FDA to investigate after report exposes euthanasia drug in dog food
Big Heart Brands is also the maker of Meow Mix, Milk Bone, Kibbles’n Bits, 9 Lives, Natural Balance, Pup-Peroni, Gravy Train, Nature’s Recipe, Canine Carry Outs, Milo’s Kitchen, Alley Cat, Jerky Treats, Meaty Bone, Pounce and Snausages.
that is horrible. and Natural Balance kibble is what I feed my dog.Maybe I should change.
I want to see the dna
That’s one ugly news story
From the linked article:
“Pet food violates federal law, is openly allowed by the FDA to violate federal law, billion dollar a year companies are making profit selling illegal adulterated products to unknowing consumers in the U.S. every day,” said Susan Thixton, a pet food consumer advocate who’s been studying and writing about the pet food industry for decades.
"Consumers have no information, " said Thixton. “A consumer has to become a private detective to learn what’s really in their food.”
So WJLA decided to find out.
WJLA partnered with Ellipse Analytics, a lab that specializes in testing food for contaminants.
“I think you have a duty to understand what you’re selling to human beings and pets, and I think that the obligation is on you to understand what is, and is not, in your product,” said lab founder, Kevin Hicks.
WJLA tested 62 samples of wet dog food, across more than two-dozen brands for the euthanasia drug pentobarbital.
After months of tests and re-tests, one brand repeatedly came back positive for pentobarbital.
In total, we tested 15 cans of Gravy Train. Nine cans — 60 percent of the sample — were positive for pentobarbital. And while the levels detected were not lethal, under federal law they are also not permitted at any concentration.
Gravy Train is made by Big Heart Pet Foods and owned by Smucker’s. According to Neilsen data, it accounts for more than $40 million of the company’s annual revenue.
Big Heart Brands is also the maker of Meow Mix, Milk Bone, Kibbles’n Bits, 9 Lives, Natural Balance, Pup-Peroni, Gravy Train, Nature’s Recipe, Canine Carry Outs, Milo’s Kitchen, Alley Cat, Jerky Treats, Meaty Bone, Pounce and Snausages.
… The FDA, just a short distance from the WJLA studios, also declined repeated requests for an on-camera interview. Instead of speaking to us, and answering our questions, they suggested we contact the Pet Food Institute, which is the trade organization that represents 98 percent of the pet food industry. We asked them to reconsider that response to which they replied that it “will investigate the matter and take appropriate enforcement action.”
One possibility as to how pentobarbital is getting into food? Experts tell us animals that have been euthanized are picked up by renderers who process the carcasses - which may be blended into pet food.
In a 2004 report to Congress, sources for rendered materials were identified as, among other things, “dead animals from farms, animal shelters and other facilities.”
Under federal law, these are adulterated ingredients.
Adulterated ingredients, which are defined partly as: “an animal which has died otherwise than by slaughter,” are illegal in all food for humans and animals.
Yet in its own compliance policy, the FDA acknowledges it is violating the law and states: “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 be considered fit for animal consumption.”
This is horrifying. I think I read that article to say that the FDA isn’t really “investigating” anything, rather that was just the wording on a canned response when pressed about it by this media company. Disgusting but not surprising. Animals aren’t worth enough under the law to make companies care enough not to put poison in the food. A human life is worth 10 million but a pet is worth, usually the purchase cost + vet costs associated with the poisoning–IF you can even prove it–lawyer=$$$$$$=possible pay out by pet food company of 5 grand=net loss for consumer every time.
I’ve been done with all commercial pet edibles since the fall. It’s just junk, I can’t do it anymore. I mean twinkies and hotdogs are junk too, but no one would feed their kids only those two items–and the FDA even ensures there’s nothing in it that will directly kill them. Pet food is completely unregulated junk.
There was a story on the local news about elderly people on very limited budgets who were buying canned dog food to eat.
What’s next Soylent Green?
This has been a “secret” in the trade for a LOT longer than this.
Everyone in the industry that I know knew about it, but no one was naming names as to which foods the euthed shelter animals were actually going in.
Most people would not feed their dogs bargain foods if they had ANY idea what was in them. Really, that’s not the scariest ingredient. Rats, Roadkill, 4D cows, etc. There are quite a few dog foods that contain no actual meat, and even more that are super misleading-
Labeling laws are lax, and it’s easy to make a label that implies something to the lay person that isn;t true.
For example it’s perfectly legal to make a food that is made of corn, with a little bit of beef slurry, and call it dog food “with beef”- or put no beef at all in it and call it “beef flavor”- and put lots of nice pictures of beef steaks on the label.
How can a consumer find a reputable cat food company? Or rather how can they assure themselves that the food they feed to their pets is “clean”.
You can’t, unless you have access to a lab to do your own testing. Pet food is unregulated junk. There are no laws protecting the consumer in regards to what they put into those cans and bags. It could be anything in there. Even premium brands are unregulated so you could just be paying 4x the price for rancid meat and poison. It takes a leap of faith to feed your pets dog and cat food–you just have to “trust” the company selling it to you. After my experiences, I have no more trust left. The stakes are too high.
I cook my own food and treats for my dogs, but I haven’t a clue what I would do as a cat owner. I won’t buy a commercial grade pet edible product ever again.
@Sswor, well dang it. :mad: Those cheating cheaters. I don’t want to get in the cat food making business. It was easy feeding my dog, but my cats are not so obliging.
Completely agree! So what do you feed now? I’ve been wanting to switch my three dogs over to home made meals for a while now. Especially since they have always been less than impressed by the many different dry kibbles I’ve tried. Where do you find recipes for well balanced diets? I’d want to be certain they were getting all of the nutrients they need.
Years ago, I had a book…'Natural Health for Dog and Cats". It’s outdated now, but there’s a new edition available: https://www.amazon.com/Pitcairns-Complete-Guide-Natural-Health/dp/1623367557/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1518464505&sr=8-2&keywords=natural+health+for+dogs+and+cats&dpID=51gNf9qLpPL&preST=SX258_BO1,204,203,200_QL70&dpSrc=srch
Also, there are numerous sites on making your own dog food. I’d check w/your vet to find our what their recommendation is.
I’ve long thought about doing this for my kitties. There is a TON of info there and it seems like it might be a good place to start. You can do raw or cooked from that page.
I have a cat who is somewhat sickly. He throws up a lot:sadsmile: and his coat is not good. I finally decided to change his food, and I bought the refrigerated fresh stuff. It is a pate which my boys don’t care a lot for, but they both got pretty excited after they ate it. I also picked up a bag of refrigerated kibble, and they are quite animated about that. After two weeks, Gatsby’s coat is 100% better, and he isn’t throwing up as much. It is only liquid, but he is a puker for sure. Dickens is now obsessed with the stuff now. both love it
I’d like to see the data but it’s not surprising considering what happens to animals the rendering truck picks up.
apparently this problem should decrease since rendering trucks in our area are no longer picking up animals who have been euthanized by vets, which leaves vets and owners with another problem.
They only tested Gravy Train. No indication on whether these products are adulterated or not.
Awesome, thanks!!
I hit that problem twice in the past few years. I had to have my horses put down on the trailer, the vet would not allow me to unload at their facility. Then we drove to the landfill, weighed in, drove to the location they said the back hoe was working, waited while he pulled the horse out, and then I had to pay not only the weight fee but also a “carcass” fee. The euthanasia was less than a hundred, while the disposal fees where almost $500.
It’s no wonder people that are strapped for cash feel they have to sneak their sick or dying horse thru an auction.
I soooo don’t want to make cat food :no: but I may give it a try, for my little bedbugs sake. My female cat is the best foot warmer ever, she deserves healthy food.
Correct. The article states they tested Gravy Train, and the other feeds listed are made by the same company. Guilt by association.
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