Proposed bills impose fee on petfood

Two bills (SB 5329 and HB 1406) were introduced Wednesday in Washington state that would impose a fee on petfood of $57.50 per ton to fund spay/neuter programs.
This fee would be unprecedented in both its size (the highest tonnage fee is $1 in Louisiana right now) and intended use (to fund spay/neuter programs rather than inspections).The bills would establish a companion animal spay/neuter assistance program within the Department of Agriculture.
The program would provide assistance to low-income residents as well as “caretakers of feral and free-roaming cats.” (Sec. 3(2)(b))
The bill requires that “each initial distributor or responsible buyer of petfood must pay to the department a companion animal spay/neuter fee on all petfood distributed by such person during the reporting period.” (Sec. 7 (2)(b))The digest on both bills asserts that “the program should be funded through a fee that is practical, administratively feasible, and targeted at the class of Washington residents that is most responsible for companion animals and their impact on our communities: Owners of cats and dogs.”
The Pet Food Institute is currently attempting to stop the bills' progress

Denmark now allows glucosamine in petfood

The Danish Food Minister Eva Kjer Hansen has visited Aller Petfood - part of the Danish company Aller Mølle Group - to talk about “simplifications of rules,” according to AllAboutFeed.net.
In the meeting, personnel of Aller Petfood explained the daily work of a petfood producer. Also the removal of the restriction to use glucosamine in petfood for foreign customers was discussed with Hansen.The relaxation of these rules mean that companies such as Aller Petfood can use glucosamine in petfood for export and thereby compete on the same level as their foreign colleagues.

Free food for Obama dog

Anthony Holloway, owner of K9Cuisine, is willing to deliver free dog food to the White House doorstep for the new First Dog.
"I want to reach out to my former Illinoisans' future pooch," says Holloway."First we have to figure out how free shipping and delivery is handled at the secure White House."
President-elect Barack Obama reportedly is looking for a hypoallergenic dog for his daughters.The Obama family has narrowed its choices for the new First Dog and is looking in Washington-area shelters. Daughters Sasha and Malia soon will own a Labradoodle or a Portuguese water dog.
Holloway’s online pet store is based in Paris, Illinois, and offers petfood without gluten, soy, corn or wheat, according to the Web site.

Man falls into petfood silo, dies

According to a report from Independent Online, an Epol—petfood manufacturer — employee in South Africa died after he fell into a silo full of the food Monday, Jan. 5, 2009, police said.
Police Captain Dumisani Ndlazi said the 27-year-old man slipped and fell into the three-quarters-full silo while on the job.

Chinese government urged to formulate petfood regulations

In the wake of the recent deaths of more than 300 dogs due to aflatoxin-contaminated food, the Animal Protection Association of the Republic of China called for the government to formulate regulations to ensure the safety of petfood.
Huang Ching-jung, secretary-general of the association, says that tests on aflatoxin, melamine and pesticide should be part of the regulation. In response, Hsu Tien-lai, chief of the Council of Agriculture (COA) Animal Husbandry Department, replied that the council will draft a bill to be submitted to the Legislative Yuan to consider adopting.

Study questions flea, tick treatment safety

According to the Center for Public Integrity, at least 1,600 pet deaths linked to treatments containing pyrethroids, synthetic pesticides, have been reported to the Environmental Protection Agency during the past five years. The EPA has approved these treatments for sale, and they are available at groceries, hardware stores and specialty pet retailers, according to the organization.
The Center for Public Integrity has included this analysis in its project, Perils of the New Pesticides and found pyrethroid-based products concern pet owners, veterinarians and regulatory agencies. The organization’s research is based on the EPA’s pesticide incident database.