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Pet Food Police Coming to a Delta Society Near You
- 5-20-2010
- Categorized in: Pet Food News
This is one of the most ridiculous moves I’ve seen yet from a national charity; right up there with the Humane Society of the United States making a pet food in Uruguay. The Delta Society is kicking out any pet owner that has made the educated decision to feed their pet raw food.
I don’t feed my pets raw, and I can’t even begin to tell you how many times I’ve dealt with verbal abuse from steadfast raw feeders; one even demanded my website “condemn all pet owners that feed anything but raw”. Demanded! No kidding. But, I support any pet owner that makes an educated decision to feed raw. I am a firm believer in pet owners making their own decisions about what they feed their pets; an educated personal decision. I have no problem with any pet owner that feeds raw, feeds home cooked, feeds commercial; I just want all to learn what is in the food they give their pet. Learn the truth, then go with what your instinct and your pet is telling you; what you believe is working best for your pet and your situation.
It seems the Delta Society doesn’t feel the same. In a statement dated 5/19/10, the Delta Society states “After careful consideration of all of the known scientific facts, and on the unanimous advice of the Delta Society Medical Advisory Board, made up of internal medicine and public health experts from North America, the board of directors voted to preclude animals eating raw protein foods from participating in Delta Society Pet Partners program. This will be a phased program, with complete compliance structured to be in place by June 30, 2010.”
This shocking decision is based on what the Delta Society states are scientific facts. They say “The use of raw animal proteins to promote animal health has not been based on proven or known scientific facts, only anecdotal incidents. On the other hand, it is well known that animals fed raw diets (BARF or other) shed significant amounts of pathogenic bacteria, which studies have indicated may put some people at risk, as compared to pets being fed commercially prepared or cooked, home-made diets.”
What they neglect to mention in their senseless babble is there is NO scientific evidence to PROVE that animals fed raw diets are a risk to ANYONE! What they use as an excuse simply has no legs to stand on.
Yes, there is evidence of risk to the handling of raw meat; we are all instructed to properly wash our hands when preparing our own food as well as that of our pets. But, again, there is NO scientific evidence to prove that a dog or cat that is being fed raw is a risk or ever has been a risk to anyone. No scientific evidence.
The Delta Society mission is as follows: “to help lead the world in advancing human health and well-being through positive interactions with animals. We help people throughout the world become healthier and happier by incorporating therapy, service and companion animals into their lives.” But only if you feed your dog and cat the way the Delta Society wants you to.
By the way Delta Society, did your team of experts ever consider that some commercial pet foods contain sick, diseased animals? Did you give a second thought that some commercial pet foods and treats contain ingredients that violate the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act? What about the safety of those foods? What about the ‘pathogenic bacteria’ there?
This is absurd. The Delta Society would prefer their ‘pet partners’ consume rendered euthanized animals and harmful chemicals than fresh raw meat.
Is the Delta Society Pet Food Police going to inspect the homes of every ‘pet partner’ for strict compliance? What’s next, dogs kicked out of public dog parks because they don’t feed ‘approved foods’? Groomers and Vets refusing clients unless they eat ‘approved foods’? (They’re coming to take us away ha, ha, hey, hey…)
Shame on you Delta Society; you have no right to tell any pet owner not to feed their pet a food based on the pet owner's educated decision. This is none of your business. If you’d like to read the Delta Society blunder, visit http://www.deltasociety.org/Page.aspx?pid=638
Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,
Susan Thixton
Truth about Pet Food
Petsumer Report
www.TruthaboutPetFood.com
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Raw diets banned by Delta SocietyPosted on May 19, 2010 by Scott Weese
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One of the problems with peoples' reaction is the fact that they are confusing two separate issues. One debate regarding raw feeding is whether it is more healthy or more harmful to the pet. That's a controversial area and this policy has nothing to do with that. This policy deals with a separate issue, namely the increased likelihood that raw-fed pets are shedding many harmful bacteria. That's been very well proven in scientific studies. Do raw-fed pets cause disease in people in hospitals? We don't know. However, we have enough evidence to indicate there is the potential for increased risk to patients, and that added risk can be eliminated by not feeding raw meat products.
Hopefully, people will realize that this policy has been put in place for a good reason and that it's focused on protection of people at high risk of serious illness. It's not a broad condemnation of raw feeding, just a statement that it is not considered appropriate for dogs that will have contact with high risk populations, a recommendation that's far from new.
http://www.wormsandgermsblog.com/2010/05/articles/animals/dogs/raw-diets-banned-by-delta-society/
I believe that you are one of the authors on the Guelph study that was used as a basis for the Delta Society directive. Is this correct?
While researching this topic I came across your post and wanted to tell you I appreciated it very much. You clarified the important point. It is about patient safety and well-being. PERIOD. I was first introduced to Pet Partner's when my (then) 14 yr old daughter was in the hospital with an infection in her fallopian tube. It wasn't responding well when she was on 3, I repeat 3, iv anti-biotics. This infection was located near critical organs. She went through this situation 3 times before having a hysterectomy at 16.
The data clearly shows that Samonella multiplies in dogs and after a chicken has been raised with other chickens, consuming a fecal diet before being slaughtered and then shipped on a truck before sitting in a grocery store before being fed raw to a dog...well, I'm not comfortable in the least at having that dog visit my very sick daughter. Do not come near us. It is the patient who has the right to consideration here. Not the dog, not the owner. We get the say and we should have the right to make an informed decision. If people want to feed their dog's raw foods please do not force the risk upon us, wheather the risk or great or minimal. It is not a stressor that is needed at a critical time. If I had known then what I know now via my veteranarian who is excellen; I would never have allowed a pet in my daughters room unless the owner looked me in the eye and gave their word on a stack of Bible's that the pet was not on a raw food diet.
Additionally, I volunteer with a local Hospice and absolutely will never allow Pet Parner's to come onto our unit or into the home of someone at the end of their life without careful screening and signing an additional waiver from our hospital stating that they do not feed a raw food diet. No matter where the studies land on the risk-o-meter we do know there is some risk and it is completely inappropriate to ignore this. It's not just inappropriate. It is selfish and shameful.
Thank you for your post because it clarified that this policy is directed at the comfort of others and is not intended to punish anyone. Imagine the impact on someone who is trying to enjoy the end of their life as best as they can when they become sick and we cannot figure out why.
A few of the studies ~
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18811908
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18811907
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20163574
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17310625
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12058569
Gee, the FDA, those dedicated guardians of pet food profits, says a lot of commercial pet food is too nasty to be handled by even healthy children! Maybe an article about that should be featured too.
Is delta aware that the FDA lab protocols were changed during the recall to keep pregnant workers from testing pet food, even if they wore full HazMat gear? That is just how nasty the things they found were and are.
That is not news either and since there are a lot more bags of this dangerous stuff sitting in kitchens RIGHT NOW, endangering people, than there are raw feeding pet owners on the entire planet, why doesn't Delta do something about the bigger threat?
Hundreds of thousands(if not millions) of bags of kibble are within reach of toddlers right this second, pathogens , toxins and rendered dead pets are oozing their germs into American kitchens RIGHT this second. Immune compromised patients are breathing stuff that scares the FDA.
But Delta is worried about raw feedng pet owners, all six of them.
Yeah, they have their priorities straight.
Strange world.
Say, Nutro fed dogs are reported to have horrible diarhea all over the place, sometimes they have seizures, too and lose control of their orifices, all of their orifices. Hundreds of reported cases.
Way more than all the raw fed pets , just this one brand is spreading germs like typhoid Mary at a fast food joint!
Better ban the Nutro. Quick.
And there are reports that cans of pet food by several manufacterers have been opened to find the contents rancid - better ban all those brands too. Bad cans of ANY food can spread horrid stuff just by being opened! BOTULISM. Ever hear of it? Probably not good news for immune compromised people either.
If you ban all the commericial food that has toxins in it, biggest threat by FAR and documented as such, work your way down to the least actual problems caused by diet, it would take a long time to get to raw fed animals. I wonder, WHY did Delta decide to just ignore the threats to EVERYBODYS health posed by commercial pet food and say raw food is a threat? It probably has nothing to do with that Purina Director sitting on Deltas board. Get that idea out of your head right now!
Perhaps robots which could be dipped in bleach might suit Deltas needs better?
I think this issue is more balanced than your reaction. We all take health risks when we eat. We know people are more likely to get sick from certain foods over others or the way we prepare them so we take the best precautions possible. Foods people consume are sensationalized everyday. I think you are sensationalizing the issue. There is risks with any foods we feed our pets; and foods we feed ourselves. We have to make choices based on circumstances. When the cirumstances include visiting sick, unsuspecting people in hospitals the best choices should be made to ensure peoples safety. The Delta Society is not interested in stomping out Raw Food Diets for pets. It is obvious they simply are being asked by people like me to ensure that our patients are safe by asking people who still have a constitutional right to feed their pets what they want to simply not participate in wreckless behavior. It is wreckless to insist that their rights overshadow the needs of patients.
Please see my post to comment number one.
Best regards, Tamara