Ohio congressional leaders demand FDA action to protect dogs
Dayton Small Pets Examiner &mdashl Kudos to our own Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown, and Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich
Animal owners are once again at the mercy of pet food companies, as pet owners state that beloved family members are dying from eating food items that U.S. companies are importing from China.
Pet owners went through a similar scare in 2007, when the biggest dog food recall in U.S history came in the wake of thousands of dead and dying pets. That year the FDA received reports of approximately 8500 animal deaths, including at least 1950 cats and 2200 dogs who died after eating contaminated food. It was finally determined that the contaminant was melamine, a product made in the production of plastics; the poisonous pet foods had all been imported from China (you may recall that in 2008, milk adulterated with melamine claimed over 300,000 human victims in China).
This time, there is no recall. The products are on store shelves across the country, with no indication that they will be removed. Dogs ranging in age from puppies to seniors have been falling ill and dying – and the only thing the dogs have in common is that each of them ate dog treats imported from China. The FDA is aware of the connection and is investigating, but so far has not been able to pinpoint the contaminant. Because tests of the foods have been inconclusive, pet treat manufacturers are not required by law to recall their products, and none of them have volunteered to do so. The FDA issued a warning to pet owners in November, 2011 regarding this issue.
