Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Pet food: what you don't know can be harmful

A Poll commissioned by the Wellness® brand of natural pet food found that not enough pet owners know or understand the ingredients on pet food labels.

“Of 1,305 U.S. adult dog and/or cat owners, two-thirds say they feed their dog(s)/cat(s) as if they are members of the family. But their actions don’t always support the claim. 56 percent say they always read the label on their own packaged foods (e.g. pasta, pre-packaged or frozen meals), but only 20 percent of dog owners and 19 percent of cat owners say they always read the labels on their pets’ food. Just 38 percent say they understand all the ingredients listed on their dog/cat food labels. “
The survey was conducted in August by Harris Interactive® and commissioned by the Wellness® brand of natural food and treats for pets.


And then there is this:

http://www.9news.com/news/world/article.aspx?storyid=102207
BEIJING (AP) - A Chinese veterinarian says some 1,500 dogs have died after eating feed tainted with melamine. That's the same industrial chemical that's contaminated dairy products and sickened tens of thousands of babies across China.
The veterinarian says all the dogs died on farms in one village. The animals are a breed known as raccoon dogs. They're raised for their fur, which is used to make trim on coats and other clothing.
The veterinarian says he examined about a dozen dogs and determined that they died of kidney failure. He says melamine was found in the feed and about 25 percent of the stones found in the dogs' kidneys were made of melamine.
In the milk scandal, the chemical was said to have been added to the watered-down milk to make it appear higher in protein. It can cause kidney stones and eventually kidney failure in humans too.
Monday's news about the dogs is raising questions about the extent of the chemical's presence in China's food chain.
(Copyright Associated Press, All Rights Reserved.)

Add to that the odious fact that these dogs were being raised for their fur on these farms and it all makes up a very sad triumvirate.

Vets for Vets

Take a look at this story from Cnn.com

"Story Highlights
Facility in Texas gives advanced medical treatment for combat-wounded dogs
Hospital director: "We act as the Walter Reed of the veterinary world"
Demand for military working dogs has jumped dramatically since 9/11 attacks
Hospital has operating rooms, digital radiography, CT scanning equipment"

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/10/21/war.dogs.hospital.ap/index.html

Give a Little When You Buy

This from the North Shore Animal League:

Dear Friends, North Shore Animal League America knows that there is no better gift than the gift of love.When you do your holiday shopping through any of our featured online stores, a percentage of your purchase will benefit the Animal League!And for that special someone who simply has everything, a Gift Donation or Gift Sponsorship to the Animal League is the perfect choice!
http://nsalamerica.org/feature/2008/holiday-store/

Remember, when you shop through the Animal League you HELP SAVE LIVES.Happy Holiday Shopping From the Animal League!

There are other animal resue organizations that may have such online shops and we will keep you posted.

Monday, October 20, 2008

Pet Treats from China, Clandestinely

Why is it that these online pet food companies still do not understand the importance of posting the country of origin for consumable pet products?
Yet another batch of dog treats just received were made in China—information that was not visible on the company’s site. What is it going to take? If everyone who orders anything for their pets online—where the buyer has the disadvantage of not being able to pick up the prospective purchase and see where it is made—contacted these otherwise very reputable and responsible companies about this—maybe then they would get it.

Let them know. Please