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Article By: SusanThixton
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It's Killing Bald Eagles...but The FDA Says It's Safe For Pets!
What you are about to read is something that is very startling - and have probably never heard of before. As shocking as it might be, it is something that you should know before you feed your pet it's next meal.
A very disturbing fact of pet food comes from FDA testing. The FDA has determined that pentobarbital, the drug that is used to euthanize animals - is commonly found in many popular pet foods. You did read that correctly. Pentobarbital, a euthanizing drug, is in some popular pet foods and treats and according to the FDA is safe for pets to consume.
In 2002 the FDA released it's findings of a two years study that determined pentobarbital is in pet food. Many pet foods purchased from local grocery and pet stores contained the drug. To determine the risk to U.S. pets, the FDA also provided the results of their eight week study as to the effects of the drug when consumed in pet food. Their 8 week test determined that pentobarbital was safe in pet food.
Even though the FDA's eight week testing showed no harm to the pets that consumed pentobarbital in their pet food, there was no mention of the lifelong effects of consuming the drug. This is a real worry for pet owners, but it is not the only concern.
Recently, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Agency published a report stating that pentobarbital is responsible for the deaths of "over 140 Bald and Golden Eagles in recent years - as well as numerous other wildlife and dogs." The Agency also named California Condors, Vultures, Hawks, Wood Storks, Gulls, Crows, Ravens, Bears, Lynxes, Foxes, Bobcats, and Cougars having died from consuming the euthanized carcasses of farm animals and/or small animals in land fills. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Agency reports that poisoning of eagles or other wild birds, even if it is accidental, violates Federal law and can result in fines.
The FDA has made some changes however. New labeling requirements for pentobarbital requires a warning statement of environment hazard citing the product is toxic to wildlife. And as well, the new labels must state "Do not use in animals intended for use in food." The drug still remains to be found in pet food.
Pets are consuming pentobarbital as you read this. Even though the FDA's new labeling clearly states the drug should not be used in animals intended for food - pentobarbital is still found in common pet food ingredients. And not that I have already given you enough to be concerned over, the next worry is how pentobarbital could be found in pet food. Rumor has been for many years that pentobarbital is from euthanized dogs and cats from animal shelters all across the U.S. being rendered - cooked - and end ingredients of the rendering process are put back into pet food. Pet Food manufacturers adamantly deny these claims stating the species source is from euthanized cattle and horses. The FDA has done testing trying to clinically prove the species source - pets or livestock - no clinical proof has ever been provided to the pet owning public.
It is just a mind boggling thought - the possibility that euthanized dogs and cats are rendered and put back into pet food. As difficult as that is to believe, the possibility remains. Regardless of the species source of pentobarbital, the FDA has told pet owners that the most common feature of a pet food that contains pentobarbital to be the ingredient 'Animal Fat'. My suggestion to all pet owners is to carefully scan the label of your dog food or cat food (and don't forget pet treats) to look for the ingredient 'Animal Fat' - avoiding those pet foods and treats that contain it.
Article Source: ArticleZones.com
About the Author
Before you feed your pet one more meal, please see Susan Thixton's website and gain knowledge of many more secrets of the pet food industry. Also please register for the free Truth About Pet Food newsletter. pet food, dog food, cat food
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