Congressional Leaders Demand FDA Action Over Poisonous Jerky Treats

United States Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and United States Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) are fed up with the Feds and are demanding that the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) put an immediate stop to the continued sale of  chicken jerky treats associated with the illness and death of hundreds of dogs across the nation.

At a news conference today, U.S. Sen. Brown and U.S. Con. Kucinich has called for the FDA to take immediate action to put a stop to the FDA policy that allows dangerous pet treats and pet foods to remain on the market.

“Today, I’m calling on the FDA to step up its investigation of the importation of pet food, especially from China, where the possibility of food contamination is high…It’s critical that the FDA also take swift action to protect consumers and pets from these tainted foods….Families need to know that food and treats they purchase at local retailers are safe for their pets to consume.”

Both U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown and U.S. Con. Dennis Kucinich has each sent letters to the Food and Drug Administration Commissioner, Dr. Margaret Hamburg, urging swift action concerning tainted pet treats from China.

In a press release, U.S. Sen. Brown urges swift action from the FDA to protect consumers (which reads, in part):

Today, Brown sent a letter to Commissioner of the FDA, Dr. Margaret Hamburg, urging the FDA to promptly pursue efforts to find the contaminant in these pet treats and ensure that they are pulled from store shelves.

“I urge you to promptly pursue efforts to find the contaminant in these pet foods, alert customers of the dangers of these products, and make sure the products found harmful are pulled from the retail market,” Brown wrote in the letter.

“Would a consumer who goes to the store to purchase dog treats have any way of knowing that a particular product is under review other than scouring the FDA’s website?” He asks Dr. Margaret Hamburg.

Brown was also joined at the Cleveland Animal Protective League by veterinarian Dr. Brian Forsgren, and Karen Minton, the Humane Society of the United States’ Ohio state director, to call on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to step up its investigation of pet food and treats, particularly those imported from countries like China, where the potential for contamination is high.

In Congressman Kucinich’s letter to Dr. Margaret Hamburg he writes,

“The FDA has clearly established an association between consumption of the chicken jerky and illness and death.  It is simply not feasible to expect every dog owner to be aware of a modestly publicized warning from the FDA.

The FDA must not wait to issue a voluntary recall until it is able to definitively identify a causal agent…I am requesting a detailed briefing on the status of FDA’s investigation and the information that is considered to be necessary to proceed to a voluntary recall.  The briefing should cover in considerable scientific detail the scope of potential biological and chemical contaminants for which testing has been conducted, the raw data from such testing with an accompanying summary, methodological protocols, and any other supporting qualitative and quantitative data.”

The publicity and support of congressional leaders to stop the tainted treats is the result of one woman’s remarkable effort to spare others from the heartache she suffered when her dogs were struck down by a poisoned pet treat.

Despite her own terrible grief, pet parent Candace Thaxton found the strength to honor the death of her beloved dog Chansey and the near-fatal poisoning of her 5-month old puppy, Penny by campaigning tirelessly to have the product removed from store shelves.

Her plea to help stop the continued poisoning of dogs was heard by Senator Kucinich and Representative Brown.

For her singular achievement to help families across the nation to be spared the same tragedy that she and her family endured, deserves our sincere gratitude and honor.

Thank you, Candace, for being an angel for animals.

Brown, Kucinich Seek FDA Action to Protect Dogs From ‘Tainted’ Treats
Congressional leaders, pet owners want FDA action over reports of treats making dogs sick
U.S. Senator Brown’s Press Release
Local Animals Sick, Kucinich Demands Recall of Dog Food
Senator Kucinich’s Letter to the FDA (PDF)
U.S. Senator Calls FDA on the Carpet with Chinese Jerky Treats
Toxic treats? Owners say China-made product killed dogs; FDA issues warning but can’t concur