Do Pet Food Recalls Indicate Foul Play at the Hands of Pet Food Manufacturers? By Jeff Nenadic At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

In the past couple of years, dog and cat owners alike have had reasons to be concerned for the well-being of their pets based on the numerous pet food recalls that have occurred. All pet owners really heavily on these commercial companies to produce healthy foods for their animals and are now extremely concerned at the fact that dogs (and cats) have died from bad ingredients used in the different foods. Many dogs have become very ill and lots have died as a result.

In March of 2007, a Canadian company named Menu Foods announced a recall that involved over 90 different “cuts and gravy” varieties of moist cat and dog foods, which created quite a stir among pet owners throughout North America. There were 14 recorded deaths at the time the recall was announced and speculation was that the actual total may have been double that many. Additionally, after the announcement of the death toll, another 20 different varieties were recalled as well.

The culprit for the deaths was found to be wheat gluten that had been tainted with rat poison, and it was later discovered that certain pig’s ear treats for dogs were infected with Salmonella. This was the reason behind the recall of two different brands for these types of treats. Suffice it to say, the death of pets due to bad ingredients in pet foods and snacks is not only cause for alarm but also that something drastic needs to happen so that this doesn’t occur again.

Toxic pet food recalls date back to December, 2005 when kibbled foods manufactured by Diamond Pet Foods were recalled as a result of an outbreak of dog fatalities. Dozens of other dogs became seriously ill as well. These deaths and illnesses happened as a result of aflatoxin being present in various dog foods and snacks. Aflatoxin is a dangerous chemical that occurs naturally in certain fungus found on a variety of food crops such as beans, corn, rice, and wheat.

Additionally, aflatoxin is also dangerous (and sometimes lethal) where animals, humans, and livestock are concerned. Recalls involving Salmonella have resulted in numerous recalls being announced during the past decade. So the question has recently arisen. “Are these pet food manufacturers guilty of foul play?” Considering that the majority of pet owners are very conscientious and only want the best for their animals, it is very suspicious to a lot of people that there has been such a rash of this malady.

Given the circumstances and the findings at hand, his has brought about yet another question - “Are these pet food manufacturers guilty of breaking any particular laws?” There countless pet owners that would no doubt answer with a resounding “YES!” Just like foodstuffs manufactured for human consumption, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), also mandates the quality assurance levels and conditions where pet foods are produced. The FDA has mandated that all pet foods must comply as follows:

• accurate labeling of the product
• cannot contain harmful or questionable ingredients
• manufactured/processed in a bacteria-free and sanitary environment
• must be safe for consumption by all pets

Despite the fact that all pet food manufacturers and processors must comply with these regulations, it is unfortunate to note that the FDA, by virtue of limited government resources can only investigate a company when reports of death and illness arise and they become convinced that the food poses a serious health threat to pets. It is unfortunate that this is the only time that the recall is issued when the deaths and illnesses should never have occurred in the first place.

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