Nestlé Purina's Beneful Accused Of Poisoning Dogs

[Greytmate]

It is current as it is still under investigation, people are coming forward with their stories.

I am concerned that a large corporation is not taking allegations seriously, i find it very disturbing.

If you find it trashy and sensationalised keep on walkin.

No, I think people should be able to get a balanced view on this, why should trash media get a free run?

Those who buy food produced locally have nothing to worry about, those who buy foreign food (the minority of people here) should familiarise themselves with food production laws in the country they choose to buy from.

Edited February 26, 2013 by Greytmate

[Greytmate]

What evidence do you have that the companies are not taking it seriously? Or do you believe in everything you read in trash media?

[mita]

The best thing is to keep walking away to a source that has credibilty.

The Australian government has set up a Standing Council on Primary Industries Pet Food Controls Working Group, which is constantly surveying the scene of pet food safety ... setting standards... and reporting on any issues. These are the people to listen to.

They have an explanatory document called Managing the Safety of Domestically Produced Pet Food, and Imported and Domestically Produced Pet Food. Which shows how they cover all bases that are pertinent to safety in pet food in Australia:

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:vU_AEUtcucAJ:www.daff.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/2181603/report-of-the-scopi-pet-food-controls-working-group.pdf+Australian+Veterinary+Association+warnings+about+commercial+dog+food&hl=en&gl=au&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEEShV6ilZ2t4pH1ORasY6eEQFgjjKrQSGkef91vKWII4oFhGMbz6eOcjIYGwcSMQfwGpeoEhPMOS5sc6s3IcGCGB1W7FVGmMl7WyuYQjvISf1PTTfr3S10fpY_Mk9_l5d_fRyERpT&sig=AHIEtbSizQIUzqqpptXZK4QhUzFoPwOiGA

The Australian Veterinary Association gives this Working Group their seal of approval... & is a participating member. Which means the work is evidence (science)-based.

http://www.ava.com.au/newsarticle/pet-food-safer-thanks-cooperative-approach

Edited February 26, 2013 by mita

[Guest donatella]

Their facebook is full of outraged pet owners and their stories linked to the food. So far noone from the company has recognised these claims and even stood forth and said they where investigating?

[Greytmate]

Their facebook is full of outraged pet owners and their stories linked to the food. So far noone from the company has recognised these claims and even stood forth and said they where investigating?

No where that you have looked anyway. Have you contacted the company for comment?

Facebook is full of pages of tripe, even less credible than the trash media you first quoted. :laugh:

[Guest donatella]

For Greymate's sake "this is all just a media hype rubbish, please walk on and take it with a grain of salt"

For anyone else, it is in the USA, it will be interesting to see if its hype or true (the same company had product recall in 2007 for killing 2 dogs), their FB is full of outraged pet owners and photos and stories apparently linked to the product, many of which are being deleted by admin and not being responded to.

Pick whatever route you want. There everyone's happy :D :D

Now leave me alone.

[mita]

I might as well save my breath ... in a context of 'if it's on the Net it must be right'.

Australia doesn't have to rely on Facebook contributions for monitoring pet food safety in this country (both domestically produced & imported). We have a Pet Food Adverse Events System of Tracking, in place. It's as close as lodging your concerns with your veterinarian.

It's better for Australians to know we have these systems in place .... from a top-level monitoring working group, to a process where adverse reports go straight into a system that can do something about the matters.

Edited February 26, 2013 by mita

[Greytmate]

For Greymate's sake "this is all just a media hype rubbish, please walk on and take it with a grain of salt"

For anyone else, it is in the USA, it will be interesting to see if its hype or true (the same company had product recall in 2007 for killing 2 dogs), their FB is full of outraged pet owners and photos and stories apparently linked to the product, many of which are being deleted by admin and not being responded to.

Pick whatever route you want. There everyone's happy :D :D

Now leave me alone.

Why start a thread for discussion if you want to be left alone? :laugh:

Maybe you would be better sticking to commenting on the outraged facebook pages rather than in a forum where people have come to expect credible and balanced information on all things canine?

Thanks for posting those links Mita. There is no need for people to be disturbed about what is going on with dog food in Australia.

[mita]

There is no need for people to be disturbed about what is going on with dog food in Australia.

And specially good if people know that they can contribute to monitoring pet food safety in Australia, by taking any concerns into the Pet Foods Adverse Tracking System. So, pet owners, know it and use it.

All this was set up following urgent recalls of certain pet food & treats back in 2008 and 2009... after they did damage.

It was realised, then, that Australian pet owners had no ongoing barrier of protection re commercially produced pet food ( domestic & imported).

The Australian Veterinary Association and other groups got together under the eye of Dpt of Primary Industries (where there was already food safety measures for humans) ... & the protective systems were set up.

http://www.ava.com.au/about-us/policy-and-positions/topics-1

Edited February 26, 2013 by mita

[megan_]

They said they have investigated and tested the samples? I'd prefer to have an independent lab test the samples, but they haven't ignored complaints even according to the article?

[Guest donatella]

I apologise if they have responded to the allegations and I've missed it but all I can see is that they haven't responded to customer complaints and are continuing to say say there is no problem.

[OSoSwift]

I have also seen some reports and the facebook page. Yes ours is made here, but I would still stay away from using the product until a full and thorough independant investigation is held.

It does seem thyat a lot of dogs ahve become unwell adn the standard answer given out on their facebook page is severly lacking.

You may think the FB page is trash and it may well be, but the complaints are written there by average owners who have not been given answers that don't sound like "we are just sweeping this under the carpet."

I quite often work on - where there is smoke their is fire". Very rarely I have been wrong

Edited February 26, 2013 by OSoSwift

[mita]

Pet food safety in the USA is covered by their US Food & Drug Administration. (section of their Dpt of Health). All concerns about human & pet food are under the responsibility of that FDA.

They set out notices of pet food product recalls because of safety issues.

http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/newpetfoodrecalls/

So the US also has monitoring processes which can be used & referred to.

The American Veterinary Association directs pet owners to report any adverse problems re pet food to the FDA. In other words, to a body that's independently charged, by the US government, to investigate, order recalls where necessary, and report to the public.

https://www.avma.org/news/issues/recalls-alerts/pages/pet-food-safety-recalls-alerts.aspx

There is a real world, beyond Facebook, where systems that respond to consumer concerns are in place. It's good for consumers to know about those systems.... and use them.

The US FDA even lists all the Consumer Complaints Coordinators, with phone numbers:

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/ReportaProblem/ConsumerComplaintCoordinators/default.htm

Edited February 26, 2013 by mita

[mita]

Example of the US FDA at work, investigating and recalling pet food that harmed. With their powers, the FDA can go after perps in a big way. Very motivating for US pet owners to use their system of reporting complaints (note the independent testing):

Melamine Pet Food Recall of 2007

On March 15, 2007, FDA learned that certain pet foods were sickening and killing cats and dogs. FDA found contaminants in vegetable proteins imported into the United States from China and used as ingredients in pet food.

A portion of the tainted pet food was used to produce farm animal feed and fish feed. FDA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture discovered that some animals that ate the tainted feed had been processed into human food. Government scientists have determined that there is very low risk to human health from consuming food from animals that ate tainted feed. All tainted pet food, animal and fish feed, and vegetable proteins continue to be recalled and destroyed.

As a result of FDA and USDA's comprehensive investigation, on February 6, 2008, FDA announced that two Chinese nationals and the businesses they operate, along with a U.S. company and its president and chief executive officer, were indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a scheme to import products purported to be wheat gluten into the United States that were contaminated with melamine.

Edited February 26, 2013 by mita

[Sheilaheel02]

I'm not a Beneful fan based on my personal experience. When fed to the foster dogs, many of them had stomach upsets or diarrhea. A couple of them started to refuse to eat it. The symptoms ceased as soon as it was no longer fed. It may have been the preservatives and colouring, I don't know, but the dogs certainly did not do well on it.

S

Edited February 27, 2013 by Sheilaheel02

[Panto]

Can you please modify the post to point out that this is in the US and not Australia, and that the food sold in Australia is made in Australia? No point in unduly stressing out dog owners.

It is there, in the sub heading and has been the entire duration.

Sorry Don, i freaked a bit when I saw this thread as I am unable to see te sub heading on my phone (I use tapatalk).