We’re going to ‘The Hill’

Pet food consumer advocates are heading to Washington DC to meet with members of Congress and FDA. We are determined, things must change in pet food.

Dr. Karen Becker and myself – along with our volunteer legal council are heading to Washington, D.C. There is the possibility that another major pet food consumer advocate will join us. We have appointments scheduled with three Senator’s offices. On the next day we have a scheduled meeting at FDA headquarters. There are no corporate interests – we are going on behalf of you — pet food consumers.

I cannot disclose the names of who we are meeting with or exactly the mission behind our meetings. Big Pet Food monitors this website, I do not want them to interfere (and I’m confident they would try). Upon our return we will explain all.

But I can tell consumers this – we are serious. This is no social visit. The evidence will be presented – exactly what pet food consumers are forced to deal with because we have a regulatory system that ignores law and an industry full of law breakers.

I recently received an email from a distraught pet food consumer. She feeds a colony of feral cats along with her own pets. As she has learned many ‘truths about pet food’, she has become more and more fearful of feeding her furry family. She tries to learn as much about the ‘food’ she gives her babies as she can. She asks questions of her pet food manufacturer, but she knows they could be lying to her. She knows FDA and each State Department of Agriculture openly allows pet food to violate law. She knows that ‘Made with Real Chicken’ stated on a pet food label actually means ‘real pet food chicken’ which could be condemned chicken. She knows that because the regulation of pet food has been ignored for so long, in an instant – a lethal illegal ingredient in a pet food could devastate her family. She says a prayer each day before she feeds these animals.

No pet owner should feel this way. It doesn’t matter the price of the pet food, it doesn’t matter the style of pet food. No pet food should contain dangerous illegal ingredients. No tax dollar supported federal or state agency should allow industry to profit from illegal pet foods while deceiving consumers. If it says ‘food’ on the label, it should abide by food law. No consumer should be so concerned over a pet food to feel the need to pray for their pet’s safety before they serve a meal.

After the 2007 pet food recall, Congress initiated new laws – the Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act (FDAAA). Section 1002 “Ensuring the Safety of Pet Food” required FDA to complete by September 2009, updated pet food ingredient definitions that would include quality standards. Congress also required FDA to update pet food labels that give consumers “nutritional and ingredient information” by the same September 2009 deadline. FDA has not bothered to complete this task.

Pet food is a language all of its own. Every single ingredient in pet food has its own legal definition that is often VERY different than the same ingredient in human food. All human food regulations are public information, all pet food regulations including the legal definitions of ingredients are corporately owned – by AAFCO. For a consumer to truly understand what is in their pet’s food, they are forced to purchase the AAFCO Official Publication which costs $100 a year.

Last but not least, FDA and each State Department of Agriculture allows pet food to violate federal law. Labeling laws are ignored, ingredient quality laws are ignored. The list of laws being ignored is long and it must stop.

No food is perfect, there are risks that come with any consumption of food. But pet food is in a risk category 100 times that of human food…because…law is ignored. Pet food consumers are tax payers, pet food consumers pay sales tax on each pet product they buy, pet food consumers support the government just as any other consumer does. It’s time for government to support pet food consumers. We deserve the opportunity to walk into any grocery or any pet food retailer and buy pet ‘food’ that is legal and as safe as it’s human food counterpart. No more, no less a risk than human food.

In a few weeks, we intend to bring these issues (and more) to decision makers. We have all the bases covered; we have the nation’s #1 veterinarian addressing the many health issues pets suffer due to inferior nutrition, we have a sharp lawyer that will back us up on all legal issues, and we have a very determined consumer advocate that has several years of experience dealing with regulatory authorities (and again, we might have another strong presence join us if circumstances allow). We will be the ones climbing the steps to offices in Congress and stepping into FDA headquarters, but know – all of you will be with us.

We – all of us – are climbing ‘the Hill’ together and we won’t be told ‘no’.

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?
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The 2017 List
Susan’s List of trusted pet foods.  Click Here

Have you read Buyer Beware?  Click Here

Cooking pet food made easy, Dinner PAWsible

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