Hump Day activism
By Gina Spadafori
May 23, 2007
After sending in my letters/faxes/e-mails yesterday to my Congressional representatives to get the Food Safety Act moving again, I followed up with e-mails/faxes to my California state members of the Assembly and Senate regarding the so-called “California Healthy Pets Act” (CA AB 1634) which I’ve written against here.
I wasn’t going to send a 1,600-word essay to my guys in Sacramento, though, so I tried to boil it down:
SUBJECT: NO ON AB 1634
[Dear My Senator/Assemblyman]
I’m writing in opposition to AB 1634, the ill-conceived and ridiculously named “California Healthy Pets” Act.
I urge NO, because:
– AB 1634 offers an unworkably simplistic solution that does NOT address the realities of a complex problem of unadoptable pets.– AB 1634 does NOT offer targeted solutions to what is in fact a shortage of pets people do want, and a surplus of animals they don’t. (Feral cats, large breeds and mixes of dogs with unfairly bad reputations, primarilly pit bulls). This imbalance is so real that urban non-profit shelters have set up programs to “cherry-pick” adoptable pets (primarily small dogs and puppies) from rural municipal shelters, while continuing to euthanize the unwanted pets in their own communities.
– AB 1634 will NOT affect commercial breeders (a/k/a “puppy mills” and clueless, careless and greedy under-the-radar quick-buck breeders who sell for through flyers, the Internet or at swap meets or even in supermarket parking lots. These people don’t properly care for or license their pets now, and won’t if AB 1634 passes.
– AB 1634 WILL affect responsible reputable breeders of healthy, well-socialized pets and working dogs. These breeders are NOT the ones putting pets in the shelters. The bill’s negotiated changes to “exempt” such breeders are ill-defined and insufficient. Lipstick on a pig. Meanwhile, AB 1634 specifically exempts large-scale commercial breeders, a/k/a puppy mills.
– AB 1634 WILL drive millions of dollars from the California economy, as dog shows and dog sports (including one of the premier shows in the nation, the AKC-Eukanuba National Invitational, now hosted by the city of Long Beach) will leave the state.
[Your name here]
[address, phone number]
You’re welcome to use in any way you can. Just get active.
Christie and I will offer some wording on the Food Safety Act ( S. 1274 and H.R. 2108), which is now being ignored to death in the back halls of Congress. See, they think if they wait us out, we’ll forget. If they quit mentioning the problems with Chinese food imports, it’ll be over, back to business as usual.
We urge you to call, write, e-mail and fax your member of Congress and both of your Senators, urging action on this measure. Because, well, we all gotta eat.
Christie, in the meantime, let her head explode here and here:
Yesterday, the FDA and USDA suspended their ongoing media briefings, which had been happening twice a week, saying there was nothing new to report.
Except, of course, the melamine UC Davis labs found in a pet food that wasn’t on the recall list the night before.
And now the melamine the FDA’s own labs found in the catfish they were testing – as far as I know (and having been covering this story since March 16, I know a lot), this is the first time melamine has been found in testing of food itself — not the food FED to food animals, but the actual food itself — meant for human consumption.
But other than that, everything’s fine, there’s nothing to see here, move along. It’s perfectly safe because… er. Well.
It’s perfectly safe because no one is reporting it, no one seems to have noticed, and apparently no one cares.
Call, write, e-mail, fax.
There will be No news this week about tainted food from China. Why? The Chinese are in Washington for talks. Very Serious People are calling up the USDA and the FDA and saying, “Look, the Chinese are in town, they did what they were asked to do, they arrested the guy and shut down the two plants, so just hold any news conferences this week.”
Depending on the personality of the person doing the calling and the person they are talking to they will either use the “don’t want to start at trade war” or the “They already are fixing the problem, don’t need to piss them off more” method.
Now since we know that technically all of those conversations are legal what can we do about it?
Do we need to break some news to get this back into the headlines? Behind the scenes deal brokering? What part of the story would be the most intersting now that hasn’t be revealed?
Comment by spocko — May 23, 2007 @ 2:17 pm
Did anyone see the recent story in the New York Times about poisoned toothpaste discovered in Panama and it might be from China? Story appeared in my local paper on May 19, 2007. Diethylene glycol, a poisonous ingredient in some antifreeze has been found in 6,000 tubes of toothpaste in Panama. Does this mean that we cannot even brush our teeth without worry?
Comment by Linda Tsatskowski — May 23, 2007 @ 2:35 pm
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/frrecord.html
This is a very interesting read on FDA’s site…..Go to section 9 titled Pets…..
One part says:
One comments that entities already complying with the BSE rule should comply but all other animal feed and pet foods should be exempt from the recordkeeping requirement because of the low
risk of serious adverse health consequence. Two comments state that they agree with FDA’s risk assessments that animal feed and pet food
have a lower risk and therefore needs fewer requirements than human food. One other comment supports the proposed provision stipulating that BSE-regulated pet food entities should comply with the recordkeeping
regulations. A foreign comment questions the need for the inclusion of any animal feed or pet food in the rule.
thanks FDA
Comment by Sandi K — May 23, 2007 @ 2:45 pm
Linda:
Don’t worry. I’m sure that with the dilution effect we won’t have a problem.
I just heard the FDA has created a test to determine what diethylene glycol levels in dead Panamanians are low enough in, the muscle, to render them safe to eat.
The amount of parts per billion of Dg is really, really low. The levels in muscle meat are practically undetectable.
You would have to eat about 800 pounds of dead Panamanians muscle meat a day to be effected by the diethylene glycol that they ingested.
Once they pass that FDA test for diethylene glycol levels they should be safe to eat. And btw, stop asking about the names of the companies that are selling dead Panamanian meat in the US. That information isn’t really relevant. I heard that unless people stop asking questions, the FDA and USDA will stop holding press conferences.
Remember folks, if its got the USDA stamp it means it’s safe for human consumption.
Comment by spocko — May 23, 2007 @ 2:51 pm
Ooops, me thinks the link I posted above was already posted earlier, sorry if it was.
I have called and left messages with Alaska’s congressmen/women. No return calls yet. I have sent an e:mail with questions to Marcia Larkins. I know she read it as I reeived my e:mail read receipt but no response yet. I guess Im going to contact Durbin and maybe Kucinich next.
Comment by Sandi K — May 23, 2007 @ 2:57 pm
Also, Im wondering with China “in town” and talks going on, is there any thing we can do to get our voices heard during the midst of these talks? Some sort of little uprising to let China and Washington know that we arent going away, that we want answers. Does anyone have any ideas to get our group in the middle of their meetings and make things a tad bit uncomfortable for them? You know, be the pesky pet parents that we can be? Where are the talks being held, who is holding the talks, etc?
Comment by Sandi K — May 23, 2007 @ 3:08 pm
OMG I just had a idea. If we could get the physical street address of where talks are being held, how bout everyone calling up and having flowers delivered, with a note saying this represents all the dead and ill U.S. pets who consumed melamine/cyanuric acid tainted products from China. We as pet parents wont stand for this and demand honest answers and the ban on China products.
It doesnt have to be a big spendy bouquet, just a black rose or some daisies or something….
Comment by Sandi K — May 23, 2007 @ 3:13 pm
Keep the Pressure on Friends.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Bush administration on Wednesday pressed visiting Chinese officials about food safety, a key issue for U.S. consumers after a toxic chemical surfaced in imported pet food and sparked worries about livestock feed.
Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt said U.S. officials told a Chinese delegation at high-level talks in the U.S. capital that the safety of food and medicine imports was a “top concern.”
http://tinyurl.com/342pr5
Comment by Steve — May 23, 2007 @ 3:21 pm
Sandi K they are probably staying at the Chinese
embassy.
Comment by VJ — May 23, 2007 @ 3:27 pm
http://beijing.usembassy-china.org.cn/
Comment by lablover — May 23, 2007 @ 3:28 pm
Canadian Government Ignores Calls to Investigate Pet Food Industry. 15 Minutes ago
http://tinyurl.com/yodz28
Comment by Steve — May 23, 2007 @ 3:31 pm
I like that little bit of political theater.
Piles of tainted feed in front of the Chinese embassy? Heck we can probably get them cheap from the stores before they are sent off to feed the chicken and hogs.
You know it occurred to me. If they have set a precedent that a certain amount of melamine is actually tolerable for chickens and pigs then the people who sold it to them are totally off the hook! Nothing was lost.
Think about that. Someone who picked up the bad pet food (knowing that it was bad?) sold it to the chicken farms. Then after the whole hubbub it turns out that it’s safe. Does that mean that they can keep doing it? Maybe they just have to dilute it with other feed. (You know the dilution effect works all the time).
Comment by spocko — May 23, 2007 @ 3:52 pm
As I understand it, the talks were for only 2 days, so I believe they are overwith, and nothing much was accomplished. The Chinese delegation crabbed at being confronted with their failures by the US, and held firm to their party line. Nothing has changed.
We will still be getting unabated exports of poorly inspected foods. As long as there is no change in sight for inspections and monitoring of imported foods, and no Country Of Origin Labeling, we are as clueless as we always have been.
Barrage your senators and representatives. Tell them you firmly believe that the Pet Food Debacle is just the tip of the iceberg. That if they want their quarterly dividend checks from their holdings in Nestle, Mars, Con Agra, Kraft and other huge food conglomerates coming and remaining fat, then they need to do something about passing the Durbin/DeLoria legislation as well as COOL.
As for Levine and AB #1634, I have already exploded on that elsewhere on this blog. If it passes, other states will copy it, and within as few as ten years, we will not be able to find dogs to buy or adopt to be our friends and companions, although we will probably be able to import them from the land of Bogus(China in case you missed that appelation) with ease. “Gak.” To quote Bill the Cat.
Comment by Deb — May 23, 2007 @ 3:58 pm
Let’s see: The governments of China and the US are having trade talks.
Without me (and you), all these trade talks are useless. They are talking about the projected moneys that you and I are willing to pay.
I personally cancelled my trade agreement with China, and I am phasing out US companies who have too much of a cosy relationship with China (Kraft, Walmart, Colgate…).
Nobody can *make* me buy stuff that I don’t want to buy. And since money is the only language that they all understand, the loss of money is the loudest talk.
Comment by MaKo — May 23, 2007 @ 4:08 pm
Comment by MaKo — May 23, 2007 @ 4:08 pm
You get it. Doesn’t get any clearer then that.
Comment by Steve — May 23, 2007 @ 4:11 pm
One other comment supports the proposed provision stipulating that BSE-regulated pet food entities should comply with the recordkeeping
regulations. A foreign comment questions the need for the inclusion of any animal feed or pet food in the rule.
thanks FDA
Comment by Sandi K — May 23, 2007 @ 2:45 pm
Don’t forget that a recent FDA decision, regulation, whatever was also based on relevant “comments”
AGAINST THE PROPOSAL = 20434
FOR THE PROPOSAL = 29
The “Fors” won that one. Friggin’ Democracy in Action, I guess
Citation from the PC board several days ago
Comment by Jay — May 23, 2007 @ 4:12 pm
From the link Steve posted above “U.S. lawmakers also have said they plan to press the issue with members of the Chinese delegation this week.” So it sounds like they are here for the rest of the week? I really wish we could do a black rose blitz while China is visiting but dont know how to get it organized and it would certaily need committment from more than 16 people otherwise they would all just say see told ya it was only 16…..
Comment by Sandi K — May 23, 2007 @ 4:31 pm
I’m waiting for the results of the tox analysis to come back from two separate labs. [I’m having two brand new bags of kibble checked even though it’s not on the recall list.] Trust me, if either test comes back with a tox reading, you’ll hear it first, then I’ll contact Abigail Goldman, and then I will personally call major local broadcast stations, and beyond.
And then I will get the name of the someone in that Chinese confa, find out where he’s stay, and will FedEx by special courier [forget the cost] two ten pound bags of food to him.
So help me, I will.
Comment by Lynn — May 23, 2007 @ 5:04 pm
Is anyone maintaining a list of what we find out from food companies re: safety of their products?
Comment by Donna — May 23, 2007 @ 5:32 pm
Oh ha ha ha. Here’s what the Chinese are reading today.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/c.....879186.htm
Comment by Steve — May 23, 2007 @ 5:34 pm
I know this is sorta off subject:
A Portland news station reported this morning that VIAGRA is good for jet lag!
Good ol’ FDA trying to find more uses to keep their friends at the drug companies prosperous.
Comment by Elaine — May 23, 2007 @ 5:35 pm
Re: AB #1634 Letter
Copied, adjusted, personalized and sent.
THANK YOU GINA!
Deb above, is right. If this passes in California, it won’t be long before it spreads like wild fire across the nation. This proposal is an abomination that makes my blood boil. If you haven’t already, get busy people. Please.
Comment by Ally — May 23, 2007 @ 5:38 pm
Twice I have posted about a very well advertised drug that the FDA now says is also good for jet lag!
And I am wondering, if it was caught in the filter cuz I named the drug?
Anyway, if that is the case, it is the male performance drug.
FDA is continually thinking up other uses for their drugs to keep their drug company friends profitable
Comment by Elaine — May 23, 2007 @ 5:39 pm
Comment by Lynn — May 23, 2007 @ 5:04 pm
Lynn, save one bag of that food for proof when you file a lawsuit OK?
Comment by Sandi K — May 23, 2007 @ 6:53 pm
Comment by Deb — As for Levine and AB #1634, I have already exploded on that elsewhere on this blog. If it passes, other states will copy it, and within as few as ten years, we will not be able to find dogs to buy or adopt to be our friends and companions, although we will probably be able to import them from the land of Bogus(China in case you missed that appelation) with ease. “Gak.” To quote Bill the Cat.
Deb — You got that right! Your chioces will be pet store puppy mill USDA dogs and imported puppy mill dogs. Also by 4 months (16 weeks)is way to young to spay/neuter. Nothing healthy about that. Puppies get their last in a series of puppy shots at 16 weeks. My vet will not do it until at least 6 months.
Comment by Kathy — May 23, 2007 @ 6:56 pm
Quote:
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/c…..879186.htm
Comment by Steve — May 23, 2007 @ 5:34 pm
——— from the above article:
Wu said that Sino-US trade relations are among the most complex and call for creativity and consultations to solve problems that may arise.
No kidding!
I get instantly suspicious if I hear the word ‘creativity’ from a politician. It usually translates as ‘pulling wool over the eyes’ and would be called in every other arena ‘fraudulent’ or worse.
Let me see if I can translate this jewel of non-speak: ‘Sino-US trade relations are among the most complex’….
Right: it qualifies for complex to expect a trading partner to obey the mutually binding contracts and not to substitute something with something else.
If trading partner does that, and substitutes substance A with toxin B, there might be a chance that the people who are receiving that crap are upset. They might become so upset that they are boycotting trading partner.
And that then calls for ‘creativity’.
Oh, brother!
Comment by MaKo — May 24, 2007 @ 8:13 am
You did not mention the argument that the pediatric spay/neuter written into this bill is not proven safe for all animals. I have had personal experience that it is not safe. I have been rescuing Springers for 18+ years, been in Springers for 30 years and in that time have bred one litter of 3 pups. Of those, one was spayed earlier than expected. She shortly thereafter developed very long, spindly legs in comparison to her very well-balanced littermates. She thereafter fractured a hind leg “stepping in a hole” in her own backyard. I firmly believe the spay caused poor bone development which made her susceptible to this fracture. She also reportedly demonstrates some dog aggression, which has been a reported side-effect of this pediatric spay. The lines I bred are known as being slower to develop than most of her breed; this may have had an effect, and consequently I will never allow spay of any of my animals before 6 months, preferrably 9 months plus. I realize pediatric spay has its uses but never as a mandate for every cat & dog in the state….!
Comment by Diane Tebault — May 24, 2007 @ 3:10 pm
Diane,
I won’t neuter a dog early. My youngest was at 7 months and any male I have ever owned it was over one year old. And even some vets gave me funny looks - do you really want all that “maleness” in your house. Yes.
Comment by Linda — May 24, 2007 @ 3:42 pm