The Indiana Attorney General’s office has suggested through Dr. Cathy Alinovi’s lawyer for me to remove my post about the real story of what happened to her. I said “no”.
I received a phone call from Dr. Cathy, she relayed to me that the Indiana Attorney General’s office sent via her attorney a request for me to remove my post about the horrible injustice that has happened to her. I asked why? Cathy shared her attorney informed her that the accusers felt “threatened” by my post and your comments.
I told Cathy – “I’m sorry but I will not remove the story to appease the Indiana Attorney General.”
No – I will not remove that post. I will not remove the comments of support for Dr. Cathy and or any other person that stands up for what is right for animals and their humans.
This is so much bigger than one little story about a veterinarian. This is about government authorities picking and choosing who they protect. Indiana picked a small handful of people to protect/believe in with respect to Dr. Cathy’s case. But at the same time, Indiana has chosen to ignore the protection of millions of pet food consumers all across the state.
Within Indiana Feed Law is a significant piece of the evidence. Here is a quote from Indiana Feed/Pet Food law (bold added):
“IC 15-19-7-29 Adulteration of commercial feed
(13) It is, in whole or in part, the product of a diseased animal or of an animal that has died by means other than slaughter.”
Source: http://oisc.purdue.edu/oisc_rules_regs_laws.html#feedlaws and http://oisc.purdue.edu/feed/pdf/15-19-7.pdf
The above Indiana law means – that a pet food (or any animal feed) that contains the tiniest portion of diseased animal material or the tiniest portion of an animal that has died other than by slaughter, the pet food would be considered adulterated per Indiana law and per federal law. An ‘adulterated’ pet food would be required to be recalled.
Per their legal definitions, the following common pet food ingredients would be allowed to be sourced from diseased animals or animals that have died other than slaughter: Chicken/Poultry By-Product Meal, Meat and Bone Meal, Animal By-Product Meal, Animal Fat, and Animal Digest. None of these ingredients have the legal requirement to be sourced from a slaughtered animal. Specific to Chicken/Poultry By-Product Meal, the legal definition allows ground alive spent laying hens to be included. All of these ingredients are allowed to – per their legal definition (defined by AAFCO) to be sourced from diseased and/or non-slaughtered animals.
In other words – any pet food or treat that contained one or more of the above ingredients could be considered adulterated per Indiana law and federal law. Could be…that is, if the law was enforced. The State of Indiana, the Indiana Office of State Chemist, Feed Division, the Indiana Attorney General – have chosen to ignore the above law.
How many pet foods would be adulterated if Indiana enforced the law? Hundreds of different pet food and treat products covering many, many brands – ironically enough, some veterinary Rx pet foods/treats too. Pet foods and treats sold in every Indiana grocery store, every Indiana Big Box pet store, every Walgreens, every Target, every Walmart, every Dollar Store – would all be recalling pet foods IF Indiana would enforce their law.
And the sad truth is – every single state in the US is doing the same.
This is so much bigger than one veterinarian who resigned her license. This is government authorities picking and choosing who they protect. This is State and Federal law being ignored. This is Indiana, every state in the US, and the FDA all enabling industry to make billions in profits selling adulterated ingredients behind the backs of billions of pet food consumers.
Fellow consumer advocates and I are working on a plan – a plan that we can dedicate to every single person that has suffered with a sick pet or dead pet linked to a pet food/treat, dedicate to every single one of us that were ignored by regulatory authorities, and dedicate to every veterinarian that is outspoken about an industry who is allowed to violate law. We are working on it and hope to soon stand up for all of us that truly cares about the existing condition of pet food. Soon.
In the meantime…”no” Indiana Attorney General, I will not remove my post or the many comments from supporters of the truth.
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
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 3000 cat foods, dog foods, and pet treats. 30 Day Satisfaction Guarantee. www.PetsumerReport.com
The 2016 List
Susan’s List of trusted pet foods. Click Here
Have you read Buyer Beware? Click Here
Cooking for pets made easy, Dinner PAWsible
Find Healthy Pet Foods in Your Area Click Here
Athena
February 11, 2016 at 1:51 pm
So thankful for you, Susan…you are the one who is doing the right thing…
Maxine Schmidt
February 14, 2016 at 1:32 pm
What, if anything, does Dr. Cathy Alinovi wish us to do to help?
vicki
February 15, 2016 at 4:30 pm
I second that Athena!
I also admire how you and the good Doctor are Standing up to these outrageous requests!
I just wanted to add, I watched last yrs Westminster Dog Show last night, and my heart sank when I saw Purina dog food being promoted by some of the dog owners – UGH! I don’t even believe them! They are probably feeding something much healthier for such valuable animals?
And.. On the Facebook issue, all I can add is that several of my friends had their accounts suspended until they proved their identity. I don’t know if that would apply to you, but it has been going on for months, so it might be worth checking into?
As always thanks for all you do! Vicki H.
Dianne
February 11, 2016 at 1:54 pm
Wow!!!! You need a back-up plan in case they choose to apply pressure to your internet providers. Which pet food companies are primarily based in Indiana? I assume you are not located in Indiana. Have you considered going to some of the town hall meetings the candidates are holding and asking pointed questions?
Jon
February 12, 2016 at 2:37 pm
They can’t legally apply pressure to any Internet provider for posting information they find objectionable.
Dianne
February 12, 2016 at 3:44 pm
Legality doesn’t seem to be a problem for people with power.
Michelle Pippin
February 13, 2016 at 7:08 am
It certainly doesn’t!
Duncan
February 11, 2016 at 2:11 pm
Censorship! There were no threats and only a few cases that might ruffle someone’s feelings. Standing up for what one believes (and knows) is very American. Dianne is right (cover your back) but this attempt at censorship certainly hints that there is something afoot.
Mirsades McIver
February 11, 2016 at 2:13 pm
Thank you Susan for all you do and for standing up for us and our precious pets. Things just keep going from bad to worse. These things that the pet food/feed manufacturers have been trying to hide for years is coming out in the open more and more thanks to you. I’m hoping that when all this is settled about Dr. Cathy, that her license gets reinstated with a sincere apology from the idiots that caused her to resign.
I think the manufacturers haven’t seen anything yet and the voice of all the consumers are soon to be so overwhelming they will have to listen and make changes. Thank you, thank you, thank you Susan…..I can’t say it enough.
Nina Wolf
February 11, 2016 at 2:22 pm
Threatened by what? A proposed petition? Or the Truth?
Michelle Pippin
February 11, 2016 at 3:13 pm
YES!!! Truth is very scary to liars…
Marie
February 11, 2016 at 6:24 pm
And truth always wins! Bunch of bullies they are! They must not know who they’re dealing with – pet parents are like mama bears! They better be scared! Susan, your courage is inspirational! And I suspect it’s not truly over for Dr. Cathy. Just a hunch – one day they’ll all be brought to their knees and an awesome vet will be back in practice. I sure look forward to that!
darcy flynn
February 12, 2016 at 5:26 pm
Truth may always win, but oh my, we are bucking the system right now and the bullies are bucking back. When I heard that chickens were ground alive, I was shocked and met brick wall after brick wall to end this atrocity. I can’t imagine the fight Susan has has endured for so long now. They will fire at us with everything they have at every turn. Be prepared to help Susan with whatever she needs everyone!
Michelle Pippin
February 11, 2016 at 3:12 pm
Apparently those who threw stones were quite uncomfortable with stones being thrown back. Poor little liars. =) Any who, I love this article, LOVE the way you refused to be censored, and LOVE the way you turned what happened to Dr. Cathy into something good for animals. Dr. Cathy would have it no other way.
Debbie Perkins
February 11, 2016 at 3:22 pm
Thank you Susan! I am behind you 100%. Yes, the whole truth is scary to those who distort it for their own purposes.
Phyl
February 11, 2016 at 3:24 pm
Hang tough. Our “bought” gov’t has to stop taking money from big business & fully PROTECT US CITIZENS!
We have to be diligent in picking our Congress & Senate. We need to stop our representatives from representing only the businesses that feed their hungry pockets.
Carmine
February 11, 2016 at 3:38 pm
Truth has no agenda, people do.
Jeannette Calvo
February 11, 2016 at 3:39 pm
Hang in there. It’s people like you, and everyone else who joins in the fight to continue putting pressure on government agencies that are supposed to be looking out for our welfare, as well as the welfare of animals. Tell them to shove it.
Marge Mullen
February 11, 2016 at 3:39 pm
I posted this to my own facebook page and my Stablewoman’s Gazzette page. Sue if you need help in posting elsewhere just let me know.
Mirella
February 11, 2016 at 3:42 pm
Thank you for being courageous! You are a model to us!
Lynne
February 11, 2016 at 3:46 pm
You have my support complete Susan. Thank you for your work in protecting the animals.
I lost my precious little dog Lily due to the Nutro melamine contamination. I will fight for safe food for people and animals gladly. I continually post your commentaries on Facebook where I am a crossposter for animals in need of saving. I have approximately 4200 ‘friends’ on Facebook presently. All are animal lovers who need to see what’s going on in the pet food industry.
Thank you for all you do and please, fight on!
Linda Vick
February 11, 2016 at 3:59 pm
Smacks of the first shot across the bow. Can”t wait for the next move! In the meantime, Dr. Alinovi and Susan, there is an army of supporters ready to do whatever it takes to protect your right to tell us the TRUTH ABOUT PET FOOD.
Debra
February 11, 2016 at 4:00 pm
Susan, thank you for your never-ending work on behalf of our pets! What can we do to support Dr. Cathy? Go to the Indiana District Attorney, go public?
Susan Thixton
February 11, 2016 at 4:06 pm
It is really over for Dr. Cathy – there is nothing to do. But for any Indiana resident, you can complain directly to the Attorney General’s office on the state not abiding by feed law. The ingredients listed above are a clear violation of Indiana’s law and actually federal law.
Marie
February 11, 2016 at 6:20 pm
Susan, let’s ALL do that! If we bombard the Indiana Atty. General and get our friends and relatives to bombard them with the illegality of selective law enforcement along with the allowance of adulterated foods, maybe we can raise enough attention. This needs to be on the news, yet why do I suspect the stations are all owned by big business. Let’s all complain directly to the Indiana Attorney General! And I imagine there’s a US Atty. General as well? I say we start raising hell. God bless you for all you do and for saying no!! Cover up their lies – no way in hell! We love you Susan.
Linda wargon
February 11, 2016 at 9:00 pm
Why don’t we all try and have our local news stations do a report on this!
Susan Thixton
February 11, 2016 at 4:24 pm
A big thank you to everyone for your support.
Denise Moitoza
February 11, 2016 at 4:31 pm
This is a disgusting situation. I’m so happy you refused to be pressured by them. YOU GO GIRL!! Does Dr. Cathy have any recourse against these idiots? LEGAL recourse. Can she please come to California? I will take my pets to see her!! The person who filed all the false allegations needs to have her day in court and be punished for fabricating all these stories. This seriously cannot be the end of Dr. Cathy’s career.
Kathryn Smith
February 11, 2016 at 4:33 pm
Hell no don’t back down!! They know they’re wrong or they wouldn’t be hounding you!
Brenda
February 11, 2016 at 4:39 pm
Bless you for standing by what you posted, Susan. There certainly is nothing threatening in your post, but there are those who don’t care to have the truth pointed out when they are on the wrong side of it.
Caron
February 11, 2016 at 4:40 pm
What happened to freedom of speech in the U.S.?
They are bullies.
Thank you for fighting for us.
Anthony Hepton
February 11, 2016 at 4:50 pm
Susan, Dr Cathy is a wonderful advocate for animals and I am sure she will continue to be a valuable resource in our fight to get the truth out to the public.The efforts we have underway will need all the supporters we can muster in our attempt to restore a modicum of truth to the products beings sold to the public. I hope Dr.Cathy can land on her feet and get the public support she needs to continue the good fight.
Rick Ketcham
February 11, 2016 at 4:52 pm
Thank you, I send people to your site all the time. We need to stand up for what is right in pet food. I still need to get me information to you for your review.
Rick Ketcham
http://www.ocdoggiedinners.com
Pat Catania
February 11, 2016 at 5:01 pm
Thank you for standing up to the bullies. Keep up the good work, you have many, many people backing you.
Linda
February 11, 2016 at 5:04 pm
The sad truth is the American public has had its rights slowly taken away for years. The government branches nation wide who we believed were there to protect us are the ones who voted/passed laws/rules against our rights; to benefit large companies & in some cases themselves. This story (two-fold) is just one small example of what is happening to our rights, beliefs, & our beloved country. We must all step up & learn what is happening around us, what we can do to stop the increasing removal of “our rights” & support people like Susan, who is fighting a tremendous battle for us all! There have been many indication of attempts to silents her & her supporters but she keeps prevailing. THANK YOU Susan for everything!!
Dianne
February 11, 2016 at 7:46 pm
And you can be sure that when the TPP is ratified, you will lose even more rights.
Pat P.
February 11, 2016 at 5:08 pm
Susan,
You have my unceasing admiration and support. If only we had more people who were willing to stand up for what is right and honest. It is all to much of a rarity!
Without your dedicated advocacy, there would be many more animals sick and dying. As stressful as this must be for you, as with animal activists of all varieties, maintaining integrity against a corrupt system is the only way anything will change for the better. I only wish some very wealthy and powerful people would come to your aid. With so many millions of pet caretakers in this country who would be devastated to learn that there is a likelihood that they may be harming their precious animals, unintentionally, there has to be a way to spread the word, much faster and more broadly!
Do you think that there are any animal activist organizations that would be willing to join the fray?
I am so sorry about Dr. Alvinovi, but all the more reason to be determined to fight these unscrupulous and greedy monsters!
I only wish that I could be of some significant assistance.
Jill
February 11, 2016 at 5:13 pm
Susan you are a strong woman; You stand up for what you believe in and have the ability to relay it so well. I admire that so much. The consumers aware of what’s happening appreciate all the grueling hard work you have endured thru this whole process. Your website is helping non-aware consumers to become AWARE… Little by little everyday. Thank you for your time put in and efforts put out to make changes for our beloved pets.
Bob Milnover
February 11, 2016 at 5:14 pm
Congratulations on taking your stand. We have been a nation of suckers, chumps, and saps longer than we realize, or want to admit. We allow ourselves to be manipulated by words, false promises, patriotic images and high-minded ideals that are seldom realized.
Assume that elected and appointed officials are liars, half truth tellers, corrupt, and controlled by big money and corporations, and you’ll seldom be wrong. Treat that as a working principle until proven otherwise in individual instances. And you’ll seldom be wrong, in my experience.
Christine
February 11, 2016 at 5:18 pm
Huh? The “accuser” feels threatened? No guilt. No remorse for making the accusations or for ruining Dr. Cathy? If the truth is that unbearable, perhaps the “accuser” should have a Jesus moment and ask for forgiveness.
Maxine Schmidt
February 11, 2016 at 6:02 pm
This whole thing stinks. If there is anything I can do, on your behalf or Dr. Alinovi just let me/us know.
Marsha
February 11, 2016 at 6:46 pm
Keep up the great work! And who the HELL does the Indiana Attorney General think he is? Trying to push around all of us consumers looking for nothing more than the truth!
Karrie Kamke
February 11, 2016 at 7:09 pm
My cats and I thank you from the bottom of our hearts. I can’t put it any better than the others above have…..but please know you have our support! Let us know what we can do to help. Thank you again and again!!!
May
February 11, 2016 at 7:45 pm
Susan, I am so grateful for the informative articles about pet food. I do not know anyone at Facebook or in Indiana.
What can we do to help? My furst instinct was to share your letter all over Facebook, but if I sgare most of your followers will miss this informative letter (which I think is threatening). I see so many petitions for animal welfare, but they don’t appear to help much.
If you have ideas, please tell us all.
Thank you,
May
Greg Swann
February 11, 2016 at 7:53 pm
Sounds to me like Gregory Francis Zoeller, the Attorney General of Indiana has a bad case of cranial rectosis. Better see your physician quick, Greg!
Susanna Askins
February 11, 2016 at 7:54 pm
Excellent job! Stand tall!!
Leslie Kuhn
February 11, 2016 at 7:57 pm
I don’t post much anymore , but do still read everything . This stinks ! Not only did they go after Dr Cathy for questionable reasons , but then to try to scare you into editing this site & the comments ! Do they get that every time they do something illegal & stupid it will also be reported here ? Whats next , maybe they will have a book burning of Dinner Pawsible ? I would really like to know which internet out of country foreign law school their lawyers attended :{
T Stanley
February 11, 2016 at 8:04 pm
Just made my post on Facebook,maybe time for some local tv reporters,to pick up on this.
Alida
February 11, 2016 at 8:13 pm
Thank you, Susan!! In solidarity ~ Alida
Kathleen
February 11, 2016 at 10:19 pm
Awesome, Susan! The censorship has become hugely intense for anything that goes against all large industries. Frequently Facebook disappears my vaccine info posts. Had a Facebook poster tell me that her post about growth hormone in milk was deleted. And just try to tell the truth about geoengineering/chemtrails and industry’s shills come out of the woodwork.
In regard to pet food, I’m just about convinced that NO ONE should be using ANY commercial pet food by a corporation. Perhaps our time is better spent getting the word out that we should be feeding REAL food to our pets. The elite-owned corporations are hopelessly corrupt and should not be supported. Doesn’t really matter what their labels say, they will always lie and since they own/control government, they’ve no fear of repercussions. http://www.Educate-Yourself.org New World Order Here’s a great video showing some of the corruption. Exposing Big Pet Food (please consider a diet of REAL food)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RV0PSlpLrFI
Dianne
February 11, 2016 at 11:20 pm
Here is an idea, we could do a mass posting on face book. If everyone posts about it at the same time, that should get quite a bit of attention. Or there is thunderclap. https://www.thunderclap.it/guide
Leandra Little
February 12, 2016 at 12:07 am
Stick to your resolution. We petsumers are behind you 100%. When will government begin to realize that they are supposed to be representing us??? Not corporate America and big profits. Thank you for all you do and particularly for upholding the truth.
cb
February 12, 2016 at 11:06 am
Seems odd to me that the Attorney General Office didn’t contact you directly.
I’m sure you would have moderated any comment that was an actual threat so I can’t see any valid reason for you to remove anything.
Thank you for continuing to be such a strong advocate.
Jessie Frederiksen
February 12, 2016 at 3:10 pm
Woohoo, YOU GO GIRL!!! shame on that attorney idiot from Indiana, not to worry he will get his come uppance!!
Dianne
February 12, 2016 at 3:53 pm
I just reread the start of the article and note that it is the accusers who feel threatened, not the state attorney general. If I may dare, perhaps we should tone down the rhetoric against Dr. C.’s accuser. Ruining that person’s life isn’t going to help Dr. C. It certainly won’t cause them to recant.
Marisol
February 12, 2016 at 5:25 pm
From your post:
… “Chicken/Poultry By-Product Meal, the legal definition allows ground alive spent laying hens to be included.”…
what does this mean exactly?
Severely Abused Chicken/ Poultry By -Product Meal?
Disgusting.
Thank you for standing with the truth Susan!
Susan Thixton
February 12, 2016 at 6:57 pm
It was explained at the August 2015 AAFCO meeting that the egg industry – when the hens no longer produce eggs, they are of no use to the farmer. I am not sure why these birds are not slaughtered (that part wasn’t explained). The industry representative stated that slaughter is not possible for these hens. The common practice is called maceration. From what I’ve read about the process (not easy to read) birds are sucked into a tube that leads to a machine that grinds them. Industry says the practice is swift and thus not abusive. Regardless to their opinion of not abusive, those materials are non-slaughtered and are a violation of federal law and law in many states.
Dianna
February 13, 2016 at 2:35 pm
Ground alive. Because it’s swift, it isn’t abusive?? Oh-my-WORD! These precious animals can’t speak for themselves, but if they could – oh, how I wish they could. The TERROR they must feel watching those before them getting sucked in, knowing they are next! They are intelligent, not stupid. A chicken or rooster will cuddle like a lap cat when shown affection. How dare some brain dead human declare this isn’t abusive?? How do THEY know? Perhaps there’s a human volunteer willing to prove it? Bet they wouldn’t get past five feet of the opening of that tube before they changed their opinion. Grinding alive is as inhumane as it comes. It’s right up there with skinning fish while they’re alive. Sometimes I am SO ashamed of our “human” species.
Keep up the good work, Susan. You ARE making progress. Really, you truly are and I can’t thank you enough.
Marisol
February 13, 2016 at 4:44 pm
I am with you in feeling horrified for the fate of countless farm animals , big or small. The invisible suffering behind the commercial profits. It must end.
Dianne
February 13, 2016 at 5:40 pm
Those last few seconds could seem like an eternity. I bet they could check the hormone levels after to determine how much they did suffer. When I read a study that determined that fish do feel pain, I discourage anyone I know from doing catch and release fishing. If you aren’t going to eat it, don’t hunt, kill, or fish it.
Teresa JOhnson
February 13, 2016 at 7:35 pm
There’s a bumper sticker out there that reads “Speak your mind even if your voice shakes.” I think it could be up-dated to include “speak the truth”! Thank you for not backing down!!
Phyllis
February 14, 2016 at 8:24 pm
Susan, thank you for all that you do for us pet parents and our beloved pets. I so appreciate everything you’re doing for us all. What you are up against is huge, pet food corporations, government regulations/regulators, media, etc. So anything you are able to do is nearly miraculous! Blessings to you for standing up to them all. Hopefully, with all of us standing behind you, it’s not as arduous for you. If I had all the money in the world, I would happily give you as much as you needed to keep this fight going as well as my in-person assistance, but I’m just another poor slob out here who loves her fur babies and desires above all to keep them safe and healthy and happy for as long as they live. However, whatever I could do for you, research, proof-reading, administration, I would be happy to offer my services to you. Keep up the good fight and we’re right behind you to throw the next punch as needed!
Sandy Blackburn
February 17, 2016 at 1:26 pm
Yes I also was called out on my facebook post of your past article on the injustice of Dr. Cathy, because someone asked who the disgruntled employees were and I put their names down. They didn’t like that. They had people threatening to harm animals at the stable of Dr. Cathy’s vet tech. Those threats forced her to resign due fo fear. Fear of people threatening her animals and of those she cares for. I for one have nothing to fear because I know the TRUTH! I know the people behind this, I know the lies. I know how one was investigated for animal neglect with sick and dying horses in the front yard. How about the dead horse that laid for a week? What about the massive feces in the house? I have the newspaper articles. I have copies of the paperwork left on her door. I have seen the drinking in person. Yet they chose to believe tbis person. Why? They can try to threaten me, but I WILL NOT BE BULLIED!!!
Dianne
February 18, 2016 at 12:29 am
No one should be threatening to harm animals for any reason. Disappointing that people would do that.
Stacy Billingsley
February 17, 2016 at 11:30 pm
Thank you Susan for standing your ground with the Attorney General. Dr. Cathy has treated our animals for several years. I really don’t care what the others side thinks about your post or how they feel. They didn’t seem to care much about how we would feel or our animals would feel.
Nouble
March 25, 2016 at 10:43 pm
I applaud you for doing the right thing for not pulling down that article. If you did, I felt that would’ve been the ultimate betrayal to her.