My brothers and sisters saved!!!

Breaking News: ASPCA Leads Raid of Tennessee Puppy Mill

The ASPCA’s best and brightest are currently on the ground in White County, TN, managing operations of a puppy mill raid that began Wednesday morning, February 11. Our forensic cruelty investigation team, led by Dr. Melinda Merck, ASPCA Senior Director of Veterinary Forensics, is evaluating dogs and collecting evidence for the future criminal prosecution of the puppy mill’s owners. Members of the ASPCA Disaster Response team and several of our legislative professionals are also assisting at the site.

More than 285 small-breed dogs—including Boston and Jack Russell terriers, Pomeranians, shih tzus, Chihuahuas, poodles, miniature pinschers and schnauzers—were recovered from multiple buildings on the raided property. According to Dr. Merck, the dogs are suffering from a general lack of basic care, such as little to no food or water, feces-encrusted pens and lack of proper ventilation in enclosed areas. Conditions such as matting, sores, mange, poor teeth and abscesses are widespread. Dogs in critical condition were examined immediately on the scene and in the Mobile Animal CSI Unit, and those needing emergency care were transferred to local veterinarians who have volunteered their services.

Local officials became concerned about this particular puppy mill last September after a visitor to the property—someone who had intended to purchase a dog—alerted the White County Humane Society to the poor conditions of the animals. The White County Sheriff’s Department began a formal investigation, ultimately enlisting the ASPCA’s support for this week’s raid. Other parties assisting in the rescue include American Humane Association, Nashville Humane Association, several local veterinarians and PetSmart Charities, which provided the majority of sheltering supplies and an emergency relief vehicle.

Back in June, the ASPCA assisted in the raid of a puppy mill in Lyles, TN—the state’s largest raid to date. Thankfully, the Tennessee General Assembly is taking action to address the state’s puppy mill problem—last week, a consumer protection bill addressing large-scale commercial breeders was introduced in the Senate; introduction of a House companion bill is expected soon.

How can you help to ensure a safe future for dogs like these? When you donate today, you will help us in all of our life-saving efforts, including ones like the puppy mill raid in Tennessee.

To learn more about the White County raid, please visit our blog to see pictures of the puppies we rescued.

How to Understand Pet Food Label Ingredients – the basics

This article is so long I thought I'd just post the link for anyone who's interested in reading it. Keep your furbabies safe and loved!


http://www.truthaboutpetfood.com/articles/254/1/How-to-Understand-Pet-Food-Label-Ingredients--the-basics/Page1.html

Ewwwwwwwwwwwww

Now I have never heard of this brand of treats for dogs but thought I'd copy over what I received in my email in case anyone out there is interested.

Pup-Peroni Dog Treats kicks off an $8M Advertising Campaign

Del Monte Foods, producer of Pup-Peroni Dog Treats announces an $8 million national ad campaign. You decide about the quality of this soon to be highly advertised pet treat.

Pup-Peroni Dog Treats is about to be advertised on televisions everywhere; Del Monte Foods is spending the largest amount of money ever on the treat. The new commercials “will highlight consumers’ strong conviction that their pets can communicate and empathize with them.”

“This program also underscores the company’s commitment to making strategic investments in our key brands and to driving growth,” said Bill Pearce, Del Monte’s chief marketing officer. http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfranci...2/daily69.html

Is Pup-Peroni the right treat for your dog?

Here are the ingredients listed on the www.pupperoni.com website for the ‘Original Beef Flavor Pup-Peroni:

Beef, Meat by-Products, Soy Grits, Sugar, Liver, Salt, Propylene Glycol, Garlic Powder, Caramel Color, Natural Smoke Flavor, Potassium Sorbate (used as a preservative), Sodium Nitrite (for color retention), Red 40, BHA (used as a preservative), Onion Extract.

The highlighted ingredients explained further:

Meat by-Products. This is a rendered meat ingredient commonly used in ‘grocery store’ type pet foods and treats. The FDA determined this ingredient to be a probable source of pentobarbital, a lethal drug used to euthanize animals. Thus, this pet food/pet treat ingredient more than likely contains rendered euthanized animals and the lethal drug used to kill them.

Propylene Glycol. Known risk to cats and toxic to small children. Controversial ingredient in pet foods/pet treats.

Garlic Powder. Controversial ingredient; some dogs cannot tolerate garlic. Cousin to onions which is toxic to dogs.

Sodium Nitrite. Chemical used to destroy the botulism bacteria; linked to lung disease.

Caramel Color and Red 40. Science has shown common food colors are linked to tumors and cancer.

BHA. Scientifically linked to cancer.

Onion Extract. Onion is toxic to dogs.

Having more information on the ingredients of Original Beef Flavor Pup-Peroni Dog Treats, would you give this treat to your dog?

Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,

Susan Thixton
Truth about Pet Food
Petsumer Report
www.TruthaboutPetFood.com

Red 40 and Yellow 5

Maryland may become the First to ban Food Dyes

Maryland Legislators are considering prohibiting behavior disrupting food dyes such as Red 40 and Yellow 5. Foods containing these dyes, also common to pet foods and pet treats, could be required to provide warning labels if the Maryland legislation is passed. http://www.cspinet.org/new/200902061.html

The Center for Science in the Public Interest reports that “Health experts have been concerned about the impact of food dyes on learning and behavior since the 1970’s.” Senior nutritionist David Schardt states that based on 30 years of evidence, “the FDA should have banned the dyes years ago and responsible manufacturers could have stopped using them voluntarily.” Schardt will testify before Maryland lawmakers.

Despite scientific evidence linking many common food dyes to behavior problems in children, no scientific research is available to link these same food dyes frequently used in grocery store and pet store dog and foods to behavior problems in pets. Most pet owners would assume that the same findings would be discovered in pets consuming Red 40 or Yellow 5 or other known risk food dyes as has been proven with children over 30 years.

The pending Maryland legislation does not state if pet foods and pet treats would be included and thus if pet foods will be required to provide warnings if they contain food dyes. Maryland pet owners will keep their fingers crossed that lawmakers did not forget their pets. Regardless, always read the ingredient list for every food or treat you provide your pet. Avoid foods and treats that contain dyes.

Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,

Susan Thixton
Truth about Pet Food
Petsumer Report
www.TruthaboutPetFood.com

Some of my friends have asked ...

"are you still posting from the pet food newsletter you get?"

I have to admit that I have been lax in doing this. Now that the 2-3 months of sadness that I experience each year have passed, I will restart. One never does know who reads my blog, what they may find useful, or maybe something I post will save a life.

More to follow.

Maryalice