The PetFoodIndustry.com web site reviews that cats in quite a few international locations have died because of contracting an avian influenza from their pet meals – the pressure H5N1 was discovered. Three cats in South Korean shelters have died, a number of extra have been have been sickened. In Poland, twenty-five cats examined constructive for H5N1 avian influenza, fourteen cats have been euthanized, eleven extra have died.
About Extremely Pathogenic Avian Influenza: “a subtype of the virus. It may well trigger extreme sickness and excessive mortality charges in home poultry and wild birds. The viruses can devastate poultry industries and have financial repercussions because of commerce restrictions. Some varieties, together with H5N1, can cross species obstacles and should trigger extreme diseases in mammals.”
These cat diseases and deaths imply that pet meals producers in quite a few international locations have been together with/are together with poultry contaminated with the “extremely pathogenic avian influenza” as components.
How may this occur? Feed grade components. May this occur within the US? Sure.
U.S. federal regulation (the Federal Meals Drug and Beauty Act) declares that any meals (human or animal) that comprises any a part of a diseased animal or animal that died aside from by slaughter is adulterated – unlawful. Federal legal guidelines prohibit non-USDA inspected and handed animals from being utilized as meals/meals components with a view to forestall avian influenza and different illnesses being unfold via meals (human and animal meals).
Nonetheless, the FDA Heart for Veterinary Medication (CVM) instantly ignores this federal regulation with pet meals/animal meals. The FDA CVM’s present place: “We don’t imagine that the usage of diseased animals or animals that died in any other case than by slaughter to make animal meals poses a security concern and we intend to proceed to train enforcement discretion.” When requested to supply scientific proof to validate FDA CVM’s ‘perception that the usage of diseased animals or animals that died in any other case than by slaughter’ poses no security concern in pet meals, the Company failed to supply any science.
Whereas FDA is the governing company over pet meals, the USDA is the governing company over US poultry farms that offer pet meals poultry components. The USDA has a number of webpages and paperwork offering poultry farmers with help on what to do if their farm is contaminated. “In case your flock is contaminated with extremely pathogenic avian influenza, the U.S. Division of Agriculture will present indemnity and compensation for a few of your losses and prices.”
Of concern to U.S. pet homeowners, the USDA states: “Disposal strategies embody composting, onsite burial, incineration, rendering and landfilling.”
Sure…the USDA permits culled flocks of extremely pathogenic avian influenza contaminated birds to be rendered, and the FDA permits the diseased animals to be included in pet meals/animal feed – with no warning or disclosure to pet meals shoppers.
Similar to within the US, pet meals is regularly used to get rid of sick, non-slaughtered animals in international locations all around the world (feed grade components). Although we can not positively verify, we suspect (extremely suspect) the pet meals in South Korea and Poland (international locations reporting sick/dying cats linked to contaminated pet meals) have been utilizing feed grade components (weren’t utilizing inspected and handed poultry) which in flip contaminated the cats consuming the meals.
The Facilities for Illness Management has maintained a database of extremely pathogenic avian influenza outbreaks within the US. Since January 2022, 58,791,621 birds have been affected within the US. Forty-seven states have documented outbreaks.
Pet homeowners can safely assume a few of these 58 million sick birds have been rendered and ended up in pet meals. Which pet meals? We don’t know. The FDA refuses to require pet meals producers to reveal this data to pet meals shoppers.
Rendering ought to kill the avian influenza pathogen, nevertheless similar to with different pathogens (reminiscent of Salmonella) rendering or cooking of the pet meals isn’t a sure assure of security. Kibble pet meals that embody rendered components stay probably the most generally recalled type of pet meals because of pathogenic micro organism that survived the pet meals manufacturing course of.
Signs of contaminated cats (it’s unknown if canine signs can be related) have been labored respiratory, bloody diarrhea and neurological indicators.
Private opinion: It’s past my understanding to how the FDA may be so acutely cautious about pet meals contaminated with Salmonella whereas on the identical time the Company blatantly ignores the various dangers (together with extremely pathogenic avian influenza) of permitting diseased animals and animals which have died aside from by slaughter in pet meals. I personally put the FDA CVM in touch with two pet meals manufacturing workers recognized with tularemia that the Facilities for Illness Management confirmed have been uncovered to this critical micro organism from rendered pet meals components. The FDA CVM blatantly ignored that too. Are pets and pet meals manufacturing workers thought of ‘disposable’ by FDA?
The outdated saying ‘When you play with fireplace, you’ll get burned’ actually applies right here. For the FDA and authorities companies all around the world to proceed to permit diseased and non-slaughtered animals to be disposed of into pet meals is taking part in with fireplace. Sadly, those who get burned are the pets and the manufacturing workers. People who enable the hearth – stroll away unscathed.
Wishing you and your pet(s) one of the best,
Susan Thixton
Pet Meals Security Advocate
Writer Purchaser Beware, Co-Writer Dinner PAWsible
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