Update on irradiated Orijen in Australia

Many of you will remember that about 100 Australian cats were stricken with paralysis as a result of eating gamma irradiated Orijen cat kibble imported from Champion Petfoods in Canada.

Champion insisted all along they did not know their food was going to be irradiated. According to information posted on another pet forum this is not so. Documents obtained under the Australian Freedom of Information Act by a poster calling themselves "Public Informer" indicate that not only did they know about the irradiation,their Australian importer asked them for the agreement to irradiate which, in a space of about 5 working days, they gave. The company has gone on record as not doing enough due diligence to understand the requirements of the Australian market prior to coming here. They didn't leave themselves much time to do any, did they? For a company priding itself on the nutritional superiority of its food you would think they might have looked into it and uncovered the studies dating back to the 1960s that talk about nutrient depletion, notably vitamin A, in gamma irradiated foods.

As a result some 30 cats have been euthanised or died of seizures or internal organ complications. Some cats have virtually fully recovered, others only partially. My own cat remains lame in the hind legs and incontinent. She is showing improvement and general good health and her "cat-ness" has returned in a big way helped in no small part by the two new youngsters. She regained her voice (she was mute for quite some time - and she's a Siamese!) However it is pitiful to watch her dragging herself around by her front paws, her rear end swathed in nappies.

The company's failure to fully meet all veterinary and associated costs with rehabilitating the cats, or even answer queries about it and stay in contact, is a source of much grief, frustration and anger here.

The upheaval and sorrow in all of our lives is hard to convey in real terms, and all brought about by what is in my opinion, a failure to act responsibly in being in control of the integrity of a product from manufacturing plant to food bowl and a failure to step up to the plate and make full reparation.

Thankfully the Australian Government has now banned the gamma irradiation of cat food, thanks to heavy lobbying by owners, the RSPCA, and our wonderful veterinary neurologist Dr Georgina Child of Sydney University, who personally went to Canberra to meet with Quarantine and Biosecurity Australia. The manufacturer, ever on the look out for a chance to big-note themselves, are claiming to have played a key role in providing information to get the ban over the line. I now have a very good working rapport with Australian Quarantine and they tell me they did not have any communication either directly or indirectly with the company in relation to any research upon which the Minister relied in bringing down his decision.

I don't buy any commercial cat food whatsoever now. I buy them all human grade food and bake little biscuits myself. It was only ever a small part of her diet anyway, that's what is so sad. All she did was eat up her dinner like a good girl.

I am leaving no stone unturned in bringing everyone who played a part in this to account.

If you would like to view the documents that are now in the public domain please follow the links below:

http://www.filefactory.com/file/ahh0..._under_FOI_pdf

http://www.filefactory.com/file/ahhh..._questions_pdf

http://www.filefactory.com/file/ahhh...dural_docs_pdf


Thank you for your interest and support.
TC3

I hope your sweet Meezer continues to improve, and that the damage is not permanent.

Those young ones will certainly perk things up!

I am glad to hear of the ban, only sorry it took so long.

The importer's attitude makes me think of a slogan:

"Champion isn't one." :mad:

Prayers that this nightmare doesn't raise its head again.:love:

Sad to say its [part of the indifference that is infecting a lot of companies.
In Canada it was Maple Leaf who poisoned people by not prpoerly cleaning the blades on thier meat slicers:mad: and both Nutro and Blue Buffalo both allegedly premium food have had recalls.:mad:
Whatever happened to quality control.
We are so leased that Your Dear Friends improving , and that you are fighting so hard for her!
Thats the mark of a True Cat Lover!!!
:love::love::love:

My prayers are with your Meezer Baby, that she makes a full recovery. :love: I also pray that karma strikes everyone responsible for hurting so many kitties and those who love them!!!!:mad:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TopCat3

Thankfully the Australian Government has now banned the gamma irradiation of cat food, thanks to heavy lobbying by owners, the RSPCA, and our wonderful veterinary neurologist Dr Georgina Child of Sydney University, who personally went to Canberra to meet with Quarantine and Biosecurity Australia. The manufacturer, ever on the look out for a chance to big-note themselves, are claiming to have played a key role in providing information to get the ban over the line.
TC3

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The manufacturer certainly played a key role, all right. They killed and disabled so many cats that owners, the RSPCA, and the veterinary neurologist lobbied heavily enough that the government has banned the gamma irradiation of cat food. GOOD ON YOU, TOPCAT3 AND OTHER OWNERS, RSPCA, DR. CHILD, AND AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT!!!!!

Does that company sell that irradiated crap in Canada? Here (U.S.)? Anywhere else? Those so-called Champions are LO-O-O-O-SERS, and I hope they get just what they deserve. Karma, do your duty!

Prayers for your cat and those others disabled, that they recover fully, and for those that didn't make it, that they are whole and happy again at the Bridge. I also lit a candle http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/...ng&cid=8902374

Orijen is made here in Alberta, but is irradiated for export for countries that require it. I am so glad Aus has BANNED this. I imagine Champion is the exporting company? Or maybe Orijen was 'bought out'. I'll have to check into this further.

ETA: Shoot, Champion IS the company. I don't like their claim that they helped the irradiation ban along - but they were just complying with Australian laws.

http://www.orijen.ca/orijen/about/

So very sorry...all those poor cats, I would be heartbroken if this happened to my guys. We are supposed to trust these companies! :(

Tania, it is good that you took on the company!!!! HUGS to you and ALL the girls....
PS: did you get the email I sent???

Thank you everyone for your replies and support.

Thank you for lighting the candle Phesina.

Yes Kb2yjx I have all your emails unless you have sent one in the last couple of weeks - haven't heard from you in a while but we have both been busy.

Catty it's important to know the ins and out of Quarantine fully. Firstly they didn't have to irradiate. The Government/Quarantine do not force people to irradiate their product. Any pet food that is not processed with moist heat at 100 degrees centrigrade for 30 mins during production will fail Australia's quarantine requirements. Importers are then offered 3 options:1)Moist heat treatment 100deg C for 30mins upon arrival in Australia 2) Gamma irradiation upon arrival in Australia 3) Don't bother bringing it into Australia.
If option 1) is not appropriate then Quarantine advise IN WRITING to determine if gamma irradiation is suitable for the product and its packaging before going ahead. Also the irradiation company (a commercial facility) offers a free test run before doing the whole shipment so importers/manufacturers can test the product post irradiation and make sure they are satisfied that it has not affected it adversely (how can nuking something at 300 million times strength of a chest x-ray not adversely affect something?:confused:)
However this free test run option was refused and when I spoke to the CEO of the irradiation facility in January he said they thought this was quote: "highly unusual".
Negligence if you ask me.
So if Champion are claiming "they made us do it" well, just look at the documents in the links Public Informer posted on that other forum and copied above.
This is a multibillion dollar industry out of control, driven by greed and powered by high profit margins - the difference in the cost of the waste product render they use to make the cr@p and the high prices they charge for the end product. And by careful product placement in places where people with white coats and an air of authority tend to predominate ... well you get the picture :mad: