Dog and cat treats made in China are being yanked from Petco shelves across the nation amid concerns that the snacks have caused pet illnesses and even death.
Although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has yet to directly link the Chinese rawhide and jerky treats to the pet sicknesses, Petco opted to play it safe and pull the treats, The Associated Press reports. PetSmart plans to do the same by March.
The Washington Post reports that since 2007, the FDA has received more than 5,000 complaints of pet illnesses, including 1,000 canine deaths, that consumers have linked to their pets eating Chinese-made chicken, duck and sweet potato jerky treats.
“But despite testing more than a thousand samples, inspecting factories in China, and soliciting third-party input, the [FDA] has yet to establish the cause,” the Post said.
Petco vice president John Sturm told the AP that all the dog and cat treats now on their shelves are made in the U.S. and other locations, including New Zealand, Australia, the Netherlands and South America.
Petco quit carrying dog and cat food made in China several years ago.
I have two dogs. My black lab has an incredibly sensitive stomach, so he doesn’t get treats very often. And we made the discovery when he was a puppy that rawhides don’t agree with him, so he hasn’t had one in several years.
My lab-husky mix is severely allergic to everything (unfortunately, that’s hardly an exaggeration), so his food and treats are limited to one specific Natural Balance mix.
I’m constantly worrying about the food I feed my kids. Apparently, I should be just as careful with what I feed my canine kids.
How carefully do you monitor where and how the food and treats you give your animals are made? Have your pets had treats made in China? Share your thoughts below or on our Facebook page.
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