The recalls continue. See the latest recall of pet food containing salmonella.
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2009/02/pb_king_recall20.html/
It’s pretty clear that this unregulated industry is producing products that are unsafe. Basically, given the total lack of effective government regulation, citizens need to take matters into their own hands in order to ensure that their beloved pets are fed real food. If it’s in a can or a bag – don’t buy it!
The debate is now hitting mainstream vet publications. I composed this letter to the editor as a response to questions posed about veterinarian ethics and the pet food industry, published in the Canadian Veterinarian Journal here:
Canadian Veterinary Journal
Volume 48, November, 2007
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/tocrender.fcgi?journal=202&action=archive/
This elicited a response from a Dr. Tony Buffington, a veterinarian with close ties to Hills Pet Nutrition. Notice how Dr. Tony dodges the issue of dry food. He doesn't outright say it isn't causing illnesses in cats, just dances around the issue.
You'll need to go to the Canadian Veterinary Journal again and search for it. It's in the CVJ June 2008 issue; 49(6), pages 561-563.
A further rebuttal by Dr. Elizabeth Hodgkins and Dr. Marion Smart can be found in the same CVJ journal, October 2008; 49 (10) page 945
and on that same page, by Fiona MacMillan, UK pet food activist, and others...
The emperor truly has no clothes, but one can see how compromised many veterinarian academics have become when institutions are dependent upon funding from multinational corporations.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Thursday, October 23, 2008
FOI Request - Terms of Reference
Here are two documents that are part of an Freedom of Information request I filed.
It's really a travesty that publicly funded institution would have such an incestuous relatioship with a major multinational. Royal Canin is owned by candy bar giant Mars, a fact that the corporation has made great efforts to conceal from the public. They don't want candy bars associated with pet food in the public's mind.
It truly is pitiful that the government allows the universities to sell out our educational institutions and professional associations to multinational corporations in order to get funding for nutritional research and continuing education.
If all research funding monies went to a central independent or government controlled nutritional research funding body and this group included non-industry influenced academics and people with real nutritional knowledge to review research grant proposals, the process would not be tainted as it is now.
There would also be money for continuing educational programmes as well.
What a unique concept -- the government controlling the multinational's distribution of research and professional
association monies. The government acting in the public interest, instead of being at the behest of the multinational corporations. The multinationals could contribute but in a hands off manner -- their contributions could be recognized but
they would not be allowed any control over how the monies were spent or to influence research towards their own product lines.
In these documents there are also a gushing emails with a handwritten note on an April 15, 2008 letter to the RC CEO Xavier Unkovic from Joanne Shoveller, Vice President of Alumni Affairs. "We are delighted to be moving forward with this new Chair. Thank you for your support and vision."
Vision? And exactly what kind of vision would that be? The production and false marketing of massive amounts of species-inappropriate prescription diet kibble products?
Note in Appendix B how they refer to certain illnesses in cats as "naturally occurring", such as diabetes. Diabetes is not a "naturally occurring disease" in either humans or cats. See Dr. Hodgkins article: www.yourdiabeticcat.com where she states, quite clearly and eloquently, that FD is the result of the highly processed kibble products currently inundating the pet food market.
Take a look at these documents. Feel free to email me if you need to see originals and I can photocopy and mail them to you.
This agreement has nothing to do with feline health or correct nutrition for obligate carnivores and everything to do with massively obscene profits for Royal Canin. Any academic associated with this should be ashamed of themselves for selling out their academic integrity and ethics if they agree to be part of this in any way.
UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH
ONTARIO VETERINARY COLLEGE
Office of the Dean
Terms of Reference
Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Endowed Chair in Canine and Feline Clinical Nutrition at the Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph.
1. The Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Chair in Canine and Feline Clinical Nutrition was established through a gift endowment of $2,500,000 (“Endowment”) made to the University of Guelph (“UofG”) by Royal Canin Canada Company (“Royal Canin”).
2. It is agreed that the purpose of this Endowment is as follows:
To establish the Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Endowed Chair in Canine and Feline Clinical Nutrition (the “Chair”). The Chair will be filled by a canine and feline clinical nutritionist, who will be hired as a regular full time tenure track faculty member at the Ontario Veterinary College (“OVC”), for the purpose of veterinary and graduate student teaching and research in canine and feline clinical nutrition.
3. The expendable income from the Endowment should be sufficient to pay the appointee’s full initial term and prospective reappointment salary and benefits. The expendable income is determined in accordance with the UofG’s policy, “General Endowment Fund Management Policy” (see Appendix 1), as may be amended from time to time. If available, additional expendable income could be used as an expense allowance for research and appointment-related travel costs.
4. From time to time, Royal Canin will provide additional support to the Chair including research grant support (students and program funding). This research and student support will be considered as part of the overall package available to the appointee.
5. The UofG, OVC, and Royal Canin will collaborate with each other for their mutual benefit and the benefit of the stakeholders. This will include, but not be limited to, discussion on the needs for nutrition education and research and ways to meet those needs.
6. An Advisory Committee will be created to support the Chair and to assure that the canine and feline clinical nutritional educational and research programs and activities align with the mission mandate of the UofG and Royal Canin. The members will be approved by both parties and will include 2 representatives from the UofG and 2 from Royal Canin. Terms of reference will be developed by this Committee for approval by the UofG and Royal Canin.
7. The appointees will be hired as regular full time tenure track faculty member by UofG and be subject to its policies and procedures. It is acknowledged that as a tenure-track faculty member, the appointee has the academic freedom to pursue interests in addition to the mission and mandate of the Chair. The Chair will not participate in any outside consultation or media activities that create a conflict of interest with the UofG or with Royal Canin.
8. Research carried out through the Chair will be consistent with Royal Canin’s Research Policy (see Appendix B). If in future, a conflict arises between UofG’s policies and procedures and Royal Canin’s Research Policy, the conflict will be referred to the Advisory Committee. The Advisory Committee will provide advice to UofG and to Royal Canin on possible resolution of the conflict.
9. The Chair will be expected to establish a successful teaching program in canine and feline clinical nutrition for veterinary students and graduate students. The Chair might also participate in undergraduate education as time permits. The Chair will maintain a superior program of research (as evidenced by publications and external grant support), and will play a leadership role in facilitating world-class research in feline and canine clinical research.
10. The home department for the Chair will be the Department of Clinical Studies. The Chair will have an appointment in the OVC Teaching Hospital (OVCTH) in canine and feline clinical nutrition. The Chair will provide learning opportunities for veterinary students, interns and graduate students in the OVCTH and will provide nutritional consultation for clinicians from other clinical services within the OVCTH (e.g. critical care, internal medicine, oncology).
11. The professional rank of the appointee may be at the assistant, associate, or full professor level depending on the available funding from the Endowment for salary and benefits and the qualifications of prospective candidates. The first appointee, based on available funding, will be recruited as an assistant professor.
12. Faculty searches follow normal procedures for the UofG. Designates from Royal Canin will have an opportunity to meet with the candidates during their interviews and will be invited to the candidates’ interview presentations.
13. In the event that the appointee leaves the UofG, UofG will fill the position as quickly as possible.
14. If the expendable income is insufficient to meet continuing appointment and expense costs, the Dean will consult with the Advisory Committee, the Provost, the OVC Director of Advancement and Royal Canin. A decision may be made to leave the position vacant intermittently, supplement the income from other sources, and secure additional investment or some combination of these measures.
15. During the period when the Chair is not permanently occupied such as when a candiate search is in progresss, after consultation with the Department Chair, the Advisory Committee, and the Provost will use the Endowment’s income to maintain the continuity of the research and teaching programs in canine and feline nutrition.
16. The capital gifts contributed to this Endowment shall be held in perpetuity.
17. This document may be amended by mutual consent in writing by UofG and Royal Canin.
Signed by the parties hereto this 22nd day of April, 2008.
Dr. Alastair J.S. Summerlee
President and Vice-Chancellor
University of Guelph
Xavier Unkovic
Chief Executive Officer
Royal Canin Canada Company
Appendix B
MediCal/Royal Canin (MCRC) Veterinary Diet Research Policy
Excellent nutrition contributes to the quality and longevity of a companion animal’s life. To maintain excellence, ongoing research is necessary in the field of veterinary nutrition. It is our mission to continue to evolve in the acquisition of knowledge in this field as it pertains to wellness and disease prevention in dogs and cats.
To this end: MCRC is governed by the following guiding principles:
1. Dogs and cats are important members of the family and they will be treated with respect and humaneness at all times.
2. There will be no involvement in studies requiring and resulting in the euthanasia of dogs or cats.
3. There will be no involvement in studies requiring creation of disease by inducing organ manipulation or damage.
4. All clinical studies will investigate diet efficacy in naturally occuring disease (for example, diabetes, osteoarthritis, urolithiasis, food allergies, obesity).
5. Studies will only be conducted to prove efficacy if existing research cannot answer the hypotheses generated from the research and development team.
6. The result of research trials must contribute to the health and well being of dogs and cats.
7. Clinical trials will be performed, if at all possible, on client-owned dogs and cats. The pets are kept in the home environment under the care of their owners. The client’s veterinary clinic of choice will be involved in the clinical trial to provide ongoing monitoring and care of the pet as required. A veterinary internist (ACVJM diplomate) will be available through MCRC for consultation on any aspect of the clinical trial.
8. The collection of blood, urine and feces and the obtaining of radiographs will be carried out in a humane fashion, meeting or exceeding the standards established by animal welfare guidelines.
It's really a travesty that publicly funded institution would have such an incestuous relatioship with a major multinational. Royal Canin is owned by candy bar giant Mars, a fact that the corporation has made great efforts to conceal from the public. They don't want candy bars associated with pet food in the public's mind.
It truly is pitiful that the government allows the universities to sell out our educational institutions and professional associations to multinational corporations in order to get funding for nutritional research and continuing education.
If all research funding monies went to a central independent or government controlled nutritional research funding body and this group included non-industry influenced academics and people with real nutritional knowledge to review research grant proposals, the process would not be tainted as it is now.
There would also be money for continuing educational programmes as well.
What a unique concept -- the government controlling the multinational's distribution of research and professional
association monies. The government acting in the public interest, instead of being at the behest of the multinational corporations. The multinationals could contribute but in a hands off manner -- their contributions could be recognized but
they would not be allowed any control over how the monies were spent or to influence research towards their own product lines.
In these documents there are also a gushing emails with a handwritten note on an April 15, 2008 letter to the RC CEO Xavier Unkovic from Joanne Shoveller, Vice President of Alumni Affairs. "We are delighted to be moving forward with this new Chair. Thank you for your support and vision."
Vision? And exactly what kind of vision would that be? The production and false marketing of massive amounts of species-inappropriate prescription diet kibble products?
Note in Appendix B how they refer to certain illnesses in cats as "naturally occurring", such as diabetes. Diabetes is not a "naturally occurring disease" in either humans or cats. See Dr. Hodgkins article: www.yourdiabeticcat.com where she states, quite clearly and eloquently, that FD is the result of the highly processed kibble products currently inundating the pet food market.
Take a look at these documents. Feel free to email me if you need to see originals and I can photocopy and mail them to you.
This agreement has nothing to do with feline health or correct nutrition for obligate carnivores and everything to do with massively obscene profits for Royal Canin. Any academic associated with this should be ashamed of themselves for selling out their academic integrity and ethics if they agree to be part of this in any way.
UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH
ONTARIO VETERINARY COLLEGE
Office of the Dean
Terms of Reference
Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Endowed Chair in Canine and Feline Clinical Nutrition at the Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph.
1. The Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Chair in Canine and Feline Clinical Nutrition was established through a gift endowment of $2,500,000 (“Endowment”) made to the University of Guelph (“UofG”) by Royal Canin Canada Company (“Royal Canin”).
2. It is agreed that the purpose of this Endowment is as follows:
To establish the Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Endowed Chair in Canine and Feline Clinical Nutrition (the “Chair”). The Chair will be filled by a canine and feline clinical nutritionist, who will be hired as a regular full time tenure track faculty member at the Ontario Veterinary College (“OVC”), for the purpose of veterinary and graduate student teaching and research in canine and feline clinical nutrition.
3. The expendable income from the Endowment should be sufficient to pay the appointee’s full initial term and prospective reappointment salary and benefits. The expendable income is determined in accordance with the UofG’s policy, “General Endowment Fund Management Policy” (see Appendix 1), as may be amended from time to time. If available, additional expendable income could be used as an expense allowance for research and appointment-related travel costs.
4. From time to time, Royal Canin will provide additional support to the Chair including research grant support (students and program funding). This research and student support will be considered as part of the overall package available to the appointee.
5. The UofG, OVC, and Royal Canin will collaborate with each other for their mutual benefit and the benefit of the stakeholders. This will include, but not be limited to, discussion on the needs for nutrition education and research and ways to meet those needs.
6. An Advisory Committee will be created to support the Chair and to assure that the canine and feline clinical nutritional educational and research programs and activities align with the mission mandate of the UofG and Royal Canin. The members will be approved by both parties and will include 2 representatives from the UofG and 2 from Royal Canin. Terms of reference will be developed by this Committee for approval by the UofG and Royal Canin.
7. The appointees will be hired as regular full time tenure track faculty member by UofG and be subject to its policies and procedures. It is acknowledged that as a tenure-track faculty member, the appointee has the academic freedom to pursue interests in addition to the mission and mandate of the Chair. The Chair will not participate in any outside consultation or media activities that create a conflict of interest with the UofG or with Royal Canin.
8. Research carried out through the Chair will be consistent with Royal Canin’s Research Policy (see Appendix B). If in future, a conflict arises between UofG’s policies and procedures and Royal Canin’s Research Policy, the conflict will be referred to the Advisory Committee. The Advisory Committee will provide advice to UofG and to Royal Canin on possible resolution of the conflict.
9. The Chair will be expected to establish a successful teaching program in canine and feline clinical nutrition for veterinary students and graduate students. The Chair might also participate in undergraduate education as time permits. The Chair will maintain a superior program of research (as evidenced by publications and external grant support), and will play a leadership role in facilitating world-class research in feline and canine clinical research.
10. The home department for the Chair will be the Department of Clinical Studies. The Chair will have an appointment in the OVC Teaching Hospital (OVCTH) in canine and feline clinical nutrition. The Chair will provide learning opportunities for veterinary students, interns and graduate students in the OVCTH and will provide nutritional consultation for clinicians from other clinical services within the OVCTH (e.g. critical care, internal medicine, oncology).
11. The professional rank of the appointee may be at the assistant, associate, or full professor level depending on the available funding from the Endowment for salary and benefits and the qualifications of prospective candidates. The first appointee, based on available funding, will be recruited as an assistant professor.
12. Faculty searches follow normal procedures for the UofG. Designates from Royal Canin will have an opportunity to meet with the candidates during their interviews and will be invited to the candidates’ interview presentations.
13. In the event that the appointee leaves the UofG, UofG will fill the position as quickly as possible.
14. If the expendable income is insufficient to meet continuing appointment and expense costs, the Dean will consult with the Advisory Committee, the Provost, the OVC Director of Advancement and Royal Canin. A decision may be made to leave the position vacant intermittently, supplement the income from other sources, and secure additional investment or some combination of these measures.
15. During the period when the Chair is not permanently occupied such as when a candiate search is in progresss, after consultation with the Department Chair, the Advisory Committee, and the Provost will use the Endowment’s income to maintain the continuity of the research and teaching programs in canine and feline nutrition.
16. The capital gifts contributed to this Endowment shall be held in perpetuity.
17. This document may be amended by mutual consent in writing by UofG and Royal Canin.
Signed by the parties hereto this 22nd day of April, 2008.
Dr. Alastair J.S. Summerlee
President and Vice-Chancellor
University of Guelph
Xavier Unkovic
Chief Executive Officer
Royal Canin Canada Company
Appendix B
MediCal/Royal Canin (MCRC) Veterinary Diet Research Policy
Excellent nutrition contributes to the quality and longevity of a companion animal’s life. To maintain excellence, ongoing research is necessary in the field of veterinary nutrition. It is our mission to continue to evolve in the acquisition of knowledge in this field as it pertains to wellness and disease prevention in dogs and cats.
To this end: MCRC is governed by the following guiding principles:
1. Dogs and cats are important members of the family and they will be treated with respect and humaneness at all times.
2. There will be no involvement in studies requiring and resulting in the euthanasia of dogs or cats.
3. There will be no involvement in studies requiring creation of disease by inducing organ manipulation or damage.
4. All clinical studies will investigate diet efficacy in naturally occuring disease (for example, diabetes, osteoarthritis, urolithiasis, food allergies, obesity).
5. Studies will only be conducted to prove efficacy if existing research cannot answer the hypotheses generated from the research and development team.
6. The result of research trials must contribute to the health and well being of dogs and cats.
7. Clinical trials will be performed, if at all possible, on client-owned dogs and cats. The pets are kept in the home environment under the care of their owners. The client’s veterinary clinic of choice will be involved in the clinical trial to provide ongoing monitoring and care of the pet as required. A veterinary internist (ACVJM diplomate) will be available through MCRC for consultation on any aspect of the clinical trial.
8. The collection of blood, urine and feces and the obtaining of radiographs will be carried out in a humane fashion, meeting or exceeding the standards established by animal welfare guidelines.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
July pictures Manu and Makena
Okay you cat photo gallery fans here are a couple of the latest pics. See how healthy kitties on a natural raw meat diet look?
Great fur, shiny and soft. Strong and muscular. Active and alert -- these kitties are no couch potatoes.
Makena can jump up to 6 feet in the air and also jump 13 steps in a single bound. They usually get active around 9 pm -- hunting time -- and chase each other up and down the stairs vigorously. They do get fresh air every day -- supervised of course -- in a safe location where they get to watch the birds and squirrels in the trees.
Makena and Manu's gourmet dining
Rabbit is the number one favourite for Makena and Manu. It's always a special treat. I rotate the food I give my kitties to ensure that they are getting a good variety. Cats of course, being natural gourmets, appreciate that. It's also so they don't get tired of their food -- would you want to eat the same thing every day? Well neither do they.
In the summer I find they eat less. Feeding a natural raw meat diet with minimal supplementation to them costs me no more than it did to feed species-inappropiate, corporate multinational expensive vet kibble.
At the moment, my cats eat a total of 3.2 ounces a day of food, divided between 2 meals.
When you first start to feed cats real food, they will eat a bit more initially, anywhere from 6-8 ounces divided between two meals. After a while, which is different for every cat, it will then level off.
I do also give them treats almost every day too, such as dehyrated chicken hearts or bits of lamb and goat with bone.
Makena's name means "happy one". Yes she is a happy kitty. Happy that she lives in a home that will never, ever feed her commercial cereal and additive-laden vet (or even supermarket) kibble.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Eat Wild
For those of you looking to deal directly with a farmer who doesn't use hormones, antibiotics or chemicals in your kitty's food supply, here's a great link:
http://www.eatwild.com/
There's a directory of farms across Canada and the US here -- http://www.eatwild.com/
Friday, June 20, 2008
University of Guelph accepts funds from Hills
http://news.guelphmercury.com/News/article/343627
Twice already this year -- The University of Guelph gets the Poison Kibble award.
The University of Guelph just can't get enough of the pet food companies -- their money, that is. They've just accepted $5 million dollars for a "new primary health centre" to be built on campus. That's right, directly on the campus.
"Skills like communicating with clients and proper pet nutrition will be the new focus of the primary care centre." Like training vets in how to sell and prescribe untested and unregulated pet food products?
Once again, the University's Dean, Dr. Elizabeth Stone, insists that "we will retain academic freedom to teach the same way we do now."
Well I would venture to point out that that is the very problem. There is no academic freedom when a major multinational company gives this kind of money to a publicly-funded institution. Again, the University of Guelph is allowing their silence to be bought. Teach the same way they do now? Again, that's the problem -- vets prescribing and selling species-inappropriate, unregulated and untested pet food.
How is it that they are not seriously considering the major class action lawsuit launched by Maltzman Foreman in the US against Hills for misleading advertising? This lawsuit is currently headed to court. How can the university accept such a large donation when a company like this is being sued? Have they just chosen to ignore all these lawsuits and take the side of the pet food industry?
It's scandalous and the public should be outraged that their tax dollars are miseducating vets to be perpetual kibble pushers.
What many people are choosing to do is change vet clinics -- and send their vet a letter when they leave, letting them know that they will only be entrusting the care of their beloved pets to vets who do NOT sell these species-inappropriate, misleading advertising, prescription diet formulas.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Update on Florida class action lawsuit
In the many daily email updates I receive on the pet food issue, this one stands out:
http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1202422055276
The impact of this particular lawsuit will have major implications for the industry. The PFI has already attempted to have this case dismissed, but thankfully the judge refused to dismiss the lawsuit.
With Menu Foods settling, could it possibly be that this sets a precedent for the other class action lawsuits? It seems we now have what are called "cross border" settlements with respect to different jurisdictions in North America for dealing with these kinds of class actions. Another curious by-product of globalization.
"The defense claims the allegations in the lawsuit castigating the entire pet food industry are culled from the Internet."
What? Like all the blogs, discussion forums and websites talking about the illnesses caused by long term feeding of untested and unregulated commercial pet food products? And what, exactly, is their point?
That the public is talking about this openly on the internet? Well mainstream media certainly isn't covering the topic anymore, are they?
Mainstream media serves to only air all those glossy high production value ads claiming that pet food products are now being "reformulated." In these ads, the PFI are still blathering on about their formulations being "healthy and balanced" despite the fact that there are only short term acute toxicity studies, at best, being done on these products.
Mainstream media has dropped the story from the crawlers (which incidentially, seems to be the only form of reporting breaking news these days on cable news networks).
Is the defense claiming that the information "culled from the internet" means, in some way, that the issues being raised are not credible? That people's pets have not gotten sick from commercial pet food? That dry food isn't causing feline diabetes, chronic renal disease, cancer, inflammatory bowel syndrome, and urinary tract infections in cats? That people are learning that no cat should eat any form of dry food?
As people start to understand this, as they are on the blogs and discussion forums, dry food will start collecting dust on the shelves of health food stores, veterinarian clinics and supermarkets.
U.S. District Court Judge Cecilia M. Altonaga says in this article:
"Defendants do not assert that the FDA or any other regulatory body has specifically approved the advertisement or statements at issue in this action, and nothing in the AAFCO standards authorizes defendants to engage in false advertising," Altonaga wrote in her order.
Keep it kicking, judge. It would be fabulous if this case would set a precedent.
All of these lawsuits demonstrate a desperate need for genuine accountability in the industry. But maybe if that happened, they wouldn't be able to continue to dump massive quantities of corn and wheat to produce grain-based kibble, which is the main "species inappropriate" ingredient in commercial pet food.
The PFI should not be regulating themselves. Governments in both Canada and the US need to be able to issue product recalls. FDA reform will be one of the factors critical to re-shaping the industry over the next two years, as decisions resulting from these lawsuits emerge.
Then again, people can make other choices -- like refusing to purchase any commercial pet food product.
If you need proof of how healthy a cat can be NOT eating commercial food, and only eating a raw meat with ground bone (and minimal supplementation) diet, take a look at Makena, who is now one year old.
Now, isn't she a gorgeous picture of health and happiness? Wouldn't you want any cat guardian you know to have the same kind of healthy kitty?
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