Graphic, horrendous evidence of pet ‘food’ ingredients and manufacturing conditions ignored by FDA.
The FDA issued a public warning yesterday (9/26/2019) regarding Bravo Packing (not Bravo Pet Food). The warning was solely about potential Salmonella and Listeria contamination of the pet food. What the FDA left out…is criminal beyond words.
The FDA warning about the pet food made by Bravo Packing – Performance Dog – warned pet owners not to feed any Performance Dog product “after a sample tested positive for Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes (L. mono).” The FDA warning details the potential risks to humans and pets from pathogenic bacteria such as Salmonella and Listeria – paragraph after paragraph of bacteria ONLY warnings.
The FDA warning did not tell or warn pet owners about the horrendous conditions at this pet food manufacturing facility, or the horrendous ingredients used by and sold by this company – that FDA is well aware of.
But Mollie Morrissette didn’t ignore those concerns as FDA did. On the same day as the FDA warning, Mollie Morrissette posted graphic images and details of a pet food manufacturer, a pet food ingredient supplier, and a veterinary school provided by a whistle blower exampling the horrors of pet food the FDA continues to ignore. As it turns out – Salmonella is the LEAST concern.
The graphic images of the PoisonedPets.com post will not be shared here, Click Here to read the post and view the images. Warning in advance – they are very disturbing.
A material hauler to Bravo Packing provided PoisonedPets.com pictures of maggot filled dead animals – actually maggot filled dead animals euthanized at University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, stored in the PA Veterinary School’s maggot filled cooler room. The maggot filled euthanized animals are picked up in an un-refrigerated truck and transported to Darling International – a rendering company that supplies ingredients to pet food.
Open barrels of euthanized animal intestines – also filled with maggots, also inside the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine cooler room, also destined for pet food.
As well, pictures were provided of sick, downer cattle laying on the floor next to a dead horse – inside a building of Bravo Packing. Certainly sick – skin and bones horses are standing in a field next to dead horses on the ground on the property of Bravo Packing.
The ‘manufacturing’ facility walls were stated to be filled with rat holes.
TruthaboutPetFood.com is told that Bravo Packing makes pet food for other manufacturers too. If you provide your pet with a product in packaging or with labeling anything similar to the Performance Dog product below – call the company to ask if ingredients are sourced from Bravo Packing.
Unfortunately, there are potentially hundreds of other facilities just like Bravo Packing all across the US. All picking up sick, downer, euthanized, maggot filled animals/animal parts and delivering them to rendering facilities or making pet food directly from this waste.
And the FDA’s only concern with all of this? Salmonella.
Why?
Because FDA openly allows pet food to contain maggot filled euthanized animal intestines, maggot filled euthanized animal carcasses, dead, diseased, or downer animals. And – the FDA doesn’t believe pet owners should be told if their pet food contains maggot filled euthanized animal carcasses.
FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine Director Dr. Steven Solomon’s statement to AssociationforTruthinPetFood.com – April 30, 2019:
“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…”
Dr. Solomon’s response to ATPF regarding disclosure to pet owners of waste ingredients in pet food – April 30, 2019:
“we do not plan to issue pet food standards of identity…we are denying your request.”
“Enforcement discretion“. Those two words are the foundation of many pet owner nightmares. The nightmare of NOT KNOWING which pet food is using maggot filled euthanized animals or which pet food is using sick downer animals because FDA is choosing “enforcement discretion” of law.
Tell the FDA to STOP allowing diseased animals or animals that died other than by slaughter in pet food, tell them to STOP enforcement discretion. Email the agency at AskCVM@fda.hhs.gov.
Tell your Representatives in Congress to STOP FDA’s “enforcement discretion” of pet food. If you are brave enough to look at the pictures provided on PoisonedPets.com – send those pictures to your Representatives demanding this horror to stop. To find your representatives in Congress, Click Here.
This will not stop without our efforts. PLEASE send your emails.
My thanks to Mollie Morrissette of PoisonedPets.com for bringing this horrific issue of the lack of enforcement of law in pet food to light.
Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,
Susan Thixton
Pet Food Safety Advocate
Author Buyer Beware, Co-Author Dinner PAWsible
TruthaboutPetFood.com
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~ Pet Owner ~
September 27, 2019 at 2:39 pm
Every time I read about these “meat haulers” makes me back off of feeding a raw diet again.
You know that it’s not confined to any one area of the country. But probably gets slipped in to products all the time. Beginning to think the only assurance we could ever have on these products is “species testing” to insure there’s no dog or cat DNA in the food. Not sure I trust any manufacturer anymore. If using raw meat, it really should come from a local area ranch / butcher who can vouch for their food.
Other than that, use human grade ground beef or chicken added to Sojo’s Premix (supplement). Add some eggs, organ meats occasionally.
We’re really running out of options.
Debbie
September 27, 2019 at 4:44 pm
Raw diet? You think a raw diet is the problem? No, it’s in every bag of kibble, canned or any pet food being sold on the shelves. You buy human grade food or a pet food company that specializes in raw diets that you 100% trust.Sojos mix? that’s not the answer either. You need to select your own SAFE supplements and add them in yourself. Don’t trust a company to do it for you.
Casey
September 27, 2019 at 3:23 pm
Horrific.
Debbie
September 27, 2019 at 4:46 pm
My thoughts too. This is unacceptable. FDA are the very worst people. They need to all be hauled out of office and start with a new SMART team of people. Not corrupt greedy you know whats. This crap happening and dumping it into our pets for garbage waste, infuriates me.
~ Pet Owner ~
September 27, 2019 at 5:31 pm
With so much turmoil in this country, people bashing each other over their own opinions.
And the only ones who go completely under the radar, who NEVER get hauled into any kind of criminal investigation, are the cruddy people allowing actual garbage and companion animal carcasses in “pet feed.”
And sadly, they never will be.
Batzion
September 27, 2019 at 3:48 pm
Wrote to the FDA and my Congressman, Danny Davis. I included the link to the horrific photos and asked him to introduce legislation to investigate the FDA’s negligence.
Thank you, Susan, for letting us know.
Rose Coveney
September 27, 2019 at 7:22 pm
What I would like to know is who in government allows the FDA to be headed and run by former CEOs of Monsanto. They poison our food so what is to stop them from poisoning Pet Food? WHO puts GMO producers in the FDA positions?
Deep Search
September 27, 2019 at 7:48 pm
“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…”
I don’t know how anyone could pretend to believe that. But I guess they think the benefits outweigh the risks and there’s more money to be made by using byproducts that can spread disease over limiting the use of slaughter waste and sick animals as feed ingredients. Using diseased and downed animals in food fit for human consumption is prohibited exactly because it does pose a health risk, right?
And what on earth is going on at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine? I’m not in a medical field or anything, but if I went to vet school I’d assume disposing of dead animal parts/bodies wouldn’t involve… That. It sounds insane that they have a “cooler room” so filthy, filled with biohazardous waste and corpses, that it’s exploding with maggots. I would’ve thought this was an exaggeration if I hadn’t stomached a peek at the photos of this horror show.
Terry
September 27, 2019 at 8:18 pm
I am beyond sickened. The FDA does nothing because it’s in the politicians and lobbyists pockets.
Tina
December 10, 2019 at 2:56 pm
Hi Susan, After this post of yours, I sent a message to my representatives — I am a resident of Nevada (one of the states that does not send reps to AAFCO meetings) — & heard back from the office of my state Senator, Jacky Rosen. The legislative correspondent who called & emailed me wanted to know more about AAFCO pet food definitions not being free & open to the public, & about 4D meat FDA enforcement discretion in pet food. Earlier today I had a 13-minute phone call with Rosen’s office. I have also emailed the correspondent about 2 dozen related links, many from this website. There was a question that came out of all this that I am confused about & hoping you can clarify for me (I will convey it back to Rosen’s office too): are there pet food definitions that are not in the AAFCO Official Publication for $120 that the FDA says is “trade secret & confidential commercial info”? Or are all pet food ingredient definitions contained within the $120 AAFCO OP? Thank you very much
Susan Thixton
December 12, 2019 at 7:59 am
No – there are no public definitions of pet food ingredients. All are owned by and copyright protected by AAFCO with the exception of a few ingredients that are considered GRAS (generally recognized as safe) by FDA – BUT…those GRAS definitions are not easily found for the public and again, there are only a few minor ingredients that are GRAS.