For Pet's Sake Column

It’s the Tylenol crisis all over again.

In the last two weeks a massive pet food recall, unlike any in history, has been clearing shelves of canned pet food faster than, well, bottles of tainted Tylenol. Now, we pet lovers must pour through lists of contaminated pet food companies on the Internet and keep a vigilant eye on our four-legged friends for any signs of lethargy, vomiting or excessive thirst. What happened to the good ol’ days when we could feed our cats and dogs a can of pet food without fear of killing them? Apparently those days are over, at least for now.

Officials just can’t figure out how rat poison, of all things, made its way into Fluffy and Fido’s food. Was it all just a horrible accident or was there something (or someone) behind the brouhaha? Only time will tell, but one thing is for sure: hundreds of companion animals have become ill after eating the Aminopterin-laden vittles from foil pouches and cans (dry food is considered safe) and more than a dozen have died. In the coming weeks, that number is likely to skyrocket. I asked my friend and colleague, Marty Becker, D.V.M. (of Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul fame) for his take on this tragic situation and he had this to say: “ALL animals that have eaten the recalled foods should be tested [for kidney failure], even if the owners do not notice any signs of illness. This is especially true for cats because they are adept at hiding illness.” He continues, “It’s better to be dead wrong than to have a dead pet because you waited too long to seek veterinary advice.”

If there is a silver lining to all of this, it’s that we will hopefully start taking a much closer look at what we’re feeding our pets. For instance, if the first few items on a pet food label tout titles like “byproduct” or “filler,” then move on down the aisle until you find products with healthy ingredients such as “turkey,” “chicken,” “eggs” and “carrots.” You know, real food. Or, put on your chef’s hat and cook up some tasty tidbits like chicken and rice as a treat for your dog or cat. Sure, reading labels and preparing home-cooked meals takes a little more time and work, but in the long run, isn’t our pets’ health worth it?

And speaking of chefs……I have some good news to report. Celebrity Chef Wolfgang Puck announced last week his plans to eliminate foie gras—a so-called delicacy produced by force-feeding ducks and geese until their livers become painfully engorged—from its menus at Spago and the famous foodie’s 14 other restaurants. Additionally Puck, who was raised on a farm in Austria, has promised to use eggs from cage-free hens and he will prepare his famous weiner schnitzel using veal from roaming, not shackled, calves.

“To me, eating well starts with a balanced diet and I think we are so out of balance,” says Puck. “Our slaughterhouses and farms have become factories with no standards. I really believe we must look into it how we can create a standard that brings a better product, a more humanely treated animal and also takes care of the environment.”

I know some people don’t give a—dare I say it?—“puck” about the welfare of ducks and geese, but thankfully, there are many compassionate citizens in Chicago and California that do. Last year, Chicago's city council passed an ordinance banning foie gras from all of the Windy City ’s restaurants and California officials decided to say farewell to foie gras in 2012. Similar legislation has been introduced in Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York.

I raise my fork in praise of the courageous chef for, um, stepping up to the plate and speaking out against animal cruelty.

####

(To learn more, check out a five-minute video of Puck in conversation with Wayne Pacelle of The Humane Society of the United States at www.wolfgangpuck.com. Click on the link entitled: RAISING THE BAR ON TREATING FARM ANIMALS WELL.)

When she’s not reading pet food labels or the list of recalled pet foods (www.menufoods.com), Karen is reading email. Send a message to her at: karenleestevens@cox.net.