Pet Food Regulation Fight Part II

If you've ever once been concerned about the safety of pet food, if you've ever once been angered by the FDA's lack of protection of pet food, please read this article and join our efforts to make changes. It's time. Undeniable Proof the FDA allows Pet Food to Break the Law.

The FDA website, on a page regarding pet foods, proudly cites the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act). With reading just a few of the FD&C Act laws, and a little reading on the FDA website, there is absolute proof that the FDA ignores Federal Law. It's time for pet owners to take this proof to the FDA's boss - Congress.
http://www.truthabout...

FDA website states about Federal Law 402(a)(5): "Pet food consisting of material from diseased animals or animals which have died otherwise than by slaughter, which is in violation of 402(a)(5) will not ordinarily be actionable, if it is not otherwise in violation of the law. It will be considered fit for animal consumption."

http://www.fda.gov/or...

The FDA, despite Federal law, decided that diseased animals or animals which have died other than by slaughter, is safe for your pet to eat. In other words, the FDA is telling pet owners: 'Yes, we realize there is a law against this, but we're not going to do anything about it.'

From the FDA webpage:

"...another page from the FDA website admits the risk of pets consuming diseased animals or animals that have died other than by slaughter.

http://www.fda.gov/or...

"CVM (center for vetrinary medicine) is aware of the sale of dead, dying, disabled, or diseased (4-D) animals to salvagers for use as animal food. Meat from these carcasses is boned and the meat is packaged or frozen without heat processing. The raw, frozen meat is shipped for use by several industries, including pet food manufacturers, zoos, greyhound kennels, and mink ranches. This meat may present a potential health hazard to the animals that consume it and to the people who handle it."

The FDA's stance on animals - Your Pet - consuming a pet food made from dead, dying, disabled, or diseased animals: 'We know it's a risk, we know it's against the law, but we don't care; we've got to protect industry.'

The FDA's action to allow 4-D animals to be processed into pet food is not only against the law, it proves the FDA is looking out for the interests of big business instead of pet owners. Without pet food being the dumping ground for 4-D animals and other by-products, these waste ingredients would need to be destroyed by incineration; removing a profit source for industry and turning it into an expense.

Pet Food related industries have been protected by the FDA for years. The livestock and rendering industries have complained to the FDA for many years that the expense of disposing of BSE (mad cow disease) related animal parts (brain and spinal column only) would be too costly; these industries have successfully delayed the ban of BSE materials - also known as Specified Risk Materials - from pet food since 2001.

http://www.fda.gov/oh.... As it stands right now, in April 2009 Specified Risk Materials from BSE suspect animals will no longer be allowed in pet food. This is the brain and spinal column only. The rest of a suspect mad cow diseased animal, or any other diseased animal, or any animal that has died other than by slaughter, will continue to be allowed in pet foods.

4-D animals - approved by the FDA for use in pet food - also can contain drugs; again, despite Federal law against this. In 2000 and 2002 the FDA, under pressure from practicing veterinarians, tested dog foods purchased directly from store shelves. They found the drug pentobarbital in many of these dog foods. Pentobarbital is the drug used to euthanize animals; including dogs and cats. It has been rumored for many years that euthanized dogs and cats, along with other 4-D animals are rendered and become ingredients in pet food. The FDA attempted to scientifically disprove the rumor by testing for a species source of the pentobarbital euthanized animal in dog food. Their results showed NO conclusive proof of species source of the drug.

http://www.fda.gov/cv....