The purpose of the following information is NOT to defend against pathogenic bacteria in any pet food. The intention is to exemplify how the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine intentionally misleads (lies) the public into believing that one style of pet food poses a greater risk of pathogenic bacteria than others.
As the minimally processed pet food segment continues to grow, the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) continues to do everything they can to curb that growth. In recent days, the FDA CVM has done their best (worst) to instill fear in consumers of a particular style of pet food…raw pet food.
On September 20, 2024 the FDA issued a public “counseling“titled”Don’t Feed Some Naturally Selected Darwin Pet Foods Because of Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes”. This public advisory states: “The FDA recommends that Arrow Reliance, Inc. recall. all six product lots. As of now, the company is still not recalling the affected products.”
Important to note: Darwin’s Pet Food has received the results of FDA testing the same day the FDA issued the public advisory.
But what FDA CVM’s advisory did not tell consumers is based on FDA CVM’s own internal documents, Darwin’s Pet Food does NOT require pet foods to be cared for in the same way that other pet foods are required. Darwin’s Pet Food is a direct-to-consumer brand; Direct-to-consumer brands are permitted by the FDA CVM to notify customers directly, but are NOT required to issue a public recall notice. Quoting the FDA CVM Guidance: “when the recalled products are distributed only to direct accounts… a prompt and effective communication to such accounts informing them of the recall may be sufficient..”
Does Darwin notify customers when required? Yes. According to Darwin’s statement, the pet food manufacturer received the FDA test results and notify their customers the same day (9/20/24).
FDA CVM took public action to expose Darwin Pet Food as a company that did not respond properly to pathogenic bacteria contamination…when the pet food company actually did EXACTLY what was required by FDA CVM guidance.
FDA CVM lied by omission, the agency knowingly misrepresented the actions/requirements of a direct-to-consumer pet food manufacturer.
Three days later, the FDA again seized a raw pet food manufacturer. On September 23, 2024 the FDA issued an advisory titled “Do Not Feed Some Answers Pet Food for Dogs Due to Salmonella and Listeria”.
This public advisory says: “To date, the company has not initiated an adequate recall of the affected products.”
But…the FDA’s own records show that this raw pet food manufacturer notified the FDA of the recall the day BEFORE the advisory was issued.
Screenshot of the recall notice confirming that the FDA was notified one day prior to the advisory:
Recall date: 9/22/24 – FDA Advisory date claiming no recall: 9/23/24.
Once again, the FDA has taken public action against another raw pet food manufacturer describing the company as refusing to recall when in fact the company had recalled the pet food the day before.
FDA CVM deliberately lied to the public – twice in three days.
We sent questions to the FDA CVM about both of these instances (and sent a second request). As is typical of the FDA CVM, they did not respond (the agency usually does not respond when we catch them lying to the public).
Both of these pet food companies did what was legally required of them. The FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine on the other hand has done everything they can to make raw pet food dangerous, make these particular manufacturers look reckless.
We encourage pet owners to send the FDA CVM your feelings on their recent lies. Tell them you know they lied to the public and ask them to issue a follow up ‘Advisory’ with factual information. Email: [email protected].
Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,
Susan Thixton
Pet Food Safety Advocate
Buyer Beware of Author, Co-Author Dinner PAWsible
TruthaboutPetFood.com
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