Food News for Dogs and Cats

I've been reading the terrible news from America on the pet food recall, my own relief that I don't feed my dog one of the affected brands tempered by the knowledge so many are facing heartache now because their own beloved pet has become sick or died from the food.

If you have a dog or cat affected by Menu Foods' products, Gina and the gang at Pet Connection have a database where they're compiling data on the incidence of animals sick or deceased. So far, over 1,000 dogs and cats have been reported to have died.

As you've probably heard, the contaminated foods contained rat poison, on wheat imported from China. The company, Menu Foods, has continued to manufacture food at the two plants believed to be the location of the contamination. Their press releases seem to be more concerned with their own economic impact than with the terrible fate of so many cats and dogs.

As Gina says, How loyal are you, Consumers?

I for one can say Iams will never pass my dog's lips, especially not after I learned about the cruel practices used in a laboratory they contracted with. While Iams have since stopped using the Sinclair Research Center, other pet food manufacturers have continued to use them. (Sinclair Research Center recently agreed to a $33,000 penalty for animal welfare violations.) Such cruel practices are not needed to assure your pets high quality and safe pet food. (Interestingly, the recalled pet foods caused kidney failures in the pets they were tested on, yet the company sent them out anyway.) Newman's Own and Wysong are two brands that don't test on animals, and contain high quality ingredients you yourself might eat.

And if you care enough about your pet to buy her fashionable pajamas, a party collar, a canopy bed, designer pet bowls, or a jeweled leash, why not spend a little more for her food?

Comments

[KathyR]

Don't forget the doggy Mercedes!

[KathyF]

Oh. My. God.

Actually, my dog has her own Mercedes, a 200 model. At least she's taken over the back seat.

[bazu]

This is really disturbing. One of my cats eats a special diabetic food, and both of their foods are purina. I stopped buying Iams a few years ago, but was happy to read here that they've stopped dealing with the animal testing lab in question. I feel for all the pet-owners out there.

[Hannah]

MOM Pierre is so picky. She likes brie. she doesn't like the new organic cat food i found for her. she like didn't eat for two days at all I think. she has since begun eating. Isn't she silly?

[foodie]

So KSF, what do you feed Bailey? ( Is she vegan??)

[KathyF]

Bailey eats Pero brand, their special diet for labradors which has salmon as the primary protein source. It's organic, with ingredients I recognize, and would eat except for the salmon. She likes it a lot but then she will eat anything!

If I lived in the US I would give her Innova or Wysong, or one of the human grade dog foods.

[foodie]

Tks--am exploring all this now for Miss Lil, the former Bailey Dawg. As I never give her yucky wet food, I think I am safe in finishing up a bag of Purina Pro before heading into the world of high end dry food.

[dina]

Although Newman's Own may not directly engage in animal testing, the company reportedly utilizes the services of Menu Foods to manufacture its pet food. Menu Foods is notorious for conducting cruel tests on its lab animals, including deliberately feeding them the recalled food and letting them die painful deaths.

[Flynn]

An Senate oversight hearing will be held today on the ongoing investigation and the regulatory mechanisms that govern the pet food industry as the widespread recall of contaminated pet food continues. The hearing will be broadcast live on CSPAN1 beginning at 2:00 p.m. (EST) and will be available online after the hearing at http://appropriations.senate.gov/webcasts.cfm

Witnesses will include FDA officials who will be questioned on the timeline of the investigation, the source of the contamination, and the agency’s regulatory and inspection responsibilities. The hearing will also include outside experts who will discuss the current state of the pet food industry, as well as regulatory or resource shortfalls that led to the widespread recall of tainted pet food.

The hearing will be covered LIVE on CSPAN-1. Video will be available after the hearing on the website - http://appropriations.senate.gov/webcasts.cfm.

[KathyF]

Thanks for the update, Flynn. Oversight is a lovely thing, isn't it?

[Wellness Dog Food]

This is not a surprise. It's all about low cost (at 50 cents per hour per staff cost) for mass production by the China truckloads.

Homemade dog food is the best! With commercial producers looking to cut cost and ignoring quality, our pets are being harmed!

Check out this review on canned dog food - http://www.squidoo.com/dogfoodsecretsreview/