Do Staff Cuts = No Regulation of Pet Food?

After FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) held a meeting with pet food industry trade groups regarding avian flu, we (Association for Truth in Pet Food) requested a similar meeting. The following is the response FDA provided today (4/2/25):

Dear Ms. Thixton:

Thank you for contacting FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM). Regarding your below inquiry, please see the following:

Special permission was obtained to discuss current approaches to HPAI with a small group of industry representatives. That meeting was held on March 21, 2025. That permission did not extend to members of the public or press. We were informed you were made aware of the outcome of that meeting, and the information has not changed.

At this time, different permission would need to be sought to have such a conversation with members of the public or press.  The Agency is currently involved in reduction in force activities, and we do not know when or if we would be able to request or receive permission to have such a meeting.

Please know we are working diligently with our HPAI response.

We ask for your patience as there is likely going to be lags in communication in the near future.

Sincerely,
CVM Compliance

---

Oversight of Pet Food/Animal Feed overall

Reuters is reporting (4/1/25) that “An employee at the Center for Veterinary Medicine said almost all the administrative staff were terminated, along with staff on the policy, legal and external communications teams. The laboratory program office told staff in an email sent on Tuesday that job cuts at the center ‘may cause significant challenges and delays,’ according to a copy of the email seen by Reuters. While staff of the laboratory network were not cut, the axing of leadership and administrative staff will bring its operations to a halt, a source said.”

Our worries…

We have – over many years – complained about FDA’s lax regulation of pet food, and FDA’s bias against some styles of pet food. We have submitted many emails and official requests (Citizen Petitions) over the years to FDA in hope to change their current (previous) regulation of pet food. Our most common request to the agency has been to stop allowing condemned animal material to be disposed of in pet food with no disclosure to consumers.

But now…we have a very different concern. The potential of no regulation of pet food. Will pet food safety be last on the list with budget cuts?

Without regulatory oversight, we are concerned that many in the pet food industry will begin to cut corners knowing that no one is there to investigate a pet food complaint or enforce regulations.

Without regulatory oversight, we are concerned that many in the animal food industry (livestock feed) will begin to cut corners knowing that no one is there to investigate or enforce regulations.

The ‘what ifs’ are daunting.

While we understand that members of Congress currently have many issues they are dealing with, pet food concerns (and human food concerns due to lack of oversight of livestock feed) cannot be ignored.

History has shown us that deadly things can happen quickly in pet food. Eighteen years ago (2007) right now, pets were dying in devastating numbers all because some were cutting corners. Within just a few months – thousands (some estimates are hundreds of thousands) of pets died. Thousands more suffered permanent kidney damage all within a very short time frame.

We encourage every pet owner to place a phone call, send emails to every one of your Representatives in Congress. Tell them do NOT forget about your pets! Tell them you want their assurance that pet food will be properly regulated, per existing federal regulations.

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 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 2025 List
Susan’s List of trusted pet foods. Click Here to learn more.

The 2024/25 Treat List
Susan’s List of trusted pet treat manufacturers. Click Here to learn more.