———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Kinship Circle - kinshipcircle [at] brick.net
Date: May 8, 2007 11:51 AM
Subject: Our Companions Count - FDA Must Monitor Food

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5/8/07: Our Companions Count - Ask FDA To Regulate Pet Food
KINSHIP CIRCLE ACTION CAMPAIGN
www.KinshipCircle.org

SOURCE OF INFORMATION:

Clean Up The Pet Food Supply - Senator Dick Durbin
ga3.org/campaign/petfoodsafety?qp_source=petfood%5fgoogle

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Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach
U. S. Food and Drug Administration
5600 Fishers Lane; Rockville MD 20857-0001
ph: 301-827-2410; email: andrew.voneschenbach [at] fda.hhs.gov
source: ds1.psc.dhhs.gov/hhsdir/eeKey.asp?Key=26763&Format=Table

CC:
Daniel G. McChesney, Ph.D., Director
Food and Drug Administration, Center for Veterinary Medicine
Office of Surveillance and Compliance
7500 Standish Pl., HFV-230; Rockville, MD 20855
ph: 240-453-6830; fax: 240-453-6880
email: daniel.mcchesney [at] fda.hhs.gov
website: www.aafco.org/NameSearch/tabid/76/Default.aspx#M

Dear FDA Commissioner von Eschenbach,

Cats and dogs are domesticated animals reliant upon our care. The largest (and still expanding) pet food recall in history is more than a “pet crisis.” It is also a human crisis for over 100 million households where animals live as family members.

Until recently, the FDA minimized confirmed deaths due to food additives tainted with melamine (an element in plastics and fertilizer). At PetConnection.com, a self-reporting, veterinarian sponsored website, 4,800 deaths (2,499 cats and 2,301 dogs) were listed as of May 7, 2007. Full tally of sick or dead pets recorded by this date: 14,553.

This catastrophe exposes the vulnerability of our food supply and the Bush Administration and FDA’s failure to safeguard, report, inspect and communicate. Now that melamine has been found in animals farmed for human consumption, the government may finally increase FDA authority and funding. I am pleased to learn the Senate recently passed a measure that identifies consistent standards for pet foods and fines for manufacturers that neglect to report faulty products.

Menu Foods, the initial pet food maker named in the recall, became aware of contaminated goods by February 20, 2007. But public recalls were not issued until March 16. During those three weeks, unsuspecting caretakers continued to poison beloved animals.

Reporting delays are unacceptable. I call upon the FDA to stipulate prompt reporting and enforce penalties for companies that do not comply.

In addition, I urge the FDA to step-up pet food inspections. Less than one-third of pet food plants underwent FDA inspections in the last three and half years. Unbelievably, the FDA had never inspected Menu Foods — the manufacturer behind some 90% of pet food brands. I respectfully insist the FDA standardize inspection rules for pet food plants nationwide.

Finally, the FDA must launch a more coherent system for information gathering, so veterinarians and animal caretakers can notify the agency without as many bureaucratic obstacles.

The latest survey from American Pet Products Manufacturers Association shows 73 million dogs and 90 million cats share homes with humans. Our companions count. Caretakers deserve timely, credible facts so they can protect animals from disease and death.

I hope this tragedy will impel the FDA to revamp its oversight of the pet food industry.

Thank you,

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TWO BREAKTHROUGHS FOR ANIMALS

1. Pres. Bush Signs Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act Into Law

If your state only has misdemeanor penalties, urge STATE legislators to make animal fighting a felony. Map of State Animal Fighting Laws: www.animallaw.info/articles/armpusanimalfighting.htm

SOURCE: [here]

EDITED FOR LENGTH

May 3, 2007 — Today, President Bush signed into law a bill that will help law enforcement rid the United States of dogfighting, cockfighting, and other forms of animal fighting.

Dogfighting and cockfighting crimes are rampant in the United States, with individuals arrested every week in scores of locations under state laws. The vast underground networks generate pervasive animal cruelty, drug trafficking, illegal gambling, public corruption and even violence and murder. The Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act, which passed Congress with large bi-partisan support, will give law enforcement a stronger tool to crack down on this illegal activity.

www.hsus.org/legislation_laws/federal_legislation/cruelty_issues/2007_animal_fighting.html

www.hsus.org/legislation_laws/federal_legislation/cruelty_issues/animal_fighting_bill_forward.html

…The law takes effect immediately. It provides felony penalties for interstate commerce, import and export related to animal fighting activities, including commerce in cockfighting weapons. It will make it much harder for criminals who engage in dogfighting and cockfighting to continue their operations. Each violation of the federal law may bring up to three years in jail and up to a $250,000 fine for perpetrators.

Cockfighting is outlawed in every state except Louisiana, although there is mounting pressure in that state to ban the practice. Many states still have misdemeanor penalties for cockfighting. The federal law slaps felony penalties on interstate cockfighting trafficking, and this should provide an enormous deterrent for the tens of thousands of people involved in this criminal industry.

The law will have a devastating impact on major breeders of fighting animals, who depend on customers from all over the United States and abroad. Dog kennels rely on transporting their fighting dogs across state lines and across the world to customers. The new law should substantially curb the transport of fighting animals across state and U.S. borders…

The Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act will help end the export of fighting animals to other countries. Selling roosters to customers in the Philippines and other nations can be lucrative for American cockfighters. The new law puts increased pressure on the airlines to stop shipping roosters to cockfighting hot spots…

2. Horse Slaughter Bills Move Forward In Congress

SOURCE: Permanent Ban On Horse Slaughter Advances In Congress

community.hsus.org/humane/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=9212126

Ban on Horse Slaughter One Step Closer to Becoming Law
www.hsus.org/press_and_publications/press_releases/horse_slaughter_ban_senate_committee.html

April 25, 2007: WASHINGTON — In an unyielding campaign to end the slaughter of American horses for human consumption overseas, lawmakers on the Senate Commerce Committee today approved the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (S. 311) by a roll call vote of 15 to 7. The Humane Society of the United States applauds the committee and urges Senate leadership to give the bill a full floor vote.

April 26, 2007: The U.S. House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly (277-137) to restore a 34-year-old ban on the commercial sale and slaughter of America’s wild horses and burros. On Wednesday, the bill to ban the sale and transport to slaughter of all American horses cleared a critical Senate committee by a decisive 15-7 vote. These victories move us even closer to banning horse slaughter in the United States permanently.

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Tagged: animals animal rights animal welfare action alerts kinship circle menu foods recall dog canine cat feline pet companion animal pet food dog food cat food menu foods income fund fda Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act felony rooster dog fighting cockfighting animal fighting hsus humane society of the united states horses horse slaughter horse meat wildlife conservation American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act congress 110th congress