To: The United States House of Representatives and The United States Senate
Their Deaths Mattered, Enforce FDAAA as Written
Pet Food Industry trade groups have been trying to influence members of Congress to delete significant parts of the Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act (FDAAA). The pet food laws of FDAAA were founded on the deaths of thousands of pets of the 2007 pet food recall. Pet food consumers were promised this legal protection to be completed by 2009; we continue to wait. Don't let trade groups stop or alter FDAAA!
Why is this important?
In 2007, thousands and thousands of pets died due to contaminated vegetable protein ingredients imported from China. At the time, Congress realized the seriousness of the recall – and realized the very same reckless contamination could happen to any food (human or animal) unless foods and ingredients of food were clearly defined including a quality standard. Example: the wheat gluten imported from China that resulted in the 2007 pet food recall met the legal definition of the ingredient. But there was no legal/regulatory quality standard of wheat gluten to specifically state it can not contain melamine or other toxic ingredients. FDAAA specifically included 'standards' to protect consumers.
Pet food trade groups are trying to influence members of Congress to change FDAAA - removing the very wording (standards) that can help assure consumers another 2007 disaster won't happen. Don't allow pet food/animal feed industry trade groups to remove the pet food ingredient quality standard requirement of FDAAA.
The Congressional requirement of FDAAA was to be completed by September 2009. Our pets paid the highest price for these laws, don't allow the unscrupulous actions of industry trade groups to delay this any longer.