Reports say fatality numbers will rise! Also, has this same product possibly contaminated food for human consumption?
FDA studies have found traces of melamine, a chemical found in plastics, in samples of pet foods, as well as in the wheat gluten that was originally said to have contained rat poison. They are also looking into whether the wheat gluten might have been used in some dry pet foods. Another study by a New York food lab still believes rat poison was the problem in the pet food, as well as a cancer drug called aminopterin. What all are they dumping into our pet food?
They are also now checking into the possibility that this contaminated wheat gluten might also affect human food products, though no reports have been recorded. FDA does not believe this to have happened and promises to alert the public quickly if they do discover that it has. One would certainly hope they reported more quickly than they did after the first reports they received of pets dying from contaminated food.
The FDA reports having received 8,000 complaints, and there are some saying that hundreds, possibly thousands, of pets have died. While pet owners desperately seek answers, officials still offer nothing firm. Many complain that if the FDA kept better regulations on pet food, not only would nothing like this happen, but certainly not to this extent, and problems would be more quickly recognized before getting out of control and causing such tremendous loss.
ABC News reports this evening that PETA is trying to get Menu Foods to also recall dry foods, but the FDA says they have no intention of doing so yet. They also say that Menu Foods is saying they will reimburse people for pets who have died as a result of eating tainted food. I wonder what they feel the reasonable payment is for the loss of a beloved member of your family?
UPDATE 3/31/07 - Cat Food Recall now includes dry foods!
Sources: MSNBC Press Release on Menu Foods
Also read: Is Pet Food Properly Regulated
