CONDEMNED Animal Carcasses in Pet Food

Source: www.truthaboutpetfood

75 MILLION POUNDS

The estimated weight of condemned animal carcasses allowed into pet food in the first 3 months of 2022.

In the first three months of 2022, the USDA inspected and condemned 62,319 livestock carcasses (majority cows and pigs). In the same time frame, the USDA inspected and condemned 2,802,937 poultry carcasses (majority chickens and turkeys).

Each one of those condemned animal carcasses are prohibited from use in human food, and must be disposed of.

The disposal of these condemned animal carcasses is where federal agencies vary dramatically. The USDA’s jurisdiction is for ‘food’. When a ‘food’ product is condemned by USDA, their responsibility ends as long as that condemned product does not become ‘food’.

At this point the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) jurisdiction begins – with feed/animal food. The condemned animal carcasses are diverted to animal feed/pet feed (disposed of into animal feed/pet feed) directly allowed by FDA CVM.

The estimated pounds of livestock carcasses condemned in first 3 months of 2022 = 32,716,950 pounds.

The estimated pounds of poultry carcasses condemned in first 3 months of 2022 = 42,044,040 pounds.

Totaling together:

In the first three months of 2022,

an estimated 74,760,990 pounds of condemned livestock and poultry…needed to be disposed of and were welcomed in pet food directly because the FDA CVM allows law to be violated in pet food with no warning or disclosure to pet food consumers

What can you do to avoid condemned meats in a pet food?

When many pet food manufacturers are questioned if meat/meat meal ingredients are sourced from human grade ingredients, they often side step the question with a response ‘All of our meats are sourced from USDA inspected facilities’. But…

All 75+ million pounds of condemned animal material produced in just the first three months of 2022 came ‘from’ USDA inspected facilities. Unless your pet food manufacturer guarantees you all meats and meat meals are sourced from USDA inspected and passed animals – your pet food could contain condemned animal material.

Ask your pet food to provide you a guarantee that meats/meat meals and/or poultry/poultry meals are sourced from USDA inspected and passed animals.

Dr Jones comments..

This is very disconcerting, and would comes as a LARGE surprise to most pet parents...If the animals are NOT deemed safe for 'human consumption' HOW can they be safe for your dogs/cats?

You SHOULD be able to have a choice, and be AWARE of what is really in your pet's food.

I suspect in Canada MUCH the same thing is happening.

Susan Thixton makes a few suggestions here:

Tell the FDA you want disclosure to quality of ingredients (condemned or USDA inspected and pass) to be required information on pet food labels. Email the agency at: AskCVM@fda.hhs.gov

Also tell your State Feed officials you want disclosure to quality of ingredients to be required information on pet food labels. You can find your state’s officials Here (scroll down to states).

Pet owners can also email AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials – organization that writes state pet food/feed laws). Email AAFCO at: aafco@aafco.org