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the first processed dog-food business in London and started dog shows as a marketing tool.** Now, in 2007, Business Week estimates that "Americans spend an astonishing $41 billion a year on their furry friends".* Fuelled by massive profits, the pet food marketing machine encourages us to acquire "furry friends", junk pet food and vet services.” From dog droppings on the sole of your shoe through to the ecological footprint of giant pet-food factories, there are immense environmental costs that don't appear in the figures. Neither do the figures reveal the cost of the municipal pounds and welfare shelters needed for the millions of discarded pets. Dogs fed junk food are harder to train and more likely to bite their owners, leading to increased training and medical costs.* What price the scars on a child's face? 5. Failure of democratic, administrative and legal systems— whether due to oversight, incompetence or corruption—facilitates the junk pet food scam. Despite the moral and ethical problems associated with duping people into slowly poisoning their animals and the clear illegality of such cruel treatment, our politicians and lawyers have done little or nothing. Some animal welfare groups, purporting to care for the plight of pets, consort with the junk pet food companies and are more a part of the problem than the solution.” The media, our watchdogs, mostly remain in their kennel, too scared to comment. Journalists working for the Australian newspaper, the Sydney Sun-Herald and the UK Sunday Independent researched and wrote extensive articles that were never published.” Other media outlets engage in self-censorship and publish tepid accounts or no accounts at all. unfolded it turned out that melamine, a chemical used for manufacturing plastic counter-tops, glue and fertiliser, had been added into Chinese shipments of wheat gluten affecting almost 100 different brands.¥ Acute renal failure may be uncommon, but chronic renal failure is not. Research carried out by Nestlé revealed that the mean life- span of cats fed exclusively commercial cat food and receiving regular veterinary attention was less than 12 years of age, with death largely attributable to renal failure or cancer.* The Mars corporation, advertising its Pedigree bone-shaped chews, told vets that "80% of dogs over the age of three have gum disease" and that "dental problems are known to increase with age and are increasingly being linked to vital organ disease—most notably kidneys and liver". "Chronic renal disease is a leading cause of death in dogs and cats"—says manufacturer Royal Canin.” Future prospects What does the future hold? Who can tell? Peering through my crystal ball, I see a future of constant change. In a complex world of competing interests, some change will be for the good and some for the bad. Let's be under no illusions: big, bad forces seek to stifle dissent, and we are merely individuals of good will. Echoing Edmund Burke: "All that is needed for evil to prosper is for people of good will to do nothing."* Let's do something— anything—that helps the animals. Let's start today. oo Editor's Note: Due to space constraints, we are unable to publish the complete text of Dr Lonsdale's article. To view this, visit http://www.rawmeatybones.com/articles/nexus.pdf. aa eat eel el Pet food recall Whilst we discuss the pet food scam, we should keep in mind About the Author: that two giant chocolate manufacturers, Mars and Nestlé, jostle Veterinarian and author Dr Tom Lonsdale, BVetMed, for supremacy of the pet food industry. They span the globe and | MRCVS, graduated from the Royal Veterinary College, have plans for vast expansions into India and China.*"” Inthe University of London, in 1972. In the 1980s he became second tier, other large conglomerates—Colgate-Palmolive, aware of the dietary disease epidemics affecting the animals Procter & Gamble, Heinz and Del Monte—compete for consumer _—_ under his care. Since 1991, Dr Lonsdale has campaigned to loyalty. The companies may seek to differentiate themselves and bring the information to public attention. In 2001, his their products but, in fact, we know there's a sameness about them — landmark book Raw Meaty Bones: Promote Health was all—as was amply demonstrated in the March 2007 Menu Foods _ published (reviewed in NEXUS 12/03), followed in 2005 by recall. Dogs and cats in North America were ill and dying of Work Wonders: Feed Your Dog Raw Meaty Bones (reviewed acute renal failure, traced to the output of one contract pet food in 13/04). Dr Lonsdale can be contacted by email at manufacturer, Menu Foods.* At first it was thought that rat | tom@rawmeatybones.com. For more information, visit his poison had contaminated batches of "food", but as the story website, http:/Awww.rawmeatybones.com. 23. UK Raw Meaty Bones (2006), "Intro to nest: a deceptive bird", in Raw Meaty Bones: http://www.menufoods.com/recall/Press_Recall_ (UK) Pet Smile Month", http://www.ukrmb. Promote Health, Rivetco Pty Ltd, NSW, 03162007.htm co.uk/showcontent.toy?contentnid=1 11303 Australia, pp. 263-67 34. Lonsdale, T. (2007), "Open Secret: Giant 24, "Reassurance for European pet owners 30. Lonsdale, T. (2001), "Poison your pets with USA corporations poison pets", Raw Meaty following pet food recall in the USA", The multinational offerings", Crikey Media, Bones Newsletter 2007; 7(1), http://secureshop. Veterinary Record 2007 May 5; 160(18):602-03 —_http://www.rawmeatybones.com/ rawmeatybones.com/newsletter/view.epl?id=45 25. The Kennel Club (2006), "The History of Crikey_Media.htm 35. Malik, R. (2007), "Feeding cats for health Crufts", www.thekennelclub.org.uk/item/256 31. "Pet Food And Pet Care Products in China", —_ and longevity" (Clinical Review), The 26. Brady, D. and Palmeri, C. (2007), "The Pet Euromonitor International, August 2007, Veterinarian, August 2007, pp. 61-67, Economy", Business Week, August 6, 2007, http://www.euromonitor.com/Pet_food_and_ http://www.theveterinarian.com.au http://www. businessweek.com/magazine/ pet_care_products_in_China?7DCMP= 36. "Introducing The Pedigree Denta Range", content/07_32/b4045001.htm AFC-petfoodemail Veterinary Times 2002 Jul 15; 32:27 27. American Pet Products Manufacturers 32. Mukherjee, A. (2001), "Royal Canin relish 37. Elliott, D.A. (2006), "Nutritional Assoc. (2007), "Industry Statistics & Trends", for Indian pets", Business Line, Internet Edition, Management of Chronic Renal Disease in Dogs http://www.appma.org/press_industrytrends.asp August 25, 2001, http://hindu.com/businessline/ _ and Cats, Small Animal Practice 2006 Nov; 28. Mugford, R.A. (1987), "The influence of 2001/08/25/stories/14251803.htm 36(6):1377-84, viii nutrition on canine behaviour", Journal of Small 33. Menu Foods Income Fund (2007), "Menu 38. Quoted on covers of The Whistle newsletter, Animal Practice 1987; 28:1046-55 Foods Income Fund Announces Precautionary http://www.uow.edu.au/arts/sts/bmartin/dissent/ 29. Lonsdale, T. (2001), "There's a cuckoo inthe Dog and Cat Food Recall", March 16, 2007, contacts/au_wba/ NEXUS +35 OCTOBER — NOVEMBER 2007 www.nexusmagazine.com