This is the third President I’ve asked to help with pet food. Will third time be a charm?
The following is the letter I submitted to the White House website (3/17/21). Sadly it is similar to other letters I submitted to President Obama and President Trump – that no response was received from.
My letter (you are limited to 2,000 characters – it had to be brief):
Would you or the First Lady give your dogs Champ or Major a pet food or treat made with diseased, condemned animal material? Would you or the First Lady give your dogs a food or treat made by a company that used adulterated ingredients that violated federal law (Food Drug and Cosmetic Act)? Chances are, you already have.
The FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine openly allows pet food to utilize adulterated ingredients – with no warning or disclosure to pet food consumers. In April 2019 Dr. Steven Solomon, Director FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine, told pet food consumers (regarding illegal ingredients in pet food) “we do not believe that the use of diseased animals or animals that died otherwise than by slaughter to make animal food poses a safety concern and we intend to continue to exercise enforcement discretion.” (See: Regulations.gov).
When consumers requested FDA to require disclosure of adulterated ingredients on pet food labels, the FDA stated they did not believe transparency of pet food ingredient quality “would help consumers to know specifically how pet food differs from human food.”
As a dog lover, you might remember the deadly pet food recall that happened in 2007. In response, Congress (you were a member of the Senate at the time) passed the Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act including a required overhaul of pet food safety regulation ‘Ensuring the Safety of Pet Food’ section 1002 (a). Congress required FDA to complete these safety updates within 2 years (by September 2009), however FDA never completed the updates.
As significant as these issues are, it is only the tip of the iceberg. Please read our white paper here: https://truthaboutpetfood.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Regulation-of-Pet-Food-White-Paper.pdf.
There are 85 million families in the U.S. that own a pet. Each family deserves the opportunity to understand what they are feeding their pet, and the opportunity to purchase a safe pet food. Please take action for our pets.
Should a response be received, it will be shared with pet owners.
Anyone can send the President a message about pet food (or any other topic), click here for more information.
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
Become a member of our pet food consumer Association. Association for Truth in Pet Food is a stakeholder organization representing the voice of pet food consumers at AAFCO and with FDA. Your membership helps representatives attend meetings and voice consumer concerns with regulatory authorities. Click Here to learn more.
What’s in Your Pet’s Food?
Is your dog or cat eating risk ingredients? Chinese imports? Petsumer Report tells the ‘rest of the story’ on over 5,000 cat foods, dog foods, and pet treats. 30 Day Satisfaction Guarantee. Click Here to preview Petsumer Report. www.PetsumerReport.com
Find Healthy Pet Foods in Your Area Click Here
The 2021 List
Susan’s List of pet foods trusted to give her own pets. Click Here to learn more.
Linda Saslow
March 18, 2021 at 11:18 am
A great letter! Please let me know WHEN you get a respons hopefully not just a form letter.
Audree Berg
March 18, 2021 at 11:34 am
I don’t know if this will help, but I just sent this letter to Dr. Biden
Susan Thixton
March 18, 2021 at 11:38 am
Thank you. I think the more letters received about the condition of pet food – the better.
Gloria
March 18, 2021 at 11:40 am
Probably the people who screen the presidents’ mail figure this issue isn’t worth the president’s time. Sad, isn’t it? Hope this time it will be noticed and addressed.
Linda Just
March 18, 2021 at 1:17 pm
I also send an email to Pres. Biden and posted this on Facebook. I agree that it will take lots of responses for anyone to take notice and suggest others post this on their Facebook page as well.
Susan Thixton
March 18, 2021 at 1:32 pm
Thanks Linda.
Laurie Matson
March 18, 2021 at 2:01 pm
You can bet their dogs don’t eat feed grade pet food!!
T Allen
March 19, 2021 at 1:26 pm
You’d be very surprised. I bet they do!
Mooo moooo
March 20, 2021 at 5:04 pm
It won’t happen. He’s a career politician and only interested in s or whatever advances his party. They don’t care about the public. They care about votes and staying in power.
S. Hannah
March 23, 2021 at 3:58 pm
My beloved dog died after eating Origen Six Fish, a Canadian dog food. She suffered neurological symptoms and severe IBD from heavy metal poisoning. She developed a rare and aggressive form of GI lymphoma and died. At a minimum, why aren’t we requiring heavy metal testing of dog and human food? It’s such a simple request: test for lead, mercury, and cadmium.
Carol A Cerase
June 4, 2021 at 7:42 am
That was a very nice form letter you received. He skirted around your issue nicely. I’m sorry but no one in politics is going to help. He cannot help the homeless and starving people of his own country. I’m sorry but the reality is you have to take matters into your own hands and just research the food you give your furry friends as well as your own human family. I think Susan is doing a fantastic job and I support her. I trust her list and use it along with home cooking. I know that is not possible for a lot of people, that is why Susan’s work is so important to keep us informed.
Charlie
June 5, 2021 at 2:34 pm
I just sent to the white house to the president as well
PVM
June 5, 2021 at 2:36 pm
I just sent to the white house to the president as well – so many the more that sends the letter, they may do something besides talk