It is our first official advocacy effort; first of many. We have alerted FDA and AAFCO of our association, and asked for equal representation/involvement as other stakeholder groups are provided. And we have taken to task the jerky treats that remain on store shelves sourced from the same Chinese manufacturers illegal drug residues were found in with FDA and each State Department of Agriculture.
Our pet food consumer association is open for business. Our first task was to notify the FDA and AAFCO that we are now an official pet food stakeholder association and we are asking to be recognized as such. Emails were sent to FDA’s Margaret Hamburg, Bernadette Dunham, and Dan McChesney. AAFCO President Chad Linton also received the same notification email. Specifically with AAFCO, we asked for two positions on the Pet Food Committee and the Ingredient Definitions Committee (same as is provided to other stakeholder associations). I will let everyone know of the response when it is received.
Our Association also sent emails to FDA and to each State Department of Agriculture providing each with import documents proving the same Chinese manufacturers of jerky treats found to contain illegal drug residues are selling under various private label names. We asked each party to take swift action to remove these treats from store shelves and to begin testing all jerky treats imported from China for illegal drug residues.
Click Here to view import documents.
With the import documents…
The first section shows Del Monte Corporation (recalled Milo’s Kitchen) received “dog treats – chicken jerky” from Shandong Honva. The second and third sections show Dogswell and United Pet Group received pet chews from the same supplier as recalled Milo’s Kitchen.
Section 4 shows Hartz Corporation (withdrawn due to illegal drug residues) received pet treats from Yantai Aska Food. The remaining sections show the same manufacturer – Yantai Aska Food – shipped pet treats to numerous other private label brands.
Click Here to view letter to FDA.
Click Here to view letter to AAFCO.
Thanks to everyone for their support of Association for Truth in Pet Food. We’ve only just begun to fight!
Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,
Susan Thixton
TruthaboutPetFood.com
Association for Truth in Pet Food
Pet Food Safety Advocate
Author Buyer Beware, Co-Author Dinner PAWsible
What’s in Your Pet’s Food?
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Lynn
February 19, 2013 at 5:51 pm
Yeah! Let us boldly go where no group has gone before.
Susan Thixton
February 19, 2013 at 5:53 pm
Oooohhh! I like that Lynn!
Diane
February 19, 2013 at 9:33 pm
I have been a fan of yours since I found you during an internet search a few years back. I am so glad I can now be of some help in this effort. I have been forwarding your information to my clients as you send it out and with your hard work so many people have been educated as to the fraud that is known as the pet food/treat business. Thank you for all your hard work and dedication.
Angel Harris
February 19, 2013 at 10:08 pm
Is there any kind of recourse that can be taken against these manufacturers (specifically Purina-Nestle) for damages from allowing enrofloxacin (Baytril) in their jerky treats, but not putting a warning label on the package to not feed to dogs under 10-12 months of age?
When we first fed these treats to my pup at less then 1/2 the rec. amount, once per day (& removed any left-overs after 1 hour), he had (vet checked) excellent joints and came from OFA excellent European champion parents and was an candidate for agility. Now at age 20 months he has suffered 2 painful, major hip dislocations & 2 painful, major knee locations from just normal activity such as walking across the floor, going up the stairs at a walk, etc. He also has ‘loose’ shoulders that ‘pop’ in and out of socket quite loudly (but painlessly, thank goodness) with little pressure. X-rays & vet checks show no bone or joint problems for this to be happening, but the vet stated that the early exposure to Baytril caused permanent damage to his connective tissue & is NEVER to be given to dogs under 10-12 months old for this very reason.
It seems to me that since this is a well-known problem with this drug in dogs and it was found in chicken made into jerky for dog treats, these companies were deliberately in violation of vet guidelines.
Anniw
February 19, 2013 at 10:23 pm
typo alert!
“that we are not an official pet food stakeholder association ”
That we are NOW….
Smooches, and heartfelt thanks.
Susan Thixton
February 20, 2013 at 8:00 am
Thanks Anniw! Corrected.
Amee Rech
February 19, 2013 at 11:47 pm
VIRTUAL HIGH-5!!
Ann
February 20, 2013 at 11:44 am
I am still holding for lab testing five Waggin Train chicken jerky treats in the original package that sickened and nearly killed my 18 month old blue heeler. I have successfully filed a complaint with the FDA in Jan 2013 and informed them that I had retained these chicken jerky treats in the original package and wanted them tested, but I have never heard anything from them.
I will allow any ethical lab to test them as appropriate.
Helen
February 21, 2013 at 2:54 pm
This is great news! I hope your actions through this all will set an example to others so more and more associations can be set up to counteract all the corrupt ones in all areas, including animals and humans alike! I think this brings so much hope and new possibilities!
kim davis
February 21, 2013 at 4:06 pm
My Maltipoo died on June 19, 2012 suddendly and the only change was her eating those Wagging Train, YAMS. I also still have the bag she was eating from. It only has crumbs in it but it is something. Today is the first time I have heard about this problem. I am so upset about this. I would happy to send a sample from it.
Nina
February 24, 2013 at 3:58 pm
I can understand why there’s not more formal reporting done regarding problems with pet food – I just spent more than three hours filling in info again and again, and was just successful in filing. I’m thankful my choclab Kopper is alive – three visits to vet this week – and she was near-death on Monday. My belief is Beneful largely responsible for her problems: weak/lethargy, abdomen bloated/hard, difficulty breathing, coughing/hacking, right eye red and swollen, blood out of nose, stopped eating/drinking.
Vet found abdominal fluids, HUGE liver (@1/2 again as large as normal), anemia, etc. No tumors in chest or abdominal cavity thank God. Meds addressing liver issues and pain.
I’m praying intervention was in time and Kopper will be with the family for years to come.
Encourage persistence in filing report, as there’s seemingly no other way to notify FDA of problems.
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