Congress for pets... (and my political endorsement)

[crow_noir]

First off I'll start with this little unheated tid bit, but please continue to read further down.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07098/775877-28.stm

D.C. Notes: Pet food emergency likely to prompt government action

Sunday, April 08, 2007
By Lisa Hoffman, Scripps Howard News Service

WASHINGTON -- Look for America's devotion to its 130 million dogs and cats to push the federal government to create the first official national network to collect information from veterinarians and disseminate crucial data on pet food and health.

The ongoing pet food emergency has demonstrated how anemic the Food and Drug Administration's monitoring of the animal food supply has been. No one can say how many pets have died or been sickened by the suspect food, with estimates ranging from 16 to as many as 3,000 deaths.

Deluged in recent weeks by more than 10,000 complaints from the public -- almost double the number it got on all subjects last year -- the FDA has now assigned more than 400 employees to handle the crisis.

Also hearing from worried owners is Congress, which is poised to order the agency to establish a national data-gathering and -sharing system if the FDA doesn't move quickly enough.

Copyright ©1997-2007 PG Publishing Co., Inc. All Rights Reserved.

A few days ago i seen an article similar to this one... http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/...ource=r_health It started out by saying that two Congressional representatives were stepping up (in regards to the pet-food recall). I didn't even make it past the head line when i said out loud "I'll bet any money that one of them is Kucinich." So i start reading the article (which i can't find) and sure enough one of two (three in an article i'll link) was/is Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio. I am proud to say that is "my man"!

[Political Endorsement] I am proud to say that this is the man that I voted for president of the U.S. in 2004! Time and time again since I found out about him it surprise me the lengths he goes to and the things he cares about that other reps. don't seem to even touch on, that I do care about. His political values seem to match mine. Where others just talk, he does. (Please, if anyone from OH has any gripes about him PLEASE email me... I don't pay attention to OH news all that often.) Now I do get some grief from friends and other people when i try to talk about this wonderful man. You see... I'm from MI and Kucinich is from OH. MI and OH are HUGE rivals. But that doesn't matter to me. All i care about is an elected official who shares similar political beliefs as mine who is going to follow the straight and narrow. Someone who isn't going to forget about the people. Not what state they come from. Tell me if you find ANY other candidate that has Animal Rights/Welfare on their "Issues" section AND puts their money where their mouth is. [/Political Endorsement] Sorry, I'm just a HUGE supporter of this guy and this situation gives me reason to brag. Besides, I can't contain it. I'm so happy to add one more reason why i like this guy.

http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/...ource=r_health

Posted on: Tuesday, 27 March 2007, 21:00 CDT
FDA, Pet Food Maker Questioned About Recall

KANSAS CITY, Mo. _ Members of Congress are asking pointed questions of the Food and Drug Administration and Menu Foods about the recall of tainted cat and dog food made in Emporia, Kan.

Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., and Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., on Monday sent a letter to the FDA giving it 15 days to answer a series of questions while Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, sent one to Canada-based Menu Foods, demanding answers about its products and the timing of its recall.

The recall included 60 million "cuts and gravy"-style canned and pouch foods from more than 90 brands, some of which have been found to be tainted with rodent poison.

The letter to the FDA notes that the Menu Foods plant in Emporia had never been inspected by the agency before the recall.

"Many cats, dogs and other pets are considered members of the household and it is unfortunate that not even the family pet is immune from the food safety problems plaguing our country," Durbin and DeLauro wrote in their letter. "These reports that pet food manufacturing facilities are not being investigated by the FDA are very disconcerting."

Kucinich's letter to Menu Foods chief executive officer Paul Henderson demanded to know when the company first became aware of a problem and how many animal deaths have been reported to the company.

Menu Foods of Streetsville, Ontario, issued a recall March 16 of the wet-style cat and dog food. The FDA joined in the recall the following day.

While to date 14 deaths have been confirmed, the Veterinary Information Network, a Web site of 30,000 registered veterinarians and veterinary students, on Tuesday reported that there were at least 471 incidents and expected the number to grow.

Of the 471 reports, 104 animals died and 59 are undergoing treatment.

Additionally, the www.petconnection.com Web site, part of a syndicated newspaper feature that has been tracking deaths on an informal basis, said the number is close to 2,000.

Kucinich is making the inquiry in his role as chairman of the Subcommittee on Domestic Policy of the Committee of Oversight and Government Reform. But the senator owns three dogs and is a member of the Congressional Friends of Animal Caucus.

"As a pet owner myself, I was extremely distressed to learn about the recall of the pet food," Kucinich wrote in a release. "We deserve to know the truth about Menu Foods and why this happened."

The New York state food laboratory, in conjunction with Cornell University, on Thursday night found aminopterin in samples of menu foods, which is used as a rodent poison in some countries but is banned in the U.S.

While Menu Foods contends that the cause of the deaths and illnesses has been found, the FDA, the New York Department of Agriculture and Cornell University _ the latter two of which discovered the aminopterin _ all say that testing for other substances continues.


(c) 2007, The Kansas City Star.

http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Kucini...bout_0402.html
http://kucinich.house.gov/News/Docum...cumentID=62055

Kucinich demands answers from FDA about pet food recall
Josh Catone
Published: Monday April 2, 2007

Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) today sent a letter to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) asking pointed questions about the pet food recall that has now affected 60 million cans of food and at least four pet food manufacturers.

"Millions of American families have a right to be assured that everything possible is being done to protect the health of their beloved family pets and to determine how in the world the pet food supply could have been contaminated," Kucinich said in a statement released to RAW STORY today. "We must also find out when the FDA officials first learned that our nation's pets were in danger of being poisoned by their own pet food."

The letter demands information about how the FDA learned of the tainted food and what action was taken.

According to the official FDA count, so far 16 animals have died as a result of eating tainted pet food, though the FDA says they have fielded more than 8,000 complaints. Independent sources, however, have reported much higher pet death numbers.

"PetConnection.com, a Web site that is tracking the recall, has allegedly received as many as 2,900 reports of pet deaths from food-related kidney failure," reports the Post Chronicle.

The FDA has halted shipments from Chinese wheat gluten importer Xuzhou Anying Biologic Technology Development Co. Ltd. in connection with the tainted pet food.

Geng Xiujuan, the company's sales manager, told reporters that the wheat was purchased from other manufacturers in China and they might not be the only distributor to the US.

"There are many other exporters and I don't see why they would just blame us," she said.

According to experts, tainted food from China is not an uncommon occurrence.

"Frankly, I was not surprised to read about the wheat gluten poisoning incident," Roger Barlow, executive vice president of Catfish Farmers of America told the Toronto Daily News. "We know that Chinese fish farmers routinely use a variety of chemicals and antibiotics banned in the U.S. for use in or around human food, and that residues of these substances remain in the fish after harvest."

Imports of catfish from China are up 1,055% in 2007, and there is growing concern over how much might be reaching American mouths. The FDA currently only examines 1.3% of all food imported into the United States, according to the Associated Press.

The nationwide recall expanded on Monday, as manufacturer Eight in One, Inc. recalled pet treats for dogs, cats, and ferrets that may have been infected with salmonella. The bacteria could infect humans if handled, reports the AP.

A copy of Kucinich's letter is below:

April 2, 2007

Stephen F. Sundlof, D.V.M., Ph.D.
Director
Food and Drug Administration
Center for Veterinary Medicine

Dear Director Sundlof:

On March 16, 2007 Menu Foods Income Fund instated a recall of "cuts and gravy" style cat and dog food distributed throughout the United States (U.S.). The recall includes a reported sixty million pet food products produced by Menu Foods between December 3, 2006 and March 6, 2007. Press reports indicate that companion animals have died as a result of eating the recalled pet food.

On March 23, 2007 the New York State Department of Agriculture reported that the toxins aminopterin and melamine had been found in samples of the recalled pet food. On Friday March 30, 2007, Paul Henderson, President and CEO of Menu Foods Income Fund stated in a press conference that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had confirmed the presence of the compound Melamine, a chemical used in the manufacturing of plastics, in pet food products recalled by the company on March 16, 2007.

The Subcommittee on Domestic Policy of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform has broad oversight jurisdiction covering many agencies including the FDA. So that I may have a more comprehensive understanding of the circumstances at hand, please provide me with answers to the following questions:

1. When was the FDA first aware of a potential problem regarding Menu Foods products?
2. When was the FDA given confirmation that Menu Foods had produced tainted pet food?
3. Who notified the FDA about the tainted food?
4. How did the FDA initially respond to the notification?

(For questions 1 through 4 please provide all internal records documenting these incidents and the actions taken by the FDA including emails, phone calls, memorandums, etc.).

5. Does the FDA have a preexisting protocol designed to deal with a crisis such as this? If so, what does the protocol entail?
6. When did the FDA begin testing of the tainted pet food and what tests have been performed on the tainted pet food?
7. What are the results of the testing? Include all data and findings collected from these tests.
8. Can the FDA be sure that the tainted pet food does not contain the presence of aminopterin? If so, how?
9. Does the FDA dispute the New York State Department of Agriculture's finding that the tainted pet food contains aminopterin in addition to melamine?
10. Is the FDA continuing to test the tainted pet food for additional toxins?
11. To your knowledge which other state or federal agencies have tested the tainted pet food?
12. Has the FDA concluded that melamine is the only toxin contained in the tainted pet food?
13. Which ingredients used in the manufacturing of the tainted pet food have been found to be contaminated?
14. What further testing does the FDA feel is necessary to ensure that the tainted food has been thoroughly inspected and all harmful substances identified?
15. Is the FDA concerned that additional Menu Foods products may be contaminated? If so, which products are of concern?
16. How many companion animals have died due to the tainted food?
17. How many companion animals have become ill due to the tainted food?
18. What are the criteria for determining if a companion animal's illness or death is related to consumption of the tainted food?
19. When were the last inspections of the four Menu Foods manufacturing facilities? Please provide inspections reports for inspections conducted in the last two years.
20. Which Menu Foods factories does the FDA believe are responsible for the production of the tainted pet food? Have those facilities been inspected since the implementation of the recall? Please provide any existing inspection reports.

Additionally, I request your assistance in determining how toxins such as aminopterin and melamine would enter a pet food manufacturing facility and penetrate the pet food products being manufactured therein. Aminopterin is not approved for use in the U.S. as a rat poison, therefore what legal method(s) exist for obtaining the toxin and for what purpose(s)? How much aminopterin would be needed to taint the amount of pet food involved in the recall? Please answer the same questions regarding melamine.

Have there been any previous instances of tainted pet food sold in U.S. markets? Please explain the circumstances and provide documentation as applicable.

I understand that the Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) is responsible for ensuring the safety of the pet food sold in the United States. Obviously CVM did not approve aminopterin or melamine for use in pet food. Nevertheless, your agency is responsible for guaranteeing that the ingredients in pet foods are safe and provide appropriate function. Therefore, I look forward to your prompt response. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me or Jaron Bourke, Staff Director of the Subcommittee.

Sincerely,

Dennis J. Kucinich
Chairman
Subcommittee on Domestic Policy
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

[IRescue452]

Its a little excessive if you ask me. If consumers cared about their animals, they'd wake up and do some research. This is just a lesson learned for the pet owners who were too lazy to find the information. How many of these people cared about their pets until they started dying off? Nothing about pet food is kept a big secret. One good thing that did come out of this is the number of people who are now looking at what they feed their pets. A local private pet food maker in our area has had a 50% increase in business since this whole recall mess. Now if only people would look at what they are eating themselves.

[crow_noir]

I agree that the good side of this is that a good portion of the lazy ones have been woken up.

I agree with the Pet Connection blog though that this is more of an issue about the lack of safety nets in place. Both in the pet food industry, databases, and our own food supply.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/indust...ety-usat_N.htm
U.S. food imports outrun FDA resources

Its a little excessive if you ask me. If consumers cared about their animals, they'd wake up and do some research. This is just a lesson learned for the pet owners who were too lazy to find the information. How many of these people cared about their pets until they started dying off? Nothing about pet food is kept a big secret. One good thing that did come out of this is the number of people who are now looking at what they feed their pets. A local private pet food maker in our area has had a 50% increase in business since this whole recall mess. Now if only people would look at what they are eating themselves.

[Laura's Babies]

The FDA has failed to safely protect humans from drugs that kill & disable humans so why would they do a better job for our pets? They quit doing what they are there to do a long time ago.

I don't think we will ever know the true number of pets that were killed by this tainted food, I think they were dying long before any connection was made. We just need to be THANKFUL that somebody, somewhere, made that connection.

I do believe this will change things from now on. The one thing it did do is call attention to the fact that a lot of our more expensive pet foods are being contracted out and not being made by the company that sells them.