Food & Water Watch, a US nonprofit organization that works to ensure safe and sustainable food and water, issued a statement, in which the organization claims that the US Food and Drug Administration is failing to protect pets from potentially toxic chicken jerky treats made in China.
According to Food & Water Watch executive director, Wenonah Hauter: "Since 2007, thousands of American dogs have fallen ill or died after eating jerky treats made in China. In the past of couple days, it has come to light that Chinese government officials overseeing the factories that make the questionable treats refused to allow US inspectors to collect samples for independent analysis.
"While this lack of cooperation shows an unfortunate disregard for health and safety on behalf of the Chinese government, it's the Food and Drug Administration who has shirked its responsibility to keep U.S. citizens and their pets safe and it's the FDA who must step up and block these potentially deadly treats from harming more animals.
"The FDA waited until it received 2,000 reports of illnesses and deaths in US dogs before launching its investigation. Although the China investigation took place in April, it took the FDA four months to admit that they were denied permission from collecting samples from the Chinese facilities. As the FDA dragged its feet, the suspect treats remained on store shelves and put thousands of dogs at risk.
"What's more disgraceful than the FDA's dawdling is the fact that it has full authority under Section 306 of the Food Safety Modernization Act to refuse shipments of these treats from China now. Enough is enough. It's time for the FDA to issue an import alert on all pet food manufactured in China before more animals and the humans that love them suffer needlessly," says Hauter.