My Letter to President Obama

I could have written to him about World Peace. I could have talked to him about the things he’s said that I agreed or disagreed with, but really, and maybe you will think I’m silly but the issue that concerns me is the FDA’s lack of authority to do anything about toxins found in pet foods and treats. I’ve requested a reply. I also doubt I will get one, but here it is:

Dear Mr. President,

I wonder if you’ve seen the recent news about Chicken Jerky dog treats that are poisoning dogs across the country. I’ve seen reports that as many as 2000 dogs have died after being fed these products, which are manufactured in China. The FDA has no power to force a recall here, what I want to know is, why? Is there a federal agency that CAN force a recall on these products? And if not, why?

As a nation, we are moving quickly past the “it’s just a dog” state of mind and are beginning to think of our pets as treasured family members. Perhaps 50 years ago, the pet food industry wasn’t important enough to Americans to require regulation from the FDA, but now, it is.

The companies that purchase these foods from Chinese vendors for resale here, are continuing to claim that they’re safe, and the Chinese factories, will not let the FDA in to complete their investigation. This information, in addition to the word of AVMA, tells me that these products are most certainly not safe, but they are still on the shelf at my local Walmart. Why?

I’m curious about what you think about this issue. I know that our President is a dog owner. I have 3 dogs myself and love them fiercely. I don’t want them to die because I gave them a treat that I bought at the grocery store. Feeding them a treat shouldn’t require me, or them, to take that kind of risk.

That isn’t right.

I’m hoping you can help. Maybe you can send someone over to talk to whoever runs the FDA. They know that Petsmart, Petco and Walmart are supposed to have posted copies of the FDAs warnings in prominent locations regarding these treats, and the stores have not complied. Maybe the FDA just does not have enough clout, or enough resources to handle this issue, but they should. I don’t think that my dogs’ lives have any less value than my own. I don’t think my government should value their lives less than mine either.

Thank you for taking time to read this. I look forward to your reply.