Here's the latest on the massive pet food recall. And here's more, on Menu Foods. Yes, massive. It should be on the TV news shows tonight. In fact, DC's Fox (channel 5) happened to be filming at Friendship Hospital for Animals this afternoon and got some footage of Picadou, my black pug (she's fine--- just in for a routine checkup). While we were there, someone brought in a very sick cat--- another possible poisoning victim. I've long been an advocate for home cooked food for dogs. It might sound extravagant--- certainly, it's cheaper and easier to just toss a cup o' kibble in that dish--- but if you knew--- really knew--- the gruesome, unwholesome pure yuckiness of what goes into most commercial pet food, believe me, you would not give it to your pet. Read more about the fundamental problems with commercial pet food and get some wholesome and easy to make recipes in Rudi Edelati's Barker's Grub. More anon.
Update: a few links to other blogs. One notes a skanky-looking time-line. Another blogger notes that it took the media a suspiciously long time to get started with this story. PETA has more here. Read Tina Perry's "What's Really For Dinner? The Truth About Commercial Pet Food." Writes Perry, "It is not happenstance that four of the top five major pet food companies in the United States are subsidiaries of major multinational food production companies: Colgate Palmolive (which produces Hills Science Diet), Heinz, Nestle, and Mars... From a business standpoint, multi-national food companies owning pet food manufacturers is an ideal relationship. The multinationals have captive market in which to dump their waste products, and the pet food manufacturers have a direct source of bulk materials. Both make a profit from selling scraps that originate from places far worse than the dinner table." Read on (warning: it's a toe-curler.) I recall reading a few years ago about a very serious in-depth investigation about the pet food industry and its obscenely lax regulation and supervision --- but haven't been able to find a reference to it in the Niagara of articles now on-line. More anon.
Update #2: Check out the address on the website for the Pet Food Institute. Cheek by jowl with K Street, where else. The Animal Protection Institute website has an article, "Get the Facts: What's Really in Pet Food" with a good list of references.
Update #3: The blog posts are pouring in. Here's a typical personal horror story. and here's another.
