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More have attacked our pet food test results. I have a few things to say to those doubters…

More have attacked our pet food test results. I have a few things to say to those doubters…

First and foremost – our project was paid for by consumers and the results were presented to and for consumers. No – this was NOT a study. We tested pet foods and we published the results of that testing. It was not a study, it was test results.

Pet food consumers are given little to no quality of ingredient information on pet foods – we are asked to trust the regulatory system. Pet owners are rarely given unbiased information of pet food from their veterinarian – we are asked to trust their knowledge (perhaps obtained solely from a pet food sales rep). Drugs, flea medications, toys, everything – we are expected to put our trust in someone else. But when the shoe is on the other foot – when consumers publish test results – where is your trust of us?

No where to be found. We are condemned that our “study” was not peer reviewed, that it wasn’t in proper format, that ‘they’ need more information to trust what was found.

I ask all those that don’t trust our pet food test results…

Did you donate to help fund this testing?

Do you think it is acceptable for feed grade ingredients to be sold as pet ‘food’?

Do you believe that meats in pet food should be sourced from diseased animals or animals that have died other than by slaughter? If so, can you provide peer reviewed research to prove this waste is healthy for pets to consume? If so, can you provide peer reviewed research to prove these waste ingredient pet foods are safe to bring into consumers homes? If you don’t believe diseased animal tissues are suitable meats for pet consumption, what are you doing to try to prevent such waste in pet food?

We get it. You don’t trust us. We are expected to trust you and the waste ingredient feed grade pet food you pitch, but you don’t trust us. We are expected to trust your peer reviewed science that in most cases was paid for by Big Pet Food, yet you don’t trust our consumer funded science. What a pity. Well…that’s ok…because we trust each other. We trust our peers – fellow pet food consumers. We trust those veterinarians and pet food manufacturers that understand feed grade ingredient pet food is not food. We trust our pets – we’ve seen first hand the changes in their health when we changed to ‘food’ pet food (not feed pet food). And we trust our own common sense. Because it is simple common sense that pet food made from diseased or decomposing animal tissue or left over biodiesel grains is not real food or healthy for any animal to eat.

To read some of the latest bashing…
http://pawcurious.com/2015/01/the-truth-about-pet-food-research/
This guy makes a big deal out of not believing the mycotoxin, nutrient and bacteria results because the testing methodology was not provided. But…and this is significant…for some reason he DID believe the testing when we found no melamine or euthanizing drugs. In other words – he hand picked what he wanted to believe of our testing. The bad results, non-believer because we didn’t provide the methodology – the clean results, believer even though we didn’t provide the methodology. How convenient.

https://weethnutrition.wordpress.com/2015/01/11/the-importance-of-peer-review-or-how-to-spot-a-huckster/
In this one I’m referred to as a huckster. This veterinarian stated in an interview on Pet Radio Show that “every commercial dog food meets the nutritional requirements set by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), therefore they are all the same with none having a nutritional advantage over the other.” And “Dr. Weeth went on to say that corn and grains are easily digested by canines, pose no health risk and are a good source of protein. She sees no reason for a preference of foods containing animal protein over plant protein.” And I’m the huckster?

On the flip side – click here to listen to an interview with my Canadian Pet Food Safety Advocate friend Rodney Habib – (he’s a pet owner…so you’ll like his interview with Tristan Flynn on Canadian radio).

And lastly I leave you with this image sent to me via Twitter by Piers Smart (in the UK). A perfect message to our doubters.

Foodisnotmedicineimage

 

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

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Susan’s List of trusted pet foods.  Click Here

 

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19 Comments

19 Comments

  1. Ann*

    January 17, 2015 at 12:28 pm

    Well said Susan!! Too bad you have to waste your valuable time responding to these ulterior motivated cranks. The same thing happened when we pet consumers complained about the poisoned China chicken jerky killing and sickening our pets. A few cranks posted outrageous comments as to how we had done something wrong in our feeding of them (without any facts to support these false statements) and how their pets missed the jerky treats and how wrong it was to pull them off of the shelves. A few even demanded they be put back on the market or asked where they could buy the recalled treats to buy at a discount to feed to their pets.
    These crank style comments become so irrational and outrageous that I have to believe these people are being paid or somehow benefiting from the very manufacturers who make the products. If not, they are so far out in left field that we sometimes have to grit our teeth and hope most fair minded rational people don’t buy into their desperate challenges.

  2. Valerie Noyes

    January 17, 2015 at 12:54 pm

    They’re grasping at straws because they’re afraid of what was found and that pet parents might actually learn the truth after all these years of their lying and deceit. Peer reviewed? How ridiculous. It was testing. If you go to the hospital and they run blood and urine tests on you and give you the results do you ask if it was peer reviewed? If it was a proper “study” and in the proper format? Such nonsense.

  3. Catherine

    January 17, 2015 at 1:42 pm

    I think my 16 year old put it best after I read her your articles, she said: “Haters gonna hate…”

  4. Jane Eagle

    January 17, 2015 at 1:56 pm

    “Because it is simple common sense that pet food made from diseased or decomposing animal tissue or left over biodiesel grains is not real food or healthy for any animal to eat.”
    Susan, you are brilliant. I always wish I could afford to send financial support; but as a disabled senior/dog rescuer, I live on a shoestring. Since I can’t send money to help with this crucial work, I publicize your articles widely in social media, emails, and conversations, on hopes that others will (send donations). Dogs are my life (cats sneak in, too), and I don’t waste my time reading or listening to people who are stupid (grains are a digestible source of protein????). I DO read everything I get from you, and share the info.
    I had been buying Wellness Core on occasion; after reading the results of this study, no more kibble! It is totally clear that as consumers who care about our furkids, we cannot trust any dog food manufacturer, most vets, or the FDA. My dogs will get nothing that is not HUMAN GRADE food. I have been telling people that I realized a while back that the best price I have found on what i previously thought of as “acceptable” brands is about $2.09 per pound, on sale. That’s when it finally hit me: I have been paying over $2 a pound essentially for garbage in a fancy bag! And that I can buy my dogs fresh meat for less than that! SO I have been researching raw food sites for info on what dogs need; and have suggested to anyone who will listen that they can just make a large pot of veg stew (no onions, mushrooms, or nightshades), put it in containers to freeze, and then add that to meat, either cooked or raw. Once you get into the habit, it really is not much more effort than buying garbage. This may not meet AAFCO standards, but at least it’s safer than the garbage we are sold! People who do not know that I have switched my dogs to homemade food comment on how great my dogs look, and how they seem to be doing better as they age!
    I shared the study results with one friend who had been buying Wellness. She wrote and asked them about their product. You will hardly believe this, but they wrote back:
    Thank you for taking the time to write us here at Wellness®. Quality is very important to us here at Wellness. We have rigorous quality and safety requirements throughout our manufacturing process as well as regular audits before, during and after production to continuously track product quality from ingredient to final production. All Wellness natural pet food products are safe to feed and have been tested by third party laboratories to verify all GA claims, as well as all AAFCO requirements. Additionally, raw materials and finished product have been tested for numerous quality and safe data points, including but not limited to, mycotoxin and salmonella screens.
    To learn more about our quality standards please visit the following link: http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/quality-assurance.aspx
    As always, we’re available for any additional questions you may have. Please call us at (800) 225-0904, our representatives are here Monday through Friday, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm, Eastern Time.
    Thanks again for contacting us.
    WellPet Consumer Affairs Team
    Can you imagine that they would not admit in writing that they are selling hazardous garbage?
    It is seriously pathetic that we pay the FDA and our vets and the pet food manufacturers to lie, neglect, bamboozle, and ignore us.
    Susan, I know that through the work you do and the information you share, you save more dogs and cats than probably any rescue or animal protection society. Thank you.

  5. Wolf

    January 17, 2015 at 2:21 pm

    We do trust each other, and we trust YOU. The inconsistencies are glaring when it comes to AAFCO and FDA stances on what they accept and what they don’t accept as fact, science, or evidence.

    As any good crime fighter will tell you: follow the money, you find the perp.

  6. Mandy B

    January 17, 2015 at 2:40 pm

    We trust you. We trust the test results. If we stop feeding our animals these foods, then maybe the pet food manufacturers will start listening. I’ve fed Wellness for 7 years. Because of these test results, I am transitioning my cats to foods from your 2015 “safe” pet food list and homemade food only. I’m sure many others are doing the same.

  7. MC

    January 17, 2015 at 3:04 pm

    Thank You Susan, and all involved, in this study and all that you do at Truth about Petfood, you all have really opened my eyes and changed the way that I feed our cats. What you state is so clear, direct and full of common sense, and with the practice of these days of ‘outsourcing’ everything to C***a… How sad that we are becoming so accustomed to substandard everything that so many are unable to see the huge disservice we are doing to ourselves and our pets health, all in the name of the almighty dollar, that many don’t question the ‘where and how’ of how ‘meat’ is provided for pet food… “Buyer Beware’ mentality was never so needed as it is now…

  8. Mel

    January 17, 2015 at 3:55 pm

    Plain and simple. They are scared. They HAVE to try to discredit you. If they don’t, people may believe you and they will lose money. They know you are right, and rather than change the way they do things, they will try to change peoples minds. They know pet parents are getting more educated and demanding better. Your research means pet food companies aren’t doing well enough in providing for pets. And if more pet parents read and believe your stuff, they will lose money.
    Remember, the almighty dollar is more important then the health of our pets.

  9. Allison S

    January 17, 2015 at 3:55 pm

    Very well said. I think the most important point that these “haters” are missing is that regardless of technical “study” processes, peer reviews etc., the fact is that there is NO REASON for these dangerous and disgusting toxins to be in the food. The rebuttals, particularly from Ms. Entis, really emphasize the arrogance and downright refusal to admit that there is NO REASON for qualifying pathogens, associated with hospital-acquired infections to be present in PET food. THIS is the point everyone should be focused on. And I think we (consumers and pet owners) deserve an explanation. THANK YOU to everyone who was involved in making this happen. Ignore the haters – THE TRUTH HURTS!!

  10. Peter

    January 17, 2015 at 5:10 pm

    Frankly, the attention you should take as flattering.

    I think the following, from the PetFood Industry magazine, is relevant. In discussing the upcoming “Regulatory Landscape” of pet food manufacture: “… 2015 and beyond may be a struggle for some in the industry to remain compliant with the Food Safety Modernization Act, and in the eyes of pet parents and pet food peers, nontoxic, contaminant free and safe.” And, tellingly: “…much of the pet food safety system will be built with input from pet food manufacturers and guidance from organizations such as the Pet Food Institute (PFI) and the American Feed Industry Association (AFIA).”

  11. cathy

    January 17, 2015 at 5:27 pm

    you are my hero. you and Dinesh D’Souza and Edward Snowden.

  12. Teresa Johnson

    January 17, 2015 at 5:36 pm

    I’ve come up against sooo many “doubters” in so many areas of my life. It’s sometimes difficult to maintain an air of diplomacy. I applaud you, Susan. Speaking for myself and my rescue hedgehogs, Thank You and keep up the Good Fight!!

  13. Beth VanDusen

    January 17, 2015 at 5:58 pm

    Well said Susan! Thank you. That’s exactly how I feel too.

  14. Marilyn Caruso

    January 17, 2015 at 8:03 pm

    I am so grateful to you for staying in this fight as long as you have. I am 80 and still working full time, but you are doing
    So much more good for all of us, I dont know how to put it into words.

  15. Pingback: The Truth About Pet Food's Pet Food Test is In - Doberman Forum : Doberman Breed Dog Forums

  16. B Dawsno

    January 18, 2015 at 4:39 pm

    I have a couple of questions about the bacteria tests.

    Since the methods are not listed or cited as footnotes, I will assume that the test labeled “Bacteria found in pet food” that then delineates the genus of bacteria were cultures grown out on media of some sort. If that is the case, how is that possible in canned pet food?

    Canned food must be processed to an internal temperature of 212F for 30 minutes. By way of comparison, steam sterilization – 110F for 30 minutes – is the lab standard to destroy bacteria. Most all canned food is processed in the can so contamination after heating is unlikely, though not impossible. The possibilities I see here are:
    1) the canned food was improperly processed at the plant, OR
    2) the food came from a compromised can – damaged or improperly sealed, OR
    3) the samples were contaminated in the lab.

    The canning process is designed to kill pathogens so what happened here? The time it takes to move pet food from the plant to the warehouse to the store is usually a few months, sometimes as long as 6 months. Any can that was improperly sealed or left the plant with live bacteria due to improper processing should have been obviously spoiled.

    I’m also curious about Dr. Dodd’s procedures and why these pathogens were selected for testing. My microbiology starts breaking down a bit here so forgive me if my memory is faulty, but Halomonas are saltwater anaerobes and the other two are mostly associated with water or at least wet conditions as well. Am I to conclude these organisms are coming from fish proteins or possibly contaminated “water sufficient for processing”?

    Thanks for any additional information you can provide.

    Ms. B Dawson

  17. Terri Janson

    January 19, 2015 at 12:20 pm

    WAY TO GO SUSAN!!!!! 🙂

  18. Sandra Cole

    January 22, 2015 at 12:10 pm

    I think it’s utterly ridiculous for Dr. Weeth to state that corn & grains are SAFE for dogs. I’ve had my dog tested for allergies and guess what?! He’s allergic to just about any grain there is (and even the non-grain starch “potato”) as well as corn, soy, and a ton of other things (like shrimp & tuna).

    I’ll be testing any pet I ever have for allergies as soon as they join our family in the future. For this guy, it took me about 5 years to “get a clue” and have him tested. Now I’m wiser and he no longer has any issues. The picture of health!

    Just like not all people’s dietary needs are the same, not all dogs’ dietary needs are the same. Shameful that such a “blanket statement” like that is going to be believed by so many. Those poor pups.

  19. darlene fox

    January 26, 2015 at 8:48 pm

    your reply was awesome! you made some very straight forward points. if there was a debate on any topic whatsoever and you were on one side, i certainly wouldn’t consider being on the opposite side. i’m sure these letters from doubters that are trying to make the test result sound questionable must surely irritate you. but you handled your response gracefully and intelligently. plus you have persevered for how long has it been? nearly 8 years? anyone who knows anything or thinks they know anything about pet food should know your name by now and know that they are not going to intimidate you or deter you. and it is almost humorous that they can doubt your test results but for most likely many years have never even thought to question what is written and or shown on a pet food label. most if not all big pet food companies are in it for one reason and one reason only… the money. they are going to cut corners when they think they can. and apparently they can all too often which can mean that they might be selling something of a lower quality that what they let the public believe. oh silly me, they wouldn’t do something like that now would they?

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