Pet Food Ingredients

Pet Food Revolution

I watched Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution television series in disgust of this country’s food system. As well, I couldn’t help but be burdened that school food, that Jamie was highlighting (in this episode), is ten times better than most pet foods. How can pet food get a voice?

Susan Thixton

Published

April 8, 2010

If you didn’t see the episode, I encourage everyone to watch the show. The first episode is available online here: http://abc.go.com/shows/jamie-olivers-food-revolution

Jamie Oliver truly seemed to care – to honestly give a … – that people are being killed by the food they eat. His struggle to be heard is something I can relate to.

At least the desperate issues Oliver is trying to spotlight got a series on television; at least some are learning how really terrible things are ‘out there’. Such is not the case with pet food.

Do you realize that absolutely nothing has changed since the 2007 pet food recall? When the next deadly recall happens is simply a matter of time. It’s not ‘if’ – it is when. It will happen; absolutely nothing is safer in the pet food industry today than it was in 2007.

Please consider these insightful words sent to me from a very concerned pet owner…
In her disgust with the pet food industry, she stated that pet owners these days are not surprised to hear a cancer diagnosis or a diabetes diagnosis for a pet over seven years of age. It seems to be believed by many that cancer and diabetes is associated with age; almost expected with age. This pet owner shared that she even purchased pet health insurance just for that very reason; she herself expects that diagnosis despite knowing it should not be this way.

This is crazy!

Cancer or diabetes or any other serious illness should never be expected with a pet after age seven. Seven years of age, unless it is a giant breed of dog, shouldn’t even be considered senior – never the less disease prone. Does anyone remember the day when pets died of old age – AT an old age? I do!

Almost two years ago I lost my beautiful German Shepherd Gunner at almost 14 years of age. He was 100 lbs, only slightly arthritic, on no medications, no prescription dog food. He ran after the tennis ball (his favorite game) up until a couple of days before he died. He had no cancer, no diabetes, no illness. He just wore out; he died of old age. Large breeds of dogs don’t live as long as smaller breeds; for a 100 lb dog he lived a very long and healthy life. Guess why? Good food! Why this is a rare occurrence instead of the norm is absurd.

Do you realize…At this rate, within a few years, four years of age could be considered ‘senior’ for dogs over 50 lbs. Smaller breeds could be lucky to live to seven or eight. At this rate it could become common for cats to be diagnosed with kidney disease at two or three and expected lifespan could/will be only six or seven years old.

And soon, if things don’t change, pet owners will be lining up Fido’s and Fluffy’s pills in the little Monday through Sunday boxes just like what many people have to do each week.

I used to volunteer at my vet’s office when I was a kid; anything I could do to be around animals was fine with me. I grew up to work with animals owning a boarding kennel and dog training facility. Today I converse with pet owners from all over the world about pet food. In other words, I’ve worked with pets for the past 40 some years. Never have I seen the diseases that are considered common today.

So tell me, what should we do?

There are millions of pet owners out there that don’t have a clue they are feeding their dog or cat a food that contains diseased animals or rendered euthanized animals or risky chemicals. But how do we reach them? How do we force the government agencies that continue to allow this to happen to stop?

How do we raise the funds necessary for this Pet Food Revolution? Do we need corporate sponsors to raise funds to implement a public awareness campaign? If so, should those corporate sponsors be the good guys of pet food (companies that use NO by-products, No ‘animal fat’, ‘meat and bone meal’, ‘meat meal’, ‘animal digest’ ingredients, No chemical preservatives, and/or other risk ingredients) or should sponsors be non-pet food related?

I would sincerely like your thoughts. I have not won the lottery, thus financially I cannot finance this effort alone.

Here are some of my ideas…
We (ok, perhaps me) need to go directly to the FDA and CVM offices with a video camera right behind us and asking how they can keep allowing pet food to violate the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act Laws. I think we need to go to every office in Congress (again with video camera) and directly ask each member why they allow the FDA to ignore Federal Laws. I firmly believe we need clear scientific evidence that rendered euthanized dogs and cats do indeed become pet food ingredients. Carnivores forced to become cannibals certainly must stop. I think we need to put public pressure on the AVMA to stop veterinary school allegiance to any pet food brand; bought and paid for veterinarians do pets do no good what so ever.

I would also like to see a Pet Food Revolution show similar to what Jamie Oliver is doing. I have an idea for this – not nearly on the same scale, but still an idea that could be effective. Any thoughts on this would be appreciated as well.

What do you think should be done? What can be done to get pet food – our pets – the attention it/they deserve? What actions need to take place in order to force change?

Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,

Susan Thixton
Pet Food Safety Advocate
Author, Buyer Beware
Co-Author Dinner PAWsible
TruthaboutPetFood.com
PetsumerReport.com

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