PRWeb – one of the largest press release services in the U.S. has pulled our press release from the Internet about the pet food testing results after a complaint from industry. The reason – at least what I am told, because of one word in the final report. It all circles back to Big Pet Food not wanting our results public.
I paid PRWeb $200 to submit the press release. Before they would publish, they forced me to remove all pet food names from the release, and forced me to remove any specific results. I wasn’t happy about it, but I agreed.
And now, PRWeb has removed the press release from the Internet because they were informed by an industry lab – contracted by our scientists to test pet food and paid by our donations – that their name was mentioned in the report without their authorization.
Background information…
On the Alltech website is the following information:
“Alltech is a pioneer in the development of technologies to ensure the safety of ingredients that go into pet foods. Alltech’s Application and Research team focuses on developing natural solutions to ensure the quality, safety and shelf life stability of pet foods. Alltech’s Quality Assurance has developed AQS program to ensure that our technologies and solutions have total traceability. This program assures peace of mind to pet food manufacturers.”
This is the company that complained to PRWeb causing the press release to be pulled from the Internet.
If you do a Google Search for the term “Alltech” you will find the word mentioned on 1.3 million websites. If you do a Google Search for the term “Alltech Risk Equivalent Quality” mentioned on more than 1.5 million websites such as CentralPlainsDairy.com and AllaboutFeed.net. So millions of websites can state the name “Alltech” – but when a report to pet food consumers contains the name our press release is pulled.
Is this pet food politics?
Well…instead of us depending on a large press release services to spread the word, I ask everyone a favor.
Will you please forward the following press release to your local media? Television and newspaper. Post this link on your local media Facebook page – Tweet the link to them – or email them directly. Which ever you can. What was found in this testing is horrifying – serious risks to pets and to pet food consumers. Pet food consumers deserve to know about these results – no matter if industry is not happy about what we found – and are trying to stop us.
Press Release: http://associationfortruthinpetfood.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/PetFoodTestPressRelease.pdf
My thanks –
Susan Thixton
(determined) Pet Food Consumer Advocate
TNReedy
January 7, 2015 at 7:19 pm
Doesn’t surprise me Susan.Glad I quickly forwarded your original post to Illinois U.S. Senator Richard ‘Dick’ Durbin. Hope he reads it and gets involved.
Susan Thixton
January 7, 2015 at 7:27 pm
Thank you!!! Here’s hoping Senator Durbin reads the report and immediately calls FDA asking for answers.
Sharon Norris
January 7, 2015 at 7:52 pm
I forwarded the result paper to my vet. She was very interested. I forwarded it to my cat group also. I was going to forward to the local news station but the link that was on the bottom of your letter was blank except for the heading. I should have saved the open document.
Susan Thixton
January 7, 2015 at 7:57 pm
In the midst of all of this – probably because of all of this – TruthaboutPetFood.com was hacked again as well. It is being fixed right now.
Leslie Abrahams
January 7, 2015 at 10:07 pm
Susan where is the Press Release for me to forward?
Susan Thixton
January 7, 2015 at 10:10 pm
It is linked above – I just made it easier to find.
Leslie Abrahams
January 7, 2015 at 10:20 pm
OK I have it now, thanks!
Sharon Norris
January 7, 2015 at 7:57 pm
Update: I was able to recover the entire thing so I will forward it and print it out as well.
Valerie Noyes
January 7, 2015 at 8:23 pm
Susan, maybe I’m being dumb, but I don’t see the press release?
Valerie Noyes
January 7, 2015 at 8:25 pm
Never mind, sorry, I see the link. My browser has it in the same color and I just looked over it.
Michael Jones
January 7, 2015 at 8:29 pm
Unfortunately Susan you need a bigger Lawyer. Money runs this country, which most of us do not have. Sad when you think about it.
Dianne
January 7, 2015 at 8:38 pm
Do you have a tweet about this that we can retweet to the point of being viral? Or a group of hashtags to attach to our own tweets?
Susan Thixton
January 7, 2015 at 8:55 pm
GREAT idea. How about #FixPetFood – what do you think?
Dianne
January 7, 2015 at 10:12 pm
Sounds good. Any others? Do you have a twitter account for TAPF? Another good one is #consumerscare could be interpreted as consumers care or consumer scare.
I was thinking in terms of using more than one.
Susan Thixton
January 7, 2015 at 10:14 pm
Let me think on this tonight – and I’ll post on it tomorrow. Thanks Dianne. And for me Twitter is #TAPF
Valerie Noyes
January 7, 2015 at 8:44 pm
Press release sent to the ABC, NBC and CBS affiliates in Reno, NV. Will continue to look for outlets to send it to. These bastards are NOT going to suppress this information!
Leannan
January 7, 2015 at 8:45 pm
Will do. Check this out
http://www.poisonedpets.com/blue-buffalo-gets-slammed-by-a-shit-storm-of-consumer-lawsuits-based-on-deceptive-advertising-claims/
Natalie
January 7, 2015 at 9:43 pm
Good thing they can’t shut up the internet! Once something is posted, it never really disappears. I’ve already told/shown everyone I possibly can and the word is quickly spreading as they are sharing and telling others too. It’s a little too late for them to try and sweep this information under the rug!
Catherine
January 7, 2015 at 10:04 pm
Submitted to the Atlanta Journal Constitution
Working on the Gwinnett Daily Post
Jeanette Owen
January 7, 2015 at 10:15 pm
Do a UTube thing. That gets around
Dianne
January 7, 2015 at 10:30 pm
It occurs to me that if Alltech is doing work for the pet food companies and they got the results they did with the samples sent, then odds are high that the pet food companies using them have received similar results. Begs the question of what have they done with the information?
Susan Thixton
January 7, 2015 at 10:32 pm
They didn’t know what brands they were testing for us – samples were sent blind to them. I’ve wondered what the results had been if they did know what foods they were testing.
Dianne
January 7, 2015 at 11:08 pm
Well they know now.
I also posted on the Daily Show website. Even if they don’t do anything with it, anyone reading the posts to their page will see it. Maybe someone will share.
Sharon
January 8, 2015 at 2:12 am
I sent the release to my local affiliates too. Just wondering, why can’t PR Web run the press release without reference to Alltech? When I stop and think about it, if a big chunk of Alltech’s income comes from doing testing for pet food companies, I guess I can see why they are freaking out thinking their main customers will retaliate and take their business elsewhere for being affiliated with this. It may be cowardly, but sadly, money concerns usually trump more noble causes. I’m not sure shooting arrows at Alltech is worth it. Especially if your scientists will need to contract with them again for future testing, you wouldn’t want to shoot any future testing plans in the foot. Just a thought. Thank you so much for your tremendous efforts on behalf of our beloved pets!
Erica
January 8, 2015 at 7:18 am
Ive sent the press release to several local news stations in my area. I will work on more outlets to sent it to tomorrow
Sandra Cole
January 8, 2015 at 1:12 pm
Done! Sent your link & a short-sh synopsis of the story to WFAA in Dallas, Texas’ FB page. 🙂
Sharon
January 8, 2015 at 1:59 pm
I’ve sent the link out to media in my area, but it would be great to have some good verbiage to introduce the link so it gets the attention of news staff and others. Anyone come up with something compelling and to the point?!
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Vicki
January 8, 2015 at 9:02 pm
That is a complete outrage! I think you should demand your $200 refunded immediately – as you already removed the “language” as per their agreement with you! This is a breach of contract as far as I know, and I think you should contact a ( very pet loving ) lawyer! I’ve got a bad hunch you are going to need one, ASAP!
I did post this to my FB, I will also post this letter, and try to forward the report to my Congress reps here for MI. We will see if any of these “big shots” really give a crap about our poor, defenseless pets, and worse still, their own communities of people that are affected by this!
Absolute BS! Don’t let it bring ya down Susan, your a trooper, and I’m sure this can and will be “leaked” out one way or another, God Willing! People and Pet ((Hugs)) for you!
Gayle
January 9, 2015 at 9:44 am
I’d love to see the report, but it appears the link now leads nowhere. When I open the link, it’s empty. Is there a way you can forward this to me? Or point me in the direction of where it is? I work for an organization who has a pet food project underway and your report may have useful information.
Keep going! This is hard work, but our pets are worth it.
Terri Janson
January 12, 2015 at 1:11 pm
I’ve just posted the link on my facebook page as well!!!! :))))
Gayle
January 12, 2015 at 3:44 pm
Can someone let me know where I can see this press release? I don’t know how to find your FB pages where it’s posted, and the link above is empty. Thanks!
Susanne
January 14, 2015 at 10:36 am
Hi Gayle, please try: http://associationfortruthinpetfood.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/PetFoodTestPressRelease.pdf
That should work. 😉
Gayle
January 15, 2015 at 3:47 pm
Got it. Much thanks!
Susanne
January 14, 2015 at 10:33 am
Just emailed Congressman Jim Cooper, Senator Lamar Alexander and Senator Bob Corker in Tennessee!