When are they going to stop importing toxic Chinese crap?

Chinese Chicken Processors Are Cleared to Ship to U.S.

Published: August 30, 2013

The Department of Agriculture on Friday approved four Chinese poultry processors to begin shipping a limited amount of meat to the United States, a move that is likely to add to the debate over food imports.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/31/business/chinese-chicken-processors-are-cleared-to-ship-to-us.html?_r=0

no doubt it's going to be the start of something that can only get much worse

I agree with you.... sounds like a ridiculously futile 6 year investigation process -- folks should just STOP buying ANYTHING for consumption Made in China.

But I can't help but think the corporations/companies find a way around using the words "made in China."
I hope there's no way to reword it, and hide it from the public.

I personally told everyone I knew who had a pet NOT to give their dog or cat any kind of treat unless it was made in the U.S. I had some kind of treat in my cupboard for our dog from one of the pet stores and I had a hard time finding out where it was actually made. I couldn't see the tiny print that was nearly the same color as the package so I called them to ask and they told me some state and as I was studying the packaging again I found it, while I was on the phone with the guy. Thailand, I said. Oh, he said, and I couldn't tell if he knew all along and was lying to me or if he was surprised. I was pissed, to say the least. Yes, not China but not made here either so it went into the trash. If anything happened to our animals it would break all of our hearts. Go to the grocery and buy meat for your animals, cook it up, give it to them. Much better than dog food in a bag, or treats.

online to make your own pet treats. At least you know you are not loading them with cyanide.

Our regulatory system is non-existent, voluntary and privatized thanks to Wall Street. Now instead of eating food here we import everything from China through huge food brokerage firms so the .01% can get rich. Much of it is counterfeit, poisonous and way worse than chemically laden, pesticide rich GMO tainted food that used to be grown here. This is what your kids are eating. This country just isn't paying enough attention...they are distracted by stupid cultural issues. Obama playing footsie with the Republicans has only enabled their thirst for power and control

Current list of recalls:

https://www.avma.org/news/issues/recalls-alerts/pages/pet-food-safety-recalls-alerts.aspx

Iams, Inova, Purina and lots of Diamond on there.

I went off of Iams after their 2nd recall in 12 months, then had my dogs on Taste of the Wild. TOTW is a Diamond brands food and had a big recall last year:

http://www.king5.com/community/blogs/the-pet-dish/Diamond-Pet-food-recall-Costco-Kirkland-150356295.html

Now they are on NutriSource (grain free lamb). The company is family owned has had no recalls. Helped with allergies in my female (the gold one, allergic to rice and some other grains) and their fur just shines.

I will check to see if NutriSource is available here.

I always thought "Taste Of The Wild" was one of the best dog foods around; and my vet buys it for her dogs.

the graphics are (unintentionally) hilarious and I have had good luck with grain free foods. We would still be on it if not for the recall. It is made by pet food giant, Diamond and they have had a fair number of recalls in the past 2 years.

The NutriSource is a little cheaper (thankfully), about $42 for 30 lbs (versus $50 for TOTW).

and so regal looking.

right before she chewed my leg off.

They need their meat protein..

Cats require a meat diet oops

But you are the one elected to feed it textured vegetable protein.

Dogs can survive, but I can't imagine they'd be very healthy, in most cases.

Although after I posted that I was curious if anyone actually did such a thing and searched google for vegan cat diets.... There seems to plenty of people who seem to do that. I can't say I agree with pushing human morality on a cat or dog though.

Years ago, we tried putting our dog at the time, on a vegetarian diet (we read vegan wasn't advised for a dog)—not to PUSH our views on our dog, it was because we don't like the idea of killing animals, and hoped there was a way we could raise our dog without purchasing food from the dead meat of a tortured animal. If someone were to offer him hamburger at a bbq, we were fine with that. Anyways, the pup pretty much spat the vegetarian food onto the floor. So...so much for that.

or at least staying healthy on that diet. I give her Medhu Wada all the time, she also loves falafals, beans, pineapples, grapes etc. She also gets huge amounts of raw meats(org burger, sockeye salmon etc) which she devours like a lion.

What kind of dog do you have?

I grew up with a German Shepherd and Rottie that were very picky, her best bud who is a chi-somethingorother is EXTREMELY PICKY. I have had two staffordshires, Karma being my second, that eat just about anything. My dog pulled a raw chicken breast off the counter and gobbled it up. Maybe some dogs are just more "piggish" than others? lol

But the dog we tried on a veg diet was (rescue also, we found him on Christmas day wandering the streets) as far as I know a Burmese Mtn /Shepherd mix. He had the thickest under coat I have ever seen. After bathing, it seemed to take 8 hours for him to dry.

Anyway, this was back in the early 2000's. There was a brand of vegetarian food out (I apologize if I said it was vegan: it wasn't vegan, it had dairy in it). It was canned and dried. We bought both canned and dried, and mixed them together. He ate it the first time, and then after that, he just spit it out. ...and this dog would eat anything. I'm guessing it must have just been rice and cheese or something.

Anyway, after that, we accepted the fact that he wouldn't eat without a meat based diet.

We saved him...he was going to be euthanized with in a day or two. He was a mean looking dude with a dark black nose. But a fluffy innocent sweetheart who was about 1 year old when we got him. He was a large dog of 70 lbs, but he lived to be 17. Loved him until the very end (4 years ago).

Here's his pic...


sorry for the long response.

Sorry to hear about the loss of your family member

I haven't thrown up any pics of mine yet, but she looks this this cutie, just a bit bigger, she is also around 70lbs. She is a big baby bear, very gentle and almost human personality.


AND HERES THE TERROR!!!!!!LMAO


Quick question. I used expensive flea treatments, against my better judgements cause I don't like putting chemicals on my animals but the organic stuff didn't work, and the chemical treatment didn't work much at all. Were you able to treat them? I'm totally at a loss right now. I was able to do boric acid in the yard which killed the fleas, but also alkalized the heck out of my yard pretty much making gardening impossible until it wore off. Then the fleas came in DROVES!

Sadly, we use the chemical stuff. We live in Southern California, and the fleas are pretty much year round. Especially since we haven't had much rain in the past few years (from what I heard, the rain does them in, don't know how true that is).

We were using the drops, but they stopped working, so we know use a tablet called Comfortis. I'm going to ask the vet about harmful effects. Plus, the drops, made my dog freak. I think she could taste them after we put them on her shoulders. She would pace around for about a 1/2 hour. Sad.

Let me know if you discover anything natural that works. I know some people use that Citrus stuff (they used to advertise it on KTLK—I think it was Stephanie Miller). But I haven't heard that it works well, and we usually have flea bites after leaving their home.

Okay...
C'ya!

They eat meat. That is their natural diet.

Am I understanding you correctly?

I'm kidding, I swear...

DU is too big and I'm pretty unforgettable, so I need to keep in mind that most people here have no idea how my tongue is usually firmly planted in my cheek. Usually the people who know me realize this and they just roll their eyes whenever I open my mouth (or type)

I plead constant exposure to rightwingers who say things like that in all seriousness.

I apologize for missing the context.

Unless of course you hate your cat.

I would not have checked if not for this post. They are going to Petco for a refund!!!

Our Blue Buffalo joint treats are MADE in the USA!

http://www.bluebuffalo.com/dog-treats/blue-jerky-jolly-joints

made in USA for $13.

My dogs love them.

if they are meant for consumption, it's hard to avoid toys from there, but it would be a good idea. Target makes it easy with their rawhide treats, they have different labeling, US made has a blue label, Stuff from China has a yellow label...

Most Kong toys are made in the US

Nothing from China for my fur babies!

for chinese medicines and foods. It is so difficult to find out which ingredients come from China, and avoid them.

It can be just as toxic as food.

Please don't use make up made in China.

Japan and Korea have FABULOUS makeup.

I wouldn't take my chances using make up made in China just so I can save a couple dollars. Is not worth it.

Shiseido (Japan), Amore Pacific (Korea) and Sulwhasoo (Korea) are just three makeup brands that can easily compete with any American or European line.

of wild caught salmon in the store one day and read the label - It said "Wild caught in the U.S.A., processed in China." Jerky made in the US is getting easier to find, and I have been able to get it for our dog even in Walmart.

Ever since that terrible 'epidemic' several years ago, when pets were dying from eating food/treats from China, I never buy any pet food from there. So many of the jerky treats come from China, it's difficult to find any that don't. I believe that there is one company that is on the California central coast that makes jerky but I can't recall the name at the moment. You REALLY have to read the packages to see where the items originate.

I've started buying the Natural Balance tubes of dog food and cutting it up into small cubes and using that as treats. I know where it comes from and it's a quality product.

Buying these for 25 years, no issues. Cheaper than ever on Amazon instead of pet store...


http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002DGRSY/ref=oh_details_o03_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

crack for dogs. I make my own dog treats now, but I've bought those freeze dried liver treats many times and my dogs loved them.

Perhaps the Chinese will listen to a boycott, since they seem unwilling to listen to words and laws.

The Chief Food Inspector in 2009:

http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-204_162-2860989.html

They listen to money.

And again, I wouldn't assume that any pet food is 100% safe without checking for recalls.

One dead guy is a tiny price to pay for getting the US to let its guard down.

https://www.avma.org/news/issues/recalls-alerts/pages/pet-food-safety-recalls-alerts.aspx

You advocate 'just buy American and everything will be fine' so who is "letting (their) guard down" ?

"Ingredients" (I don't know how else to describe them) are ubiquitous, everything from whey to added vitamins. It's very discouraging. Food labeled "Made in USA" may be loaded with crap created in China.

There is one community that really cares about sourcing its food supply, however, and is willing to pay what it takes for peace of mind. Orthodox Jews. They may do it for religious reasons, but in the absence of anyone else who gives a damn about our food safety, I say thanks. According to an LA Times article I read a couple of years ago, there is a rabbi who is actually physically based in China whose job it is to trace everything that is food or that goes into food to its source. Unless and until he is satisfied, the end product does not get the kosher label.

I don't have time to locate the link, but at least it's something.

.... nearly all of which are imported from China. The reports involve more than 3600 dogs, 10 cats and include more than 580 deaths.

Even if they aren't putting out names/brands... I suggest any of those that have 'Made in China' on anyone's shelves be locked away immediately -- keep them as evidence in case something should happen going forward but definitely keep them from your pets.

My dogs love them.

I learned from the guidedog school green beans are excellent snacks,and they fill them up.

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2013/09/usda-misinforms-parents-about-chinese-processed-chicken-in-school-meals/#.UmcX41P25gg

I grew up in Europe, and we didn't have cat/dog food back then. Our pets ate table scraps, and they were happy and healthy as ever.

Stop all this Chinese jerky treats insanity. Want to give your pet a treat, give them a piece of meat or vegetable as others sugested. My cat in Europe loved olives for treats! :p

The problem with the crap that comes from China is that many times the country of origin is not listed.

Poor animals.

The make up is sometimes labeled as Product of US but if you look closer is saying Made in China.

Last edited Wed Oct 23, 2013, 12:01 AM - Edit history (1)

We got plenty of pet food right here.

Our debt to China, and the fact that companies can buy this products dirt cheap. That's what I think.

They are getting paid cash. Just like everyone else who buys US bonds. Imports from China are actually not a good thing when it comes to China's US debt. They are causing China's currency to rise, which effectively reduces the return on the US bonds.


And there would be the real reason.

I was in a grocery store a couple of months ago and needed garlic. Saw some that was imported from China. I saw the produce manager and said to him, "The west coast of the United States has some of the largest garlic growers in the world. Why the heck are you selling garlic from China?" He just shrugged his shoulders. I knew he had no control over where things were purchased, but if people would just stop buying this crap and make their concerns known, then maybe stores would listen.

BTW, I buy my garlic from a local grower who carries so many different varieties of garlic. I never knew there were that many kinds! The flavor is amazing too.

As far as dog treats, my companion gets only Whole Foods dog biscuits.

the only way to change the behavior is to remove the reward(money).

I notice more and more pet treats are also coming from Mexico, Columbia and Venezuela and I won't buy those either.

I'm so lucky that I have a locally owned pet store that checks every food, vitamin supplements, etc. - they refuse to carry anything made in China!

our chicken jerky treats from Trader Joe's and they are made in USA.

will fix this any decade now. Or was that century?

It was a European street dog that was abandoned in a dumpster as a pup (obviously the owner threw the puppies out) in a garbage bag. Some folks had rescued the dogs and saved/fed them, and I was a soft touch. He was rambunctious and a lot of fun.

Family members were always buying him treats and those damn jerky things especially. Who knew they'd kill the poor thing? He was healthy as a horse and then rapidly went downhill. He was suffering at the end so I did the "needle" thing--horrible situation all round. Still devastating -- he was a family member.

A good dog.

think they are being kind by having treats on hand for my dog, but I just politely tell them that no, I'd prefer she not get any treats. I allowed a family member to give her a couple of doggies "Christmas cookies" that were red and green and she was sick as a dog (pun intended) for two days. She only had three little treats. I think the food coloring upset her stomach. Of course she chose to get sick on my brand new, light colored carpeting and the red color wouldn't come out until many cleanings.

I also give them dried sweet potato, and they go NUTS for that. NUTS.

My dog is pretty spoiled already, so the last thing I need to do is spoil her more

I dry the sweet potato in a food dehydrator. They go nuts for it. You can buy it commercially made, too, but it is very expensive.

so I doubt I'll be making my own. I'll check out Amazon too.

their environmental and safety regs so non-existent that it is literally cheaper to have something made and shipped 9,000 miles than it is to have it made 90 miles away.

Of course, when you factor in dead pets and people, it is not quite the bargain it seemed. I call it the high price of cheap shit.

This is the exact reason that I buy dog food and treats but hold them at least a few weeks so if tragedy breaks out, I'll know before exposing my own furkids.

I've talked to the Purina people because I buy their products. They claim there are no components from China in the food itself, only a little in some of the treats because they can't find the ingredients elsewhere. So I'm far more likely to bake the treats at home.

Rich people must get richer. They're not greedy. God wills it. They'll tell you that if you don't believe it.

chicken and duck jerky treats with no ill effects. My two Rottweilers died from old age ailments. One with a blood disease and the other from cancer. But they were 12 and 13 years old respectively. I have looked and cannot find any duck or chicken jerky treats that are not made in China.

http://bluebuffalo.com/cat-food/wilderness-chicken

TYY

I have tried all brands and types and she won't eat them.

TYY

My Chihuahua will only eat duck jerky, and the only brand I can find is made in China. She will not eat chicken jerky. Otherwise she is pretty much a vegetarian. She does not like meat of any kind except for the duck jerky.

They have several duck items all made in the USA: http://www.bluebuffalo.com/search?q=duck+jerky


http://bluebuffalo.com/dog-treats/wilderness-trail-treats-duck?pf=1&animal=dog

Duck,Chicken Meal,
Chicken Meal
Chicken meal is a highly digestible protein source produced by cooking chicken at high temperatures, extracting the fat and drying the meat residue. It is a meat protein, providing essential amino acids and fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals for muscle development and energy. It is naturally stabilized with mixed tocopherols and rosemary to preserve freshness.

Potatoes,
Potatoes
BLUE uses whole, fresh potatoes. They provide B vitamins, carbohydrates, Vitamin C, potassium, iron and magnesium to name a few.

Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols),
Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols)
A high–quality source of essential fatty acids and energy, chicken fat is also high in linoleic acid (source of Omega 6 fatty acids), which helps promote healthy skin and coat. The chicken fat in BLUE natural dog and cat foods comes from USDA–inspected facilities and is stabilized with natural, mixed tocopherols and rosemary to maintain freshness.

Flaxseed (source of Omega 3 and 6 Fatty Acids),
Flaxseed (source of Omega 3 and 6 Fatty Acids)
Ground flax seed contains flax seed oil, which is one of the richest sources of the essential Omega 3 fatty acids (linolenic acid). Flax is a good source of essential amino acids and contains all the essential vitamins and minerals required by dogs and cats. Flax is beneficial for its anti-inflammatory effect and has been known to help arthritis and prevent cancer. Flax seed is also a great fiber source that aids in digestion. Also an excellent source of Omega 3 & 6 fatty acids that promote healthy skin and coat.

Calcium Ascorbate (source of Vitamin C),
Calcium Ascorbate (source of Vitamin C)
Calcium is vital for the formation of strong bones and teeth. Also promotes healthy muscle and tissue growth.

Vitamin E Supplement,
Vitamin E Supplement
Vitamin E is a potent antioxidant that helps to improve circulation and cardiac output.

Salt,
Salt
A natural form of salt obtained from processing seawater. It is a supplement for sodium and chloride, essential nutrients required by dogs and cats. Sodium and chloride are electrolytes. They help regulate water balance in the body, aid in muscle contraction and nerve transmission and regulate the body's acid-balance. Sea salt also contains trace minerals associated with animal health.

Calcium Carbonate
Calcium Carbonate
A mineral compound that is commonly used as a calcium supplement.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/160977897969?lpid=82

Chinese companies were spiking their "food" with melamine to boost the protein numbers:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melamine#Melamine_poisoning_by_tainted_food

What could possibly go wrong?

a few years back, I realized that the Companies involved drag their feet as long as they can. The FDA is paid off and meets with these people not for our benefit. The FDA needs to cleaned up as well as a few other Gov. agencies.

I know that must have been agonizing.

$11,000 over five years dealing with the after-effects of mouth, face, stomach and hind tumors. We had one kidney damaged cat that had to be on SubQIV's and antibiotics until he passed. We were in the big "Lawsuit" and they repaid us about $3600. It cost us money and a huge amount of time amassing proof and we waited several years until they settled. I do not envy anyone going through this but people need to take charge of this because the FDA is in these big Corp(se) pockets....Purina, P&G and Delmonte, etc......People need to make their own or buy as wisely as they can. They need to buy NOTHING from Walmart, etc.......it is poisoning their pets. I know more about this topic than most. We lived it.

I used to give my fur kids a mixture of cooked brown rice, lentils, eggs or tuna, sometimes cheese but not often, shredded carrots and cooked green vegetables or greens. I mix in grapefruit seed extract and a sprinkle of nutritional yeast. They would scarf it down and follow me around for an hour begging for more.

It's so sad that profit takes precedence over our pets.

back.

but shouldn't we have some sort of federal agencies which does this on our behalf? You know, an agency that would test food and drugs for toxins, adulteration, and accuracy of labeling. Perhaps another agency could test crops, dairy products and meat coming from farms.

We could call them the Federal Food & Drug Administration and the U.S. Agriculture Department, or the FFDA and USAD for short.

Oh, wait...

They hate that gubmint you know. Old white stinky assed men. NRA members 1 and all, nuts racists assholes

as a preservative in them. They are that stupid/uncaring.

In September 2008, several companies, including Nestlé, were implicated in a scandal involving milk and infant formula which had been adulterated with melamine, leading to kidney stones and other renal failure, especially among young children. By December 2008, nearly 300,000 people had become ill, with more than 50,000 infant hospitalizations and six infant deaths. In a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, it was reported that melamine exposure increased the incidence of urinary tract stones by seven times in children. Melamine may have been added to fool government protein content tests after water was added to fraudulently dilute the milk. Because of melamine's high nitrogen content (66% by mass versus approx. 10–12% for typical protein), it can cause the protein content of food to appear higher than the true value. Officials estimate that about 20 percent of the dairy companies tested in China sell products tainted with melamine. On January 22, 2009, three of those involved in the scandal (including one conditional sentence) were sentenced to death in a Chinese court.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melamine#2008_Chinese_outbreak

Nestle AGAIN. If ever there was a company whose board of directors should simply be taken out and shot...

No, must remember I oppose capital punishment. And, it would seem that China executed three people, and it has made no difference. Greed is just too powerful a force.

moist pet foods.

as I noted, it was the last big problem we had with Chinese imports. Also, the Chinese government seems fine with poisoning their own people.

A little goes a long way.

I posted this info about a year and a half ago after the last jerky treat warning. Under the circumstances, I think it's worth a repost.


I bought a food dehydrator and I make chicken jerky for my dog all the time. The chicken has to be fully cooked before dehydrating it to avoid any salmonella problems. I roast boneless, skinless chicken breasts until the internal temp is at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Then I slice them and dehydrate for a few hours. I do it once a month and freeze the treats in a vacuum-sealed bag. Each week, I take some out of the freezer and store in an air-tight container. My dog goes crazy for the stuff!

If anyone's interested, I bought the Nesco FD-75PR 700-Watt Food Dehydrator and I love it!

Nesco also makes a "Pet Treat Maker" which is just a food dehydrator with pet-safe seasoning packets for jerky and treat recipes. I don't use the seasoning packets (my dog has a sensitive stomach) and the manual with the pet treat recipes can be downloaded from their website. The standard dehydrator comes with jerky seasoning packets (not the pet-safe seasonings) and the manual has a few pet treat recipes, but the instructions and recipes are for fruits, veggies, meats, herbs, etc. For me, it made more sense to buy the standard dehydrator and download the Pet Treat Maker manual for the recipes.

My dog also loves dehydrated sweet potatoes! Peel and slice a sweet potato, then drop the slices in boiling water for about 2-3 minutes. You don't want them mushy, just slightly tender. Take them out of the pot and drop them in ice water to stop the cooking. Dry them and put them in the dehydrator. (NOTE: I've heard that if you don't boil them first, they turn black a couple of days after dehydrating. I honestly don't know if that's true or not - I got that info from a pet forum. Several people insisted they turn black if they aren't cooked before dehydration. Since they all seemed to know a lot about dehydrating food, I took their word for it.)

If your dog is anything like mine, he'll sit by the dehydrator for hours, patiently waiting for his treats to be done.

You have to read the labels.

are made in China or India. -- Despite assurances from the FDA that the manufacturers are held to "strict standards".

...if the people responsible aren't put in prison.

and it still goes on.

Such is the power of greed.

1. It can say on the label "Made in Canada" or "Made in USA" but the ingredients are imported from China and they don't tell you that part.

2. often it simply says "Packaged in Canada" with no mention of where its imported from but you can guess that its China

3. They name the product something like "Europe's Best" then in the tiniest letters possible, so small that you need glasses to see it they tell you that its a product of China.

until they stop poisoning them.

then they are also allowed to kill US...people. How many of the really weird diseases I see people getting are because of Chinese imports?

WHY hasn't FDA issued a formal recall?

Are they waiting until the death count gets up into the thousands?

If they don't have enough inspectors, they should hire more.

This problem is much more than just "jerky treats from China"
since American brands like Iams, Purina, and Diamond are involved as well.

Perhaps if thousands of pet owners call the White House comment line, as well as the FDA, they might get off their butts and address this issue NOW!

White House comment line is 202-456-6213
To send an e-mail to President Obama, go to http://www.whitehouse.gov/
and click on "Contact Us"

Food And Drug Administration 1-888-INFO-FDA or 1-888-463-6332
To e-mail FDA, go to:
http://www.fda.gov/
click on the link at the bottom left of FDA's Main page "Email FDA"
You can also click on FDA's "Voice Blog" on the main page, ... one of the topics is:
"Help Us Find Out Why Jerky Treats Are Making Pets Sick"

from pet owners and veterinarians last month. the treats are suspected to be contaminated with rat poison and heavily contaminated with toxic metals. clearly, greed drives american pet food companies to source pet food to china. we have plenty of product here to make into healthier food for pets and with better oversight - as long as it is NOT offal nor ground up meat and bones from other sick animals.

Anyone know if it's the identical manufacturer or brand?

Apparently thousands of pets have been affected?!

Jerky Treats Killing Hundreds of Dogs, Thousands Affected

http://wp.me/p18r3p-1d7