Good news! The Partnership for Food Protection and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have launched the Pet Event Tracking Network (PetNet) to help facilitate the exchange of information about pet food-related incidents among the FDA, other federal agencies and the states. This means that there is now an online network that can track, in real time, reports of food-borne illnesses and defective pet products. According to this article in the Chicago Tribune, members of the network will be allowed to "post about suspicious incidents and product defects, alerting others who can then track the data and share more information." The key is that the "members" who can post are only federal and state government officials in charge of pet food product regulation, so the network should be free of unsubstantiated claims but still report problems quickly. As far as we can tell, laypeople like Parental Unit and I, can't get access to this site. If anyone finds out differently, please let us know!
We're also happy to learn that the idea for this upgraded communication system was spawned by the 2007 melamine pet food recall, when the FDA and state regulators weren't able to share information quickly enough, and so many of our precious companion animals needlessly suffered or died.
Meanwhile, we're glad someone finally has our back!
We're also happy to learn that the idea for this upgraded communication system was spawned by the 2007 melamine pet food recall, when the FDA and state regulators weren't able to share information quickly enough, and so many of our precious companion animals needlessly suffered or died.
Meanwhile, we're glad someone finally has our back!
4 comments:
Good news! We, too, are glad to hear this. Thanks for letting us know!
That is awesome news! I wonder if vets will be given access to even part of the system? Widespread illness is often the first step to identifying a problem...thanks for sharing this Bocci!
I find this slightly suspicious - only FDA and government officials have access to this site? The FDA is full of food corporate giants who have a vested interest in keeping this stuff quiet - same with food borne illnesses in the human food industry.
I hope this is good news, but I am not convinced ...Let me know if you hear more about this.
Thanks!
Your pal, Pip
I also hope that it's good news, although I tend to believe it is-at least a communication system is in place...As Kol mentioned, I hope veterinarians are also given access.
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