We have learned that at least two different State Department of Agriculture representatives – picking up a sample of pet food from a grieving pet owner whose pet just died – told these pet owners (almost identical quotes):
“You don’t have a chance to prove there is a problem with the pet food”
“You have no chance of proving this is Purina’s fault.”
Imagine…your beloved pet just died, you firmly believe their death is linked to the pet food. You do the right thing and report the death to FDA. A state feed official contacts you (on behalf of FDA), interviews you and makes arrangements to pick up a sample of the suspect pet food. Every word you speak about it, every word you type about it – breaks your heart that much more. You re-live the painful death your pet suffered over and over again explaining details to the regulatory authority. But you do it, because you want the illnesses and deaths to stop. You do it because you don’t want others to suffer the pain you and your pet suffered.
You allow someone you do not know enter your home to collect a precious sample of your pet’s food. You do not fully trust this person – but you have hope they are someone who will do the right thing for all of the pets (not just yours). You are anxious, grieving, sad and hopeful all in one moment. And then…the person you have put your trust in…crushes you with their words.
“You have no chance…”
It was almost as if their words were scripted, almost as if someone assured them these pet deaths and illnesses were “rumors”.
We have reported these individuals to FDA and to their respective State Department of Agriculture.
The states? Missouri and Pennsylvania. Both states just happen to be heavily involved in AAFCO – in other words they work side by side with Purina, Hill’s and Mars representatives.
Purina’s headquarters just happens to be located in Missouri, and Purina has a large manufacturing facility in Pennsylvania.
Both states receive significant funding from FDA – tax dollar funding. Per the government funding tracking website:
To be perfectly clear…under NO CIRCUMSTANCE should a government animal feed investigator give an opinion to the guilt or innocence of a pet food during an investigation. Their official task was to collect pet food samples from documented adverse event reports. Their official task was NOT to voice an opinion, not to dismiss the pet owners belief the food is related to their pet’s death. Their official task was NOT to defend their friends in pet food (seemingly their friends at Purina).
To any pet owner that is providing a sample of a suspect pet food during any investigation, you are helping in the investigation – do not allow an unscrupulous regulatory authority discourage you from doing the right thing. Should a regulatory authority voice an opinion similar to what has happened with this investigation, report them immediately to FDA (AskCVM@fda.hhs.gov – Attention Dr. Timothy Schell CVM Director of Surveillance and Compliance). Report them immediately to their state employer (the State Department of Agriculture).
As difficult as it seems sometimes, there are some in pet food regulatory that abide by proper procedure and are not heavily influenced by industry. They are few and far between, but they are there hopefully investigating this current issue properly.
Again – do not allow corrupt individuals in regulatory to prevent you from reporting your pet’s illness or death. In this current issue and any issue in the future, your sick or dead pet is NOT a rumor – and their illness or death needs to be reported.
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 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 2024 List
Susan’s List of trusted pet foods. Click Here to learn more.
The 2023 Treat List
Susan’s List of trusted pet treat manufacturers. Click Here to learn more.
Lorraine
February 1, 2024 at 9:50 am
I really didn’t think the dog food industry could get any worse, I guess I was wrong. It seems they have their hands in so many Government pockets that the dog food industry will never be able to be trusted.
Tina Rock
February 1, 2024 at 10:09 am
I wonder. Is the majority of the people in the regulatory agencies corrupt and bought off/bribed? Or is that a minority? The skeptic in me thinks it is the majority. So then what do we do? It seems the only thing to do is shine a light on the cockroaches.
Stephen Abarno
February 1, 2024 at 10:34 am
Hopefully so one with Integrity will be able to stop the corruption going on in governments !! You always follow the money and you see the answer…………..
Stephen Abarno
February 1, 2024 at 10:15 am
State and Federal governments are all criminals and don’t care !!! The courts do almost nothing about these problems !!!
Carol Chakeropulos
February 1, 2024 at 1:25 pm
I am so glad that i am a member… and support what you do, Susan, because it is so important that it is a matter of live or death for our furbabies. Thank you so much. These mega companies and organizations are dispicable, heartless, money hungry people.
Toni
February 1, 2024 at 1:42 pm
Better for them to tell us who they really are than to let us think someone cares.
Hope Valenti
February 1, 2024 at 5:16 pm
Look for a company with their own processing plant in the US with no serious recalls or death /sickness reports. With a long history of satisfied customers and family owned with locally sourced products. They are out there. FROMM is one company with kibble and cans made at their own plant and 5 th generation family owned.
Linda Stater
February 1, 2024 at 5:40 pm
It’s time to boycott Purina and other companies that don’t care about what they produce that hurts pets and the customer!!!
T Allen
February 1, 2024 at 6:52 pm
Is there a third party lab that will do testing on a second sample? We may need to set up a fund to help people pay for it but I don’t trust the FDA to do appropriate testing. The fact that they are saying, “you have no chance” I would hear as, “nothing will be found in this test”. Appalling behavior. 🙁
Maria Andrews
February 1, 2024 at 7:02 pm
After reading this, I’m afraid whoever picked up the food from the pet owner probably tossed it in the trash or substituted it with something else. If this is how they act, what’s to ever stop them from saying they had that particular sample tested or that they even tested it at all?
Amelia
February 1, 2024 at 9:12 pm
This is criminal! The government is criminal! All liars. Those Purina reps should have someone tell them that about someone they love. Disgraceful but not surprising. Thank you Susan for all you do.
Rikk
February 1, 2024 at 9:58 pm
DISGUSTING. How Those State Reps Could Be So Callous Is Beyond Me. They At The Very Least Could Show A Little Compassion. It’s Like They Are Made Of Stone.
!!Thank You Susan For All That You Do!!
CH
February 1, 2024 at 11:51 pm
I hope the people giving samples hold back some. It would be another tragedy if these samples were “lost” somehow…..
Karin Yates
February 2, 2024 at 2:00 am
Years ago I purchased cans of a vegetarian dog food that had what looked like an animal part in it. I sent it to a diagnostic laboratory that confirmed it was some sort of pork product. The pet food company claimed they did not use pork in any of their products.
Will Falconer, DVM
February 3, 2024 at 10:44 pm
Am I the only one needing clarity on “FDA funding” to states? Please, Susan, what’s a regulatory body sending money to a state for? Where does it go? Trying to “follow the money,” and coming up short.
Great advice to not give all the suspected food to these creeps. We may need an independent lab without a middle man “delivery boy” with zero respect or empathy.
Susan Thixton
February 4, 2024 at 11:16 am
This program that provides federal funding to states is the Animal Feed Regulatory Program Standard. It is an effort to uniformly regulate pet foods across the US. States that participate are provided funding.