The Best and Worst of Pet Food in 2012

This has been a busy year for pet food, sadly most of the news is bad news for petsumers.  Remembering some of pet food 2012.

At the January 2012 AAFCO meeting, the FDA previewed their pet food safety video.  They asked for feedback, I responded.

The FDA video…

My response video…

In February, the Chinese imported jerky treat madness escalated when Senator Sherrod Brown asked FDA to “step up its investigation”.   Month after month during 2012, news stories of more sick or dying pets continued.     At years end, we learned the average is more than one dog died per day from the Chinese imported jerky treats – as reported to FDA.  And at years end, we still have no resolve to the illnesses and deaths.

April 2012 was a busy pet food month.  On April 6, 2012 Diamond Pet Food announced a recall of one variety; Diamond Naturals Lamb & Rice.   As the weeks progressed, this recall involved many major brands of pet food and sickened 49 humans and countless pets.  In May, the FDA released their preliminary inspection report which found the Diamond Gaston, SC plant failed to properly maintain equipment (among other things).

April was also the month the first lawsuit filed over jerky treats imported from China.  The first of many we can be certain.

And in April 2012, we initiated our Pledge to Quality and Origin campaign.  By years end, we received the Pledge from 13 pet food/treat manufacturers.

May 2012 brought us news a second Diamond pet food manufacturing plant – this time Meta, Missouri – was found to have produced a Salmonella recalled food.  Plus we learned pet food made at this plant was packaged over a month after manufacturing with no clue to how the food was stored.

In July, we learned the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) would take a vote (in August 2012) to “discourage” the feeding of raw pet food.  This unbelievable move by AVMA caused thousands of outraged petsumers to speak out – to deaf ears.  At the beginning of August, AVMA ignored the available complete information and passed the raw feeding ban policy.

August 2012 brought the second AAFCO meeting of the year and some proof AAFCO isn’t consumer friendly.  The January 2012 AAFCO meeting I was invited to participate on specific pet food committees, in August they changed their minds and removed me from those committees.   Though there was one funny incident at the August meeting…the representatives of the Pet Food Institute didn’t take kindly to me sitting close to them; they got up and moved across the room when I sat down next to their chairs.

Also in August, the powerful consumer advocacy group Food and Water Watch began helping petsumers to find the cause of the illnesses and deaths related to the jerky treats imported from China.

In September 2012, TruthaboutPetFood was provided with some self explanatory pictures – taken from inside a Purina Pet Food manufacturing plant.

Also in September we learned of the FDA’s approval of a new Compliance Policy that allows pet food to make claims to treat or cure a disease; something that only drugs have been provided in the past and that with extensive clinical testing and trials.  No human food is allowed to make ‘cure’ or ‘treat disease’ statements (an apple a day keeps the doctor away), but pet food can.

And September brought us news that almost 50% of pet foods are mislabeled.   And by the way, no recall has resulted from this testing.

October brought a story that shocked many; most fish caught all over the world is processed in China.

We end 2012 with no resolve to five years of Chinese jerky treat investigation, no improvements to pet food regulations, no petsumer friendly ingredient definitions or pet food labeling requirements, and no national veterinary organization that openly puts pet health over the interests of contributors.  When petsumers have begged (or screamed) for support, few have heard our pleas.  Not the best year for pet food safety.

Here’s hoping for a better 2013.

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

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 2500 cat foods, dog foods,  and pet treats.  30 Day Satisfaction Guarantee. www.PetsumerReport.com

2013 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