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Photos from Dogtoberfest 2011
austindogandcat.com
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Austin woman says jerky treats made in China made her dog sick
from kvue.com
Posted on September 18, 2012 at 6:29 PM
Updated today at 10:13 PM
AUSTIN -- An Austin pet owner says jerky treats from China almost killed her dog.
Pat Richardson had no idea her dog Allie was sick until she took her to the veterinarian for an annual check-up. A routine blood test revealed her five-year-old Cairn Terrier had kidney problems. Her vet helped her pinpoint the cause to a treat Richardson fed her dog every day.
"It's a family member, and I thought if I had done something to harm her, it was devastating," said Richardson.
CSI: Special Pooper-Scooper Unit
From: KXAN.com
Neighborhood may use DNA to link poop to its pooch
Updated: Wednesday, 12 Sep 2012, 6:51 PM CDT
Published : Wednesday, 12 Sep 2012, 6:01 PM CDT
Published : Wednesday, 12 Sep 2012, 6:01 PM CDT
AUSTIN (KXAN) - This might be one of those cases where DNA evidence can bring the evil doo-ers to justice.
A homeowners association in South Austin is considering using DNA to do to find out which pup is pooping on which lawn -- and which pet owners are not scooping the poop.
The Pointe is a small condominium complex made up of 31 units, mainly retired folks. Neighbors live in nice homes in peaceful streets with well-kept yards.
But behind the gates, homeowners said there's something smelly going on.
Martha Ross and her neighbors have lived in the community for years and were surprised when they received an email from the HOA president stating they will be required to give a sample of their dogs' DNA through their poop.
"I'm not in it and my little dog isn't in it and I think it's unfair to push to this point, " Ross said.
The email said dog droppings keep showing up in the common areas, that's why the board is pushing for DNA testing.
FDA says pet death toll from jerky treats continues to rise
From: kvue.com
Posted on September 17, 2012 at 10:49 AM
Updated yesterday at 10:14 PM
The FDA now says 360 dogs and one cat have died in the last 18 months, reportedly after eating chicken jerky treats made in China.
An FDA report released this week says they've received 2,200 reports of illnesses linked to the treats - the deaths are included in that number. There is no geographic pattern to the illnesses and deaths - cases have been reported from all 50 states and 6 Canadian provinces.
The FDA says the majority of complaints involve chicken jerky (treats, tenders, and strips), but others include duck, sweet potato, and treats where chicken or duck jerky is wrapped around dried fruits, sweet potatoes, or yams.
The report goes on to say that in the past 10 years, there has been a dramatic increase in importation of pet food from China. It is estimated that nearly 86 million pounds of pet food came from China in 2011. Pet treats, including jerky pet treats, are currently considered the fastest growing segment in the pet food market.
The FDA has been investigating the reports of illnesses, but no definitive cause has been determined.
"The ongoing global investigation is complex, multifaceted and includes a wide variety of experts at the FDA including toxicologists, epidemiologists, veterinary researchers, forensic chemists, microbiologists, field investigators and senior agency officials," the report says.
The FDA says product samples have been tested for contaminants known to cause the symptoms and illnesses reported in pets, and they are now expanding testing to include irradiation byproducts and they are consulting with NASA experts about it.
In their report, the FDA says jerky treats are not necessary for pets to have a balanced diet - basically advising people not to feed them to their pets. But if you choose to give your pet the treats, watch them closely for any or all of the following signs that may occur within hours to days of feeding the products: decreased appetite; decreased activity; vomiting; diarrhea, sometimes with blood; increased water consumption and/or increased urination.
An online petition has been launched by a concerned pet owner, urging the FDA and manufacturers of chicken jerky treats imported from China to "immediately halt all sales until the treats can be safely sourced and proven to no longer be dangerous to our companions."
More than 22,000 signatures have been gathered so far, some from people who say their pets became ill and/or died after eating the jerky treats.
An online petition has been launched by a concerned pet owner, urging the FDA and manufacturers of chicken jerky treats imported from China to "immediately halt all sales until the treats can be safely sourced and proven to no longer be dangerous to our companions."
More than 22,000 signatures have been gathered so far, some from people who say their pets became ill and/or died after eating the jerky treats.
Resources
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Monday, August 6, 2012
Recall alert: High-quality cat treats were sold locally
A Letter from Founder and CEO of Catswell, Marco Giannini
Dear Fellow Pet Parent:
At Catswell, our number one priority is the safety of our products and the health of our feline customers. We strive to make and sell only the highest-quality, natural cat treats with added vitamins that provide functional benefits such as improved hip health, breath, and other benefits.
During routine testing of our products, we recently discovered that two batches of our Catswell VitaKitty Chicken Breast with Flaxseed and Vitamins tested positive for a limited presence of an ingredient called propylene glycol. Although this ingredient is "generally regarded as safe" for both humans and dogs, the FDA does not allow it in cat food or treats, even at trace levels. Although no cases of illness in cats have been reported due to the two batches, we felt a voluntary recall was necessary. We have issued an FDA-approved press release to make our customers aware of the situation, identified the stores that received the product, and contacted them to return the product to us. While we were able to catch much of the affected product, some products did make it into the homes of our customers. For that, we are sincerely apologetic.
We are doing everything we can to resolve this situation quickly and ensure that our customers can continue to feel confident feeding Catswell products to their cats, as we do here.
To learn more about the affected product, we invite you to read our "frequently asked questions" here. If you would like to speak with someone live, you can call us at 1-888-559-8833 or email us at info@dogswell.com. If we are unable to get to your call, or it is after hours, please leave us a message and we will get back to you as quickly as possible.
We thank you, our valued customers, for your understanding, and we hope to be able to regain your trust.
Yours,
Marco Giannini
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