The company, working with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, was informed by Wilbur-Ellis that rice protein concentrate shipped to Chenango Valley Pet Foods may be contaminated with melamine.  Melamine, an industrial chemical used to make plastics and fertilizers, may lead to illness or fatalities in animals if consumed.
The pet foods were sold to customers in Wisconsin, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania, who in turn sold the products to their customers through catalog mail orders or retail outlets.
The following dry pet foods are involved in the recall:
Doctors Foster & Smith Chicken & Brown Rice Formula Adult Lite Dog Food. It was sold in containers with net weights of 5, 12.5 and 25 lbs. with code dates best used by Jan. 24, 2009, Feb. 8, 2009, Feb. 26, 2009, April 10, 2009, and April 17, 2009.
Doctors Foster & Smith Chicken & Brown Rice Formula Adult Lite Cat Food. It was sold in containers with net weights of 3 and 7 lbs. with a code date of best used by March 13, 2009.
Lick Your Chops Lamb Meal, Rice & Egg Cat Food in packages with a net weight of 4 lbs. and a code date best used by April 29, 2008.
Bulk Chicken & Brown Rice Formula Adult Lite Dog Food sold to one consignee, SmartPak, in a 2,000-pound tote with a ship date of Feb. 9, 2007.
No illnesses or injuries have been reported to date. Pet owners who purchased the products should immediately discontinue using them and return them to the place of purchase for a full refund, company officials said. Pet owners also are advised to consult with a veterinarian if any health concerns with their pets arise.
Consumers with questions may contact the company at: 610-821-0608.
Overall, pet food companies have recalled more than 100 brands of cat and dog food since the first reports of animal deaths a little over a month ago.
Investigators have found melamine in at least two imported Chinese vegetable proteins used to make pet foods. The chemical may have been used to skew analyses that measured the protein content of the ingredients, wheat gluten and rice protein concentrate.
The FDA also is sampling for melamine and related compounds in all wheat gluten, rice protein and corn gluten coming into the United States from China.

Source: Associated Press

The protection was removed in 2004 when former Sen. Conrad Burns, R-Mont., inserted a measure in a spending bill allowing their sale.
“These animals were earmarked for death,” said the bill’s sponsor, Democratic Rep. Nick Rahall of West Virginia, chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee.
Supporters described the wild animals are American icons and said they are ending up on the plates of diners in France and Japan. The House voted last year and in 2005 to end the sales; the Senate never took up the issue.
“This is the latest overwhelming vote to stop the barbaric practice of horse slaughter and its now time for the entire Congress to finish the job,” said Wayne Pacelle, president of the Humane Society of the United States.
About 29,000 wild horses and burros were on public lands as of February and the number should grow by a couple thousand with births of foals this year, said Lili Thomas, a national wild horse and burro specialist at the Bureau of Land Management.
Thomas said the agency wants the number at about 27,000 to 28,000. On average, the agency removes 10,000 wild horses and burros a year, but the number falls as the herd size gets closer to management levels.
About 5,500 animals are adopted each year and the agency spends about $23 million caring for those rounded up and not adopted or sold, she said.
The bureau halted sales of wild horses and burros in 2005 after 41 of the horses it sold were killed. Sales resumed under tougher restrictions against sales for slaughter.
Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah, said the bill eliminates a management tool for controlling the horse and burro population and preventing herds from destroying public lands by overgrazing.
He said the proposal does not prevent their slaughter for food because the animals are not supposed to be sold for that purpose by the government or used that way by the buyer.
Bishop could not resist injecting horse humor into the debate. “This bill is all hat and no saddle. I’m asking that the horse be with you and urge you to vote ‘neigh’ on this legislation,” he said, interjecting a groan in his comments.
The bureau sells horses and burros that are older than 10 for commercial purposes for about $10 an animal if they have not been adopted at three auctions. The Congressional Budget Office said caring for the horses long term would not cost more than an additional $500,000 a year.
The bill is the first of two horse slaughter measures Congress is expected to consider this year.
The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee approved a bill Wednesday that would outlaw horse slaughter nationally.
Animal protection groups have pushed for years to end the slaughter of horses whose meat often is sent abroad for people to eat, although some is used in U.S. zoos. But many horse groups and veterinarians oppose the bill.
Lawmakers stripped money for horse inspectors’ salaries and expenses from the 2006 agriculture spending bill in an effort to end horse slaughter. But the Agriculture Department decided to offer horse slaughter plants inspections for a fee, keeping the three such facilities in the country in operation.
Instead, legal decisions have shuttered the plants. A federal appeals court has upheld a Texas law that prohibits horse slaughter to use their meat for food, closing two plants in the state.
A federal district court in Washington ordered the department to end the fee-for-service inspections, crippling operations at an Illinois horse slaughter plant.

Source: Associated Press

A man armed with a shotgun and a large buck knife forced the victim, who was outside smoking, back into his apartment in the 9800 block of Walnut Street, near Audelia Road. The pet began barking and tried to keep the suspect at bay, police told the radio station.

The dog awakened the family and the robber apparently decided to flee. Police said the suspect took some money and two game consoles, then stabbed the Chihuahua with the large knife.

Police took the dog to a veterinarian, but the dog had to be euthanized after suffering serious injuries.

No family members were injured and police were searching for the suspect.

"Sleeping with the tongue out was something he liked to do,"White said.
Rufus was dropped off at a Pasadena animal shelter when his owner fled Hurricane Rita
White ended up fostering and eventually adopting him.
He fell into a very good life.
"My parents tend to call him my little grumpy old man. That's probably a good characteristic, except he was also extremely sweet," White said.
But this weekend, White said, her normally quiet neighborhood wasn't so quiet.
The Tomball Fire Department said they were trying to get a good vendor for next year's fireworks when a company fired off about a dozen as a demo.
Rufus, hearing the racket, apparently bolted through a dog door and managed to get out of the fenced and gated yard.
Someone at the convenience store across the street thought they saw him, but that was a couple of days ago. Since then, there hasn't been any news.

All White wants is Rufus back and a warning the next time the fireworks go off.
"I really would like this not to happen again. I don't want somebody to feel like I'm feeling right now," she said.
All she can do is remind herself that Rufus is a survivor, and maybe he will do it again this time.

"I clamped his mouth shut and blew down his nostrils," said Thomas, who admitted he didn't really know what to do.

But he knew enough to try, and to compress the dog's chest on the way to the emergency vet clinic in Plano.

Dr. Harold Krug, Sam's veterinarian, said Thomas' actions probably helped save the dog's life. He added that moving the dog also probably helped.

Dr. Krug pointed out that dogs young and old do drown.

"The pool, that's the biggest one we see," he said, cautioning pet owners to monitor their pets in pools and teach young dogs how to get out of them.

"It's something they just don't think about," Dr. Krug said.

Statistics on CPR on animals are not readily available, but there have been several such news accounts recently.

In February, a San Diego girl reportedly revived her Labrador after it was pinned underwater by a patio table; while in Alaska, a musher performed CPR on a sled dog. In March, an Ohio man revived his mastiff after it choked on a toy.

The basics of cardiopulmonary resuscitation are the same in dogs as humans, except that dogs must be placed on their sides and rescue breaths must be given through the nose.

The Dallas area chapter of the American Red Cross offers animal first-aid courses, complete with animal mannequins. Outlying offices also offer the training courses. One is coming up June 9 at Bob Woodruff Park in Plano.

As for Sam, his vet says he's expected to make a full recovery, but he won't be swimming for a while.

The fax, which the zoo received on Wednesday read, "Knut is dead. Thursday noon."

Zoo officials immediately alerted police who inspected the enclosure where Knut, who was rejected by his mother at birth and was raised by zookeepers, makes daily appearances before packed crowds.

Police spokesman Michael Maass dismissed the threat. He denied a report in Germany's mass-circulation Bild, which has followed Knut on its front page since his Dec. 5 birth at the zoo, that the cub was under police protection.

"However, we will send officers over to the zoo later today to make sure everything is all right," Maass said, adding there would be heightened security because German President Horst Koehler is scheduled to open an exhibit there later Thursday.

A spokeswoman for the zoo said a regular group of security guards watch over the celebrity cub, but declined to elaborate other than to say the fax wouldn’t change his schedule.

"Our two daily public viewings of Knut will not be canceled because of the death fax," zoo spokeswoman Vivian Kreft said.

Thousands of people line up each day to see Knut, attracting as many as 15,000 people to the zoo daily. He also has his own blog and TV show and appeared on the cover of Vanity Fair.

Knut caused his fans to worry earlier this week, when his daily shows were canceled because he appeared weak and had to be given medication.

His twice-daily hour-long appearances resumed after a one-day break to recover from teething pains.

The chemical, melamine, is believed to have contaminated rice protein concentrate used to make a variety of Natural Balance Pet Foods products for both dogs and cats, the Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday. Previously, the chemical was found to contaminate another ingredient, wheat gluten, used by at least six other pet food and treat manufacturers.
Natural Balance said it was recalling all its Venison and Brown Rice canned and bagged dog foods, its Venison and Brown Rice dog treats and its Venison and Green Pea dry cat food.
The Pacoima, Calif., company said recent laboratory tests showed the products contain melamine. It believes the source of the contaminant was rice protein concentrate, which the company recently added to the dry venison formulas. Natural Balance does not use wheat gluten, which was associated with the previous melamine contamination, it said.
Last month, Menu Foods recalled 60 million cans of dog and cat food after the deaths of 16 pets, mostly cats, that ate its products. The FDA said tests indicated the food was contaminated with melamine, used in making plastics and other industrial processes. Five other companies later recalled pet products also made with wheat gluten tainted by the chemical.
The FDA has since blocked Chinese imports of wheat gluten. An FDA spokeswoman did not immediately return messages left seeking comment.

The mistreatment of animals is always a concern for the Houston SPCA, but April is Animal Cruelty Awareness Month and we believe it is important to remind you that many animals are mistreated every day. Sadly, the number of reported cases of animal abuse is rising steadily and it will take all of us working together to reverse the trend. Because these innocent animals are helpless in their suffering, we must serve as their voice in their time of greatest need.

If we don't, who will?

The first and most vital step toward our goal of stopping and preventing abuse is to know exactly what animal cruelty is and when to report it. The following is a list guidelines for spotting animal cruelty, as defined by Texas state law.

SEC. 42.09. CRUELTY TO ANIMALS A person commits an offense if he intentionally or knowingly :
Tortures or seriously overworks an animal
Fails unreasonably to provide necessary food, water, care or shelter for an animal in his custody
Abandons unreasonably an animal in his custody
Transports or confines an animal in a cruel manner
Kills, injures, or administers poison to an animal, belonging to another without legal authority or the owner's effective consent
Causes one animal to fight with another, or
Uses a live animal as a lure in dog race training or in dog coursing
If you see any of these things taking place, please report it immediately! The animals can't.

You can use this online form, or file a report over the phone @ 713.869.SPCA


Your Immediate Action Is Needed!
House Bill 2328 (Animal Cruelty Bill) will be voted on THIS WEEK!

The existing animal cruelty statute is antiquated and does not reflect the emotional bond most horse owners have with their horses today, nor the typical role that horses play in our lives. In today's culture, horses are often exposed to urban and suburban environments which in turn expose them to the same horrific acts of animal cruelty perpetrated on other companion animals such as dogs and cats.

By giving horses the same protection from violent acts of animal cruelty as we give our other companion animals, no horse owner will lose his or her agricultural property tax exemption or the right to administer drugs to his or her horse without a prescription.

Please call, fax, or as a last resort, email your state representative immediately and ask him or her to support HB 2328 and an amendment to HB 2328 to give horses the protection from violent acts of animal cruelty they need and deserve.

* * * Remember when contacting your state representative, always be respectful and polite. PLEASE ACT TODAY! * * *

Not sure who represents you? Click here!

I feed my cats Iams dry food, so I thought I was out of the woods with the Menu Foods recall. But then I heard that it was being extended to some dry foods as well. The bottom of the food bucket is getting close, and even though the food they currently are eating isn't on the recall list yet, I'm still not sure what to buy for them.

A lot of people are in the same situation. We want our pets to be healthy and well-fed, but what do we do if we feel like we can't trust what's on the shelves? Enter homemade pet food.

The idea of making your own pet food as a healthy alternative to store bought brands is nothing new. But it is just now starting to seem like it may be worth the extra hassle to many pet owners. But where do you start?

I searched the internet and found some great resources both for information on making your own dog and cat food as well as some great recipes. A good place to start and get more information is http://www.naturaldogfood.com. While this site does focus on the nutritional needs of dogs, http://www.pet-grub.com discusses both cats and dogs. The author of the site has published a book on making your own pet food that you can read online along with recipes and suggestions.

Okay, so all this info is great, but if you just want to try out a recipe and see if your pets will even eat it, check out http://www.recipezaar.com/recipes/pet-food or http://www.cooksrecipes.com/category/pet-recipes.html. Both sites offer a number of recipes for natural dinner and treat options.

I think I will try a few recipes and start mixing it in to my girls' dinners. Who knows! They just might like it!

The animal, named "Champ," was found embedded in thick mud about 7:30 a.m. by owner Robin Harpster.
Family members and volunteers — with the help of a mechanical backhoe and makeshift straps—labored for nearly six hours to lift Champ from the muck.
At one point, a woman who had joined in the effort found herself mired in the mud. She was pulled out without incident.
It was shortly before 1:30 p.m. that the team of caring helpers finally extricated Champ from the creek bed.
Aerial views of the aftermath showed the animal walking under its own power and then being examined by a veterinarian.
Dawson is about 50 miles south of Dallas.

The Food and Drug Administration advised pet owners Thursday that recalled pet food may still be on the shelves in some retail establishments. The agency asked retailers across the country to be vigilant in removing all products associated with the pet food recall, which began on March 16.
Stephen Sundlof, director of the agency’s Center for Veterinary Medicine, told lawmakers during a hearing that thousands of government and private sector workers around the country have responded to the contamination. Yet, he told lawmakers, he could not rule out the discovery of more tainted food.
“We do believe we’ve got the vast, vast majority off the market,” Sundlof told members of a Senate Appropriations subcommittee.
On March 16, Menu Foods recalled 60 million cans of dog and cat food after the deaths of 16 pets, mostly cats, that ate its products. The FDA said tests indicated the food was contaminated with an industrial chemical, melamine.
At least six pet food companies have recalled products made with imported Chinese wheat gluten tainted with the chemical. The recall involved about 1 percent of the U.S. pet food supply.
Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said the contamination showed that pet food as well as human food is at risk because of significant gaps in the system of regulations and inspections that governs the food industry. In particular, he said, the latest contamination shows that too few pet food manufacturers are being inspected.
“It appears that there is a light federal presence in this area and instead we rely on a patchwork of state inspection systems and voluntary guidance,” said Durbin, who requested the hearing.
Elizabeth Hodgkins, a veterinarian, said pet food labels should not be able to make safety claims without rigorous ingredient testing by the manufacturer or the company that supplies the manufacturer. She said such testing does not occur.
“The pet food safety crisis is not an unfortunate aberration but part of mounting evidence of a systemic breakdown,” Hodgkins said.
Menu Foods was asked to attend the hearing, but it requested that the Pet Food Institute, a trade association for the industry, appear instead. The institute’s president, Duane Ekedahl, told the committee that pet food already is perhaps the most highly regulated product on store shelves. He noted that manufacturers are governed by the FDA and the Agriculture Department as well as authorities in all 50 states.
“Pet foods are safe,” Ekedahl assured the committee.
Ekedahl said the pet food industry was also forming a commission
made up of industry and government officials to investigate how the pet food became tainted and to recommend steps that can be taken to improve safety.
“If you take one thing away from my remarks today, please understand this,” Ekedahl said in written testimony. “The answer to this problem is not additional regulation, rather it is enhanced communication.”
FDA officials did acknowledge that their communication with the public about the extent of the recall has not been clear at times. Sen. Herb Kohl, D-Wis., called the agency’s Web site a bewilderment.
“We recognize there was a lot of confusion,” Sundlof said.
“We didn’t have all the answers ourselves.”

Source: Associated Press