This past week – pet food consumers made history. We reached (and surpassed) our first goal of $10,000 to test pet food.
It is such a remarkable achievement. I’m so proud of all of us.
As of this moment – we have raised $10, 602.00 from 108 pet food consumers. But please know – just because we have reached our initial goal – we aren’t done. If you haven’t donated and would like to – this campaign will remain open for donations through June 6, 2014. And again – all money will go towards purchasing products, shipping, and testing/laboratory charges. All results – negative and positive -will become public information including product names. The more money raised, the more pet foods we can test.
A variety of pet foods will be tested – selected randomly. Equal numbers of cat foods and dog foods, some kibble, some can, some fresh, some frozen. Some foods will be of grocery store quality, some foods will be pet boutique quality. Some foods will be prescription. Our testing is not out to ‘get’ any particular manufacturer – our goal is simply to discover if pet foods manufactured and sold in the U.S. and Canada contain risk and/or illegal ingredients. We are testing pet food solely for the protection of consumers and their pets.
I’ve got a great deal of work ahead of me. I want everyone to know, I take this responsibility very seriously. I will do my very best tackling this challenge. Not every food can be tested, not every possible contaminant can be tested for. We are looking for serious health risks and/or illegal contaminants.
As results come in – with any result that is of risk to a pet – they will be posted immediately (as I receive the results). And all results will be compiled at completion and be provided for all readers.
My sincere thanks to everyone! We’ve made pet food history. The results of our testing could be adding to the history making. Only time will tell what the future will bring.
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?
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
2014 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
Lilly
May 3, 2014 at 3:15 pm
Congratulations Susan!! Way to go!!
One question…Will the laboratory facility where the foods are tested be made public information as well?
Thanks for all you are doing to keep our pets safe and educate consumers.
Susan Thixton
May 3, 2014 at 3:35 pm
Yes – everything will be made public after. I’m hesitant on releasing any of that information before – but after I’ll publish everything including results, labs, and a full accounting of every dime earned/spent.
cherie holverson
May 3, 2014 at 4:16 pm
Thank you for all you do for our wonderful pets!
Cheryl
May 3, 2014 at 5:05 pm
Susan,
You are an amazing human being!
All of us and our fur-kids are very lucky to have an advocate such as yourself in our corner.
Please don’t stop the wonderful work you do.
Wolf
May 3, 2014 at 5:53 pm
so very thrilled to see this happening. So happy to see these very important independent tests being done, backed up, verified, documented, and released so that the findings can not be disputed. This is going to be such a huge huge help to every single pet owner, across the nation. The long term effects will be felt throughout the industry, and forcing accountability by circumventing agencies and organizations under the influence of BPF is just groundbreaking.
This is what we’ve needed, Susan. Thank you for spearheading this effort. You know you have a wide following, who will help you in whatever way we can…just call on us.
Sally Roberts
May 3, 2014 at 7:26 pm
Thank you for all you do for these babies !!!
Tracey
May 3, 2014 at 7:59 pm
This is exactly what we’ve been needing for so long! It’s been so frustrating trying to find a decent dog and cat food. I can’t afford to totally make my own so the cat gets homemade and the dog gets 3/4 dry and 1/4 homemade (55# dogs eat a lot). I am hoping the Victor dog food is a little better than the rest but won’t know for sure until tests are done. Can we request testing of certain brands? I know there are a lot!
Jo
May 3, 2014 at 8:13 pm
What Wolf said! We got your back, Susan! Whatever help you need, you got it. (And feel better soon!)
Am so proud of everyone who donated. Please please…let’s keep this fundraising going! Tell everyone you know! $10, $5, $1…no amount is too small–or large! The more $ is donated, the better the chance that the food YOU are feeding your pets will be included! And as Susan indicated, the more money received, the more contaminants we can test for…and with lots more money, we could even include that ever-so-special DNA testing that Susan addressed on the pet food testing campaign page!
If we can dream it, we can do it!…for the animals!!!
Christine
May 4, 2014 at 12:08 pm
Wow Susan – that’s amazing! Hope you might have a lawyer friend that can advise you as you go as to every bit of language used in reporting findings – some of these companies have such deep pockets. I have a kernel of dread in my stomach, worrying they’ll do everything they can to try and suppress your findings. You’d think there’d be no legal recourse as far as defamation if you’re just reporting data found, but they’re not going to like it. We are all so interested and excited for this to proceed! Hope you’re feeling better very soon. Thank you so much for coordinating this, and thank you to all of you who donated. It’s a wonderful opportunity to create positive change.
Stephen
May 5, 2014 at 11:37 am
Susan…
You are Our & our Animal’s Hero
Laura
May 12, 2014 at 10:25 pm
I think it would be good to include a big link/banner to the campaign on the front page, and to state near/on it that even though the initial goal has been met, there’s still more funds that can be raised. Now that the article linking to the site is off the front page first-time visitors are less apt to see it, and by specifically pointing out before they even visit the site that more money can be used beyond the initial, minimum goal, they’ll be more likely to stick around and read the info on the page and possibly donate instead of seeing that the goal has been met and leaving.
Susan Thixton
May 13, 2014 at 9:30 am
Thanks Laura – I’ll try to get that done.