I know I said that this blog was supposed to be about animals in the news and new pet health related topics, but I can't help but show my irritation at PETA's latest escapade. This will be brief, I promise!
PETA wants to stop fathers from fishing with their kids on Father's Day! I am not joking, you can read the brief story here as well as watch the news video. This spokesperson ("spokesgirl") says "that's no way to teach a child compassion to other animals, much less human beings".
Ok...how about PETA's antics of humilating models wearing fur? How about the evil offspring of PETA, Earth Liberation Front and Animal Liberation Front firebombing the cars of scientists in California? Is that their idea of compassion? PETA doesn't want us to own pets...how does that teach compassion??
Are there reports that PETA is losing money during this recession? It sure seems like they are stretching for new ways to get people's money from them!! Let me know what you think and share your opinions here.
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I've been following the blogs and Twitter dialogue on this matter since the recall occurred. I'm an engineer, so I think I am fairly level headed and open-minded. I'm also a blogger and social media person, so I'm also sensitive to the way things are handled, regardless of the truth, and what effect that may have.
Here's what I can say with some certainty from my POV:
1) The people on Twitter calling for Nutro blood seem to have all had some personal pet loss or know someone close who lost a pet, mostly from the melamine recall a few years ago. It is understandable that they are upset, and worried, and angry that the information is not getting out quickly enough. I think that they are "erring on the side of caution" which means that they are trying to raise whatever publicity they can to make sure people know about this recall and their cats are not harmed. That may step over the line at times.
2) There is plenty suspicious on both sides of this debate. I agree that consumeraffairs.com seems rather shady, but it is hard to imagine that they concocted all the accounts of sick cats. At the same time, any responsible company with a product out would want to get the most relevant info out to vets so they can treat possibly sick cats. Obviously Nutro knows the zinc levels and potassium levels since it was tests that triggered the recalls. One has to wonder why they have not made this information available to vets. Their lack of transparency and lack of acknowledgment of reported illnesses (confirmed or otherwise) do not help their credibility.
3) From a social media perspective, Nutro has made a serious mistake by handling this issue silently. Of course someone was going to eventually test the food and post results. I'm surprised nobody has yet posted a video of their sick cat. How many people do you think are switching from Nutro to other products just because they are unsure what is going on. I'm guessing thousands at least.
You bring up a very good point regarding the costs of testing and retesting products, something I mentioned in an email with one of the cat owners posting on Twitter. To this point, why has the focus not fallen on Trouw Nutrition, the original producer of the bad premix? What are their testing methods? What other pet food companies (and human food companies) do they supply?
Lastly, I have to ask the following question. If it was my 5 year old child that was getting an overdose of some mineral due to his food, whether it was proven to or just likely to cause illness and death, would I be satisfied with the food company refusing to provide information. Refusing to acknowledge a call that my child had gotten sick seemingly from their food. Sitting on it's hands instead of doing everything it could to let everyone know. I doubt it.
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