Would you eat road kill? Decomposed animals, maggot covered flesh. Hell, no. But take all these animals and the parts, and throw them into a pot and cook them down. Now you have the worst of the worst. Rendered meat? by products. Rendered by companies that make a living collect the dead and making it fillers for pet food makers. And how do you know what is in the rendered slop. Who will tell you? How does pentobarbital wind up in dog food? Easy question, euthanized cats and dogs and horses. Farm animals are killed with a captive bolt. Cats and dogs are euthanized with pentobarbital. Does that sound yummy to all who by crap food. You get what you pay for. In pet foods you get more then you pay for. You get what know human would ever consume. That is one reason i don’t eat animals. Since my cats are obligate carnivores, I must see that they only get the best foods, made by the most trusted manufactures. Not many in the USA. The ones that have commerials on TV are not the good ones btw. They are part of the problem. But the real problem is allowing the FDA not to regulate pet foods. We have an uphill battle. But is starts with people who demand who say no to deregulation of things food products, especially the food your pets eat. Watch how fast the FAA comes out against an airlines that allows its flight attendants to put companion pets in the overhead bins. That is horrific news, but there are laws that regulate how airlines transport companion pets. This one person a representative of the airline, decided this. The FAA will be one this real fast. Dogs and cats die of rotting food and we don’t hear a world.

  4. T Allen

    March 16, 2018 at 4:33 pm

    Need to get an Investigative reporting, TV program involved. Media coverage is the only thing that gets attention and action. That and people dying and we’d like to stop it before that happens!

    • Pet Owner

      March 16, 2018 at 4:50 pm

      I’m sure there are 1 or 2 investigative journalists left in this Country, cowering in the corners. But the problem is, even if they write up the story, Media is owned by Big Corporations. And they couldn’t get the story beyond Advertisers. Still, this story needs to make it through Social Media at least. Which is, perhaps, the last vestige of reaching people uncensored. Well, almost.

      • Marie Way Loomis

        December 28, 2018 at 8:20 pm

        Great point! Media is censored and corporate. To social media!

    • Bob Milnover

      March 17, 2018 at 8:09 am

      This is exactly what is needed for anything to change. Getting it on the TV is a good start. Continuing to depend on the sham government “officials” hasn’t worked for years and won’t unless you publish and show the names and home addresses of the *individuals* responsible for enforcing the laws. Stop using the noun “officials.” Why would you expect anything else to work? Learn from the history of reform movements who were successful rather than repeating those who failed.

  5. Pet Owner

    March 16, 2018 at 4:33 pm

    This story appears along with 3 other suggested articles, going back to 2008. So not much has changed since 2007 reform wise. Just think, this kind of story only appears here (on TAPF). So subtract “us” from millions of consumers who never find their way here, and it’s no surprise few people care.

    If they did, they’d keep sending these links out, to the media, enforcement agencies, and for all other publicity opportunities.

    Yet a story about a puppy dying in the overhead bin aboard UA appeared on all the National News broadcasts. One dog, while millions of pets have been eating this crud for a decade. Meat by-products, bone meal, animal digest (known carcinogens). Of course, NO pet should die from ANY inhumane circumstance (and UA was tragic) but how can people express outrage in a single case, while ignoring the evidence of the PFI’s criminal behavior? And by the way, the PF manufacturing plants are making HUMANS sick!!

    Where is the conscience of people??

    They need to start facing reality, and protest this situation as a priority! Finally.

  6. Debi Cohen

    March 16, 2018 at 7:27 pm

    Are the majority of the public just ignorant to this and what they are feeding their pets, or do they not care at all? I have met so many people that feed their dogs BENAWFUL, and OLE ROY, probably old soy, anyway like politics and religion unless they ask about my dogs diets I do not say anything, I have to bite my lip not to.
    Mike you are pretty lucky in a way, I feed 3 dogs, 2 are 50 lbs, the third a Chi., but making food for them is not that much of a chore, (yes it is), but with 2 cats it would be easy, anyway that is what I would do and cut out the petfood industy altogether, I totally agree with all that you have said btw.

  7. Cannoliamo

    March 16, 2018 at 9:52 pm

    My first thought is perhaps someone can reopen this lawsuit …..

    https://truthaboutpetfood.com/wysongs-lawsuit-dismissed/

  8. Deep Search

    March 16, 2018 at 10:09 pm

    Jeez. I looked at the website, Valley Proteins Inc, and of course they claim they are environmentally conscience and clean and only produce quality products. It’s horrific that people get stuck living next to these facilitates that are obviously not healthy for the environment nor people or animals.

    According to the site it looks like the horror pile of cattle parts- guessing that’s what’s shown in the pictures – are used in feed for poultry and hogs. They have a separate entry for pet-grade ingredients, which includes poultry-byproduct and chicken meals and poultry fat. Though, of course, some pet foods do include the ingredient “meat meal.” So guessing that the parking lot carcasses could still end up in pet food. And who would trust their “premium” chicken meal if this is how they operate? Disgusting that this stuff would be fed to animals, and I get that farmed animals are just seen as commodities and not living beings, but still… Who would think this is quality food for any animal?

  9. Peter

    March 17, 2018 at 7:41 am

    If these neighbors are becoming ill as discussed, and have asked for his state and federal health officials to intervene but been deflected, then they should contact the OK state attorneys office and ask that steps begun to be undertaken to ensure that federal law be enforced. If the office refuses to help, then why not find an attorney who will help sue the office.

  10. Sparky

    March 17, 2018 at 1:37 pm

    What happened to current good manufacturing practices (cGMP)?
    “21 CFR Parts 11, 16, 117, 500, 507, and 579
    [Docket No. FDA-2011-N-0922]
    RIN 0910-AG10
    Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis, and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for
    Food for Animals
    AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS.
    ACTION: Final rule.
    SUMMARY: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or we) is adding regulations for the
    Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis, and Risk-Base Preventive Controls for
    Food for Animals. These regulations will, for the first time, establish requirements for the current
    good manufacturing practice (CGMP) for food for animals. In addition, we are adding
    requirements for certain domestic and foreign animal food facilities to establish and implement
    hazard analysis and risk-based preventive controls for food for animals. We are taking this action
    to provide greater assurance that animal food is safe and will not cause illness or injury to
    humans and animals and to implement new statutory provisions in the FDA Food Safety
    Modernization Act (FSMA). The rule is intended to build an animal food safety system for the
    future that makes modern science- and risk-based preventive controls the norm across all sectors
    of the animal food system.”

    • Reader

      March 18, 2018 at 3:04 pm

      Might’ve glossed over this except for a tiny detail which reads, The (FDA or we) is adding regulations ….” Who is “we” and why is this posting as a comment to TAPF from Sparky and not as an official communication from the FDA to Susan Thixton. Does the FDA not exchange with the website’s author anymore; heaven knows, a field of questions have been sent to the FDA. Several of which are outstanding. And while this newest effort (Food Modernization) looks to be really noble, as I understand it, PF Reform was promised a year after the 2007 Recall. Why has it (or should it) take TEN years to create a regulation for something as obvious as safety in PF and the well-being of animals? TEN years. So if it’s taken 10 years to “write” the regulation, will it take another decade to ENFORCE the regulation!? As in suspending the license of a business operation clearly in violation the law. Because if there’s no consequence attached, y’all have wasted your time.

      Apologies are offered for my being a tad skeptical (instead of appreciative as might be expected) but Susan shouldn’t really have to be posting pictures (or evidence of) an obvious failure in “best practices” by these facilities. Nor should a community of people be subjected to detrimental health conditions, just because someone has permitted an industry to have priority over the well being of tax paying citizens.

      • Marie Way Loomis

        December 28, 2018 at 8:18 pm

        I feel strongly that Susan’s posting of the pictures is crucial to getting the point across. The old saying goes, “a picture’s worth a thousand words.” I tried to publish photos in a local newspaper some years ago (2000 – before eagles started dying from eating euthanized pets that now go in much of our pet food) about the trucks of euthanized dogs and cats going to the landfill, with an article about what happens when we don’t spay/neuter and/or surrender pets. The paper would not publish it because it would offend people! I told them they needed to be offended to be shocked to their senses and find some compassion and awareness!
        Corporations have taken over the world and will continue to do so as long as we vote with our dollars. Yes, it takes a ridiculous amount of time to write a regulation because they’re largely idiots running a dysfunctional and self-interested govt. I believe only the people can made a difference, and it’s not by voting for the lesser evil. It’s by voting with our dollars and speaking up wherever we can be heard. God bless you Susan! It takes guts to speak up! We start in our own neighborhoods but we sure don’t stop there! I don’t believe govt. hears us or cares. It’s up to us and brave souls like Susan!

  11. Carole A Cerase

    March 18, 2018 at 8:52 am

    Could we all post this to Facebook? I really don’t use it much and not sure if it is legal to do so, but we need this stuff to go viral and out to the public. It seems that’s the only way things get done. When ever I’m asked what I feed my dogs, I do two things, introduce them to this web site, and then tell them I home cook, using a product that had excellent ratings on this site. I just think most people have no idea what really goes into there own food much less the pets they feed. I always thought I was feeding a good product until I became informed. What an eyeopener! I am so grateful that I now know what really is going on, most people can not imagine what goes on in the name of corporate profit.

  12. Marie Way Loomis

    December 28, 2018 at 8:09 pm

    My God! That is truly sickening but not surprising. I did have a lovely experience with a woman at the Denver, CO FDA’s office who is looking into a CBD oil for pets that made my two cats very sick. I was up all night with them. It’s made by Petabis, and the company lied to me from the beginning, claiming all the healing it would give within days! I can’t believe I bought their story, but the owner of Petabis is very convincing. So Stephanie at the FDA is an animal lover like we are and cares very much about what does on. She’s just one person, but at least that’s one who cares like we do. It’s not just pet food we have to watch anymore! It’s all things consumed by pets, as none of these companies are regulated. Of course, the FDA still may not regulate them, but at least we have one person that I know of who cares very much at the FDA. Andersons is a proven good one – got it straight from Hero’s Pets in Denver, CO – my go-to due to their strict regulations about what they will and will not sell. I asked if they’d every carry Petabis, and they said never!! Pet parents beware!

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