While these are dog treats -= you may very likely have them in your home. Or know others who do. Share this information - it could be a life you are saving.
BUY AMERICAN or better yet, MAKE IT YOURSELF!
(this article is cut and pasted - I am in no way claiming responsibility for it - just sharing information!)
Chinese Pet Treats Linked to 900 Dog Deaths, Illnesses
By CINDY GALLI
May 23, 2012
Just six months after issuing its latest warning about chicken jerky
dog treats
made in China, the Food and Drug Administration confirms it has logged
more than 900 complaints from pet owners who say their dogs either were
sickened or died after eating the treats.
The number of complaints has nearly doubled since the story was first
reported by ABC News in March. The FDA says its investigation is
ongoing and that it continues to test samples of the popular treats,
which dog owners across the country say have caused kidney failure in
their pets, resulting in severe illness or death.
PHOTOS of dogs who allegedly died after eating Chinese jerky treats.
Consumers have largely blamed two brands for the reported illnesses. Waggin' Train and Canyon Creek Ranch, both produced by
Nestle Purina
and made in China, are reportedly included in the samples being tested
by the FDA. The agency told ABC News it has solicited samples of treats
from the owners of the pets allegedly affected, but will not say whether
it is tested those samples. To date, the FDA has not been able to
determine a cause for the reported illnesses.
The FDA issued its first warning about chicken jerky treats from China
in 2007 and again in 2008, both times based on consumer complaints. But
it wasn't until a third warning -- in late 2011 -- that the momentum of
complaints accelerated as an angry population of pet owners demanded to
know what in the Chinese treats might be sickening their dogs.
"It's hard to believe that we're still fighting the same battle," said Terry Safranek, whose 9-year old
Fox Terrier named Sampson died of kidney failure in January.
"The last thing that he ate and then threw up was the chicken jerky,"
said Safranek. "It kills me that the treats I fed him killed him."
Safranek is a member of a Facebook group called "Animal Parents Against
Pet Treats Made In China," which has grown to 4,500 members and includes
hundreds of photos of dogs whose owners claim were sickened or died
from chicken jerky treats.
"We're just the ones who are online. There literally could be tens of
thousands of people whose dogs were affected," said Safranek.
The group also keeps its own spreadsheet of victims, ranging from a
1-year old, five-pound Chihuahua named Kiarra to a 111-pound German
Shepherd named Floyd.
"The problem with the issue is getting the word out," said Dr. Richard
Goldstein, Chief of Medicine at The Animal Medical Center in New York
City. Goldstein has been studying the connection between pet illnesses
and chicken jerky treats made in China since 2007 and says although
deaths have been rare in his experience, it's still crucial to seek
veterinary care if a dog shows symptoms such as vomiting or lethargy.
"These are still on the shelves and cases are still popping up," said Goldstein, urging pet owners to be vigilant.
The issue has gained attention in Washington, and Sen.
Sherrod Brown,
D.-Ohio, who has been urging Congress to look closely at products
coming from China, recently blasted the head of the FDA over the issue.
At a Senate Appropriations hearing in April, Brown told Dr.
Margaret Hamburg
he was concerned that pet owners were still buying the treats, unaware
they may possibly be tainted. "The FDA must be as aggressive as
possible to find the source of this contamination," he said later in a
press release.
A spokesperson for
Nestle Purina
told ABC News in March that the safety of pets is the company's utmost
priority and that production of the treats in China is held to the
highest quality and safety standards. Nestle Purina has not been named
in any of the FDA warnings and the company points out that reported
illnesses may be the result of eating things other than the chicken
treats. "We've looked at this, and we continue to look at this," Keith
Schopp told ABC News.
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If you thought the recent wave of recalls from manufacturer Diamond Pet Foods
was just a coincidence, you may or may not be right. The Food and Drug
Administration released a report on their findings after an inspection
of Diamond’s processing plant. In the report, the inspectors identified 4 safety violations that may have impacted the salmonella outbreak.
