Canada ban on US pet foods

[wolfsoul]

Anyone know what this is about? I hope it doesn't last...the US makes all the good pet foods.

[G.P.girl]

nope, i haven't heard of it, but it's probly because of the mad cow disease.

[Shelteez2]

News Article

BSE concerns cut off U.S. pet food imports

CTV.ca News Staff

Canadian pet owners are the latest to be caught in the North American mad cow crossfire, as they discover the borders have been closed to many popular pet foods.

Pet store owner Andy Hughes told CTV's Atlantic affiliate he hasn't seen a new shipment of pet food since Christmas Eve, leaving him worried his shelves could soon be bare.

"Just all of a sudden December 24th they shut the borders down. Nothing in the newspaper. Nothing on the radio. If there was going to be a border closing, I would have stocked up and rented some trailers to get me by," Hughes told ATV News.

What he didn't know was that on Christmas Day, Canada instituted interim restrictions that prohibit some American beef products from crossing the Canadian border.

The ban includes pet food, which sometimes contains nerve and brain tissues that can easily transmit bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), otherwise known as mad cow disease.

Dog owner Bob Turcotte didn't know about the ban either when he purchased dog food in Maine over the weekend. He only found out as he tried to bring it back into Canada.

"And they specifically asked if we had any beef products of any kind. We didn't happen to have any beef products this time but... we did have 20 cans of pet food for our dog."

With more than half of the pet food sold in Canada imported from the U.S., the ban has store and pet owners alike worried about a shortage developing.

Hughes says it could be a significant blow to his livelihood.

"If I can't sell 60 per cent of my business to the public, then we are going to suffer. There will be a huge economic impact on us as well as the rest of Canada -- with all the pet food stores, the groceries and the vets."

"I don't think there's a single person in the (pet food) industry who's not concerned," said Jeff McFarlane, owner of Aardvark Pets in Winnipeg.

"If they're not concerned, they should be."

The Globe and Mail reporter Patrick Brethour told CTV Newsnet that concern is already evident among some pet owners who he has witnessed "panic buying" food for their pets.

"Therapeutic pet foods, particularly," Brethour said, adding that some stores have responded by rationing sales to one or two food products per customer.

During a mad cow outbreak in Britain several years ago, as many as 100 cats became infected with the feline equivalent of BSE.


People are going crazy here. I was in Wal-Mart and the shelves were bare! I've heard of people going to 4 different stores before they could find their food. Also stores are putting signs on the door saying 2 bags per person. The ban did affect all foods regardless of it's protein source, which is kinda dumb IMO as the only foods I know of that contain beef are the lesser quality ones and the canned foods.

I did hear though that the ban had been lifted.

All I know is that I'm not running out to buy food.


Another article:

http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/.../bsefaqe.shtml

[Kfamr]

So are people's pets just supposed to starve?

[GoldenRetrLuver]

Originally posted by Kfamr
So are people's pets just supposed to starve?

No, they'll be forced to buy whatever food they make up there.

I hope it doesn't last either...

[Kfamr]

Originally posted by GoldenRetrLuver
No, they'll be forced to buy whatever food they make up there.

I hope it doesn't last either...

Yes, I know they have food they make up there, but what about those with special needs and such?

Some dogs can't just eat an ole' food.

[Nomilynn]

I went shopping today and the grocery shelves were fully stocked with pet foods - they weren't running low on any of the brands they carry. I don't buy pet food at the grocery store but it doens't look like anyone else is, either

[Crikit]

I heard on the news yesterday or so that the ban has been lifted on all foods that do not contain beef or beef by-products, which is quiet a few of the foods.

[wolfsoul]

Originally posted by Crikit
I heard on the news yesterday or so that the ban has been lifted on all foods that do not contain beef or beef by-products, which is quiet a few of the foods.

I saw on the news today that they also can't conatin lamb, because sheep carry a disease very similar to mad cow. Unfortunatly lamb is in alot of the foods...

[binka_nugget]

Phew, we'll I'm glad there will still be the foods that don't have beef in it. Chicken soup is the only food that all 3 of us like. I like the ingredients, and they love the taste. It'd be hell trying to find another food if all US pet foods were banned.

[cali]

lol see? another pro to feeding real food

[binka_nugget]

Originally posted by cali
lol see? another pro to feeding real food

lol, true. I'd probably end up going back to raw if they banned ALL US foods.

[tikeyas_mom]

They have better food made in Canada then the US, I think, From experience. the vets manufacter their own foods here, and we have other foods like Sumit made in Alberta .

[binka_nugget]

Originally posted by tikeyas_mom
They have better food made in Canada then the US, I think, From experience. the vets manufacter their own foods here, and we have other foods like Sumit made in Alberta .

Yup, and go! Natural is made in BC I think. I guess that means no more Eukanuba, Iams and Pedigree?