Pet Food Information: Resources for Making Healthy Choices for Our Best Friends

Abstract

Many of us who are guardians for companion animals were struck with fear when we heard about the massive recall of cat and dog foods during the spring of 2007. Even premium brands were being added to the recall list. Dogs and cats were becoming ill and many died from what appeared to be some sort of food contamination. Eventually, the cause of these pet illnesses and deaths was linked to the intentional adding of melamine to wheat gluten and rice protein imported from China. The melamine combined with cyanuric acid—a by-product of melamine and an additive in some animal feed—caused the formation of crystals in the kidneys of cats and dogs that consumed the tainted food (Dobson et al., 2008).

Shortly after the pet food recalls of 2007, Congress worked to promote better food safety, including the safety of pet food. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) chaired hearings on the pet food recall (American Veterinary Medical Association, 2007). New pet food legislation was included and passed as part of the Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act of 2007, Public Law 110–85. Section 1002 of the Act deals with pet food safety, and this section was codified at 21 U.S.C. §2102. This provision requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to work with the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) and other stakeholders to establish regulations regarding ingredients, processing standards, and labeling for pet food. It also requires the establishment of “early warning surveillance systems and notification during pet food recalls” (21 U.S.C. §2102[b]).