Author: Susan Thixton

On March 16, 2007 – multiple pet food recalls were issued, all for no confirmed reason. Menu Foods issued a recall stating: “Menu Foods, Emporia, Kansas, is initiating a North American recall of dog and cat food produced in its ‘cuts and gravy’ format between December 3, 2006 and March 6, 2007. There were a small number of reported cases of cats and dogs in the United States (not in Canada) becoming ill with kidney failure after consuming affected products. About ten casualties were reported.” Regarding the reason for this recall, Menu Foods’ recall notice states: “Menu Foods voluntarily recalled…

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has jurisdiction over the production of meat, poultry and egg products – including slaughter facilities. A USDA representative will be on-site during hours of operation at all slaughter facilities, and food production facilities (foods containing more than 2% cooked meat and foods containing more than 3 % raw meat). The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has jurisdiction over all food products that contain less than 2% cooked meat and less than 3% raw meat. The FDA is not on site during hours of operation at any food manufacturing facility. One would think that…

Copper levels in pet food have been an interesting topic for the past few years. An increasing number of pets are diagnosed with copper storage disease, an increasing number of veterinarians are not talking about the lack of maximum copper in pet food regulations. The problem: the pet food regulations written by AAFCO have no maximum copper levels for dog and cat foods. Pet food manufacturers can add any level of copper (above the required minimum) to pet foods. And pet food manufacturers want to keep it that way. During the past several years of AAFCO’s discussion of copper levels…

Obtained through a FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) request, the FDA released reports of sick pets (adverse event reports) received by the agency through January 31, 2024. Note: the released FDA reports provide this on every page… “Disclaimer: This record contains information submitted to the FDA through established FDA reporting systems. Having a report does not, by itself, mean that the product listed is defective or the cause of an adverse event.” We just reviewed the reports for the month of January 2024. The data tells us that: 971 complaints submitted to the FDA in the month of January 2024.…

Amid rising cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) – particularly the poultry virus crossing species and infecting cattle, AAFCO recently made a public statement defending the safety of a controversial legally defined feed ingredient – poultry litter (chicken poop). On May 2, 2024, AAFCO said: “There are several news articles indicating that poultry farms may be the culprit behind the spread of HPAI in US dairy cattle. Although this is theoretically possible, it is likely that the disease was spread by eating the animal.” AAFCO’s statement – ​​telling the public that the organization believes chicken manure feed ingredients are…

We are all – unfortunately – familiar with stories from pet owners who report the grief of a pet becoming ill or dying related to a pet food. Thousands of dollars in vet bills – desperately trying to save their lives. It is heartbreaking to read or hear these stories – each one breaks our hearts. But most pet owners aren’t familiar with the stories from rescues that have faced the many illnesses and deaths of precious animals in their care associated with a pet food. Many rescues can’t/won’t reveal these nightmares publicly – for fear of criticism (‘why do…

There is no legally established nutritional profile specifically for puppy or kitten foods in the US. There is no legally established nutritional profile specifically for older pets, overweight pets or breed specific pet foods in the US. In the US, for a pet food to be classified as ‘Complete and Balanced’ they must meet the nutritional requirements of an AAFCO Nutrient Profile or have completed an AAFCO Feeding Trial. In any of these methods – to ensure a complete and balanced diet, pet foods are divided into two different categories – Adult Maintenance or All Life Stages. Adult Maintenance cat…

A new lawsuit filed in New York against Big Heart Pet Brands – part of the JMSmucker company – challenges the legal differences between common food names used in pet food and in human food, claiming that consumers are being duped. Quotes from the lawsuit: “To appeal to the growing number of pet owners looking for pet foods “with simple ingredients they know and trust,” Big Heart Pet Brands Inc. sells. of PupPeroni brand dog snacks that emphasize “Real Beef [is its] #1 Ingredient” (“Product”) in a stamp-type box, under two pieces of freshly roasted beef.” “However, promoting “Real Beef…

There is no regulation or law limiting the level of copper in pet food. Over the past few years, there has been much debate in the pet food industry, with veterinarians and regulatory authorities regarding copper levels in pet food – many believe that copper levels in pet food (which does not have a maximum requirement) is associated with increased copper storage disease seen in dogs. The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) has put together a working group that includes veterinarians, nutritionists, and industry representatives – but the group cannot make any decisions. AAFCO followed that up with…

The Blue Ridge Kennel on the Wetumpka Alabama Chamber of Commerce page states (bold added): “Blue Ridge Kennels offers a range of feeding trials and research services for the pet food industry. We work closely with you to develop individual testing programs specific to your product. Our expert staff is dedicated to providing each of our pets with the highest quality of life.” The FDA is the federal agency that regulates pet food, however the USDA is the federal agency that regulates pet food feeding testing facilities. Blue Ridge Kennel’s feeding test facility received the “Decision and Consent Order” from…