RMB Newsletter Vol 5:3 Five facets of the pet-food fraud
Dear Reader,
Since writing in July 2005 the UK Raw Meaty Bones Support & Action group
has continued their terrific work exposing the pet-food
industry/veterinary alliance.
They wrote to all Members of the British House of Commons advising them
of the British Medical Journal (BMJ) endorsement of Pet Food
Manufacturers’ Association propaganda and how junk pet foods have serious
adverse effects, whether directly or indirectly, on human health. To its
credit the BMJ published UKRMB criticisms on the BMJ website:
http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/eletters/330/7496/858
Work Wonders: Feed your dog raw meaty bones
The new ‘how to feed’ book, Work Wonders, is or will soon be available in
bookstores in the USA, Canada, UK, Australia and New Zealand. See
readers’ comments and excerpts at www.amazon.com and www.rawmeatybones.com
In the UK Work Wonders is available from www.ukrmb.co.uk All proceeds go
to the UKRMB campaign for honesty in the provision of veterinary services
and an end to the mass poisoning of domestic pets.
Wishing you and your pets the best of good health.
Tom Lonsdale
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FIVE FACETS OF THE PET-FOOD FRAUD
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'All that is needed for evil to prosper is for people of good will to do
nothing' Edmund Burke
As a reader of this newsletter you will be aware of the first facet of
the pet food fraud. The other facets may be new to you. Let me provide
some thumbnail sketches.
1. Junk food induced cruelty, ill health and suffering affects a majority
of the world’s pets. Plentiful ‘scientific’ evidence, common experience
and common sense confirm this fact.
2. Misuse of existing scientific paradigms and bogus administrative
techniques produces a body of counterfeit science in the service of the
junk pet-food industry.
The current mass poisoning of pets starts with the first lie: That
processed pet food is as good as or better than the natural alternative.
So called researchers swallow the lie and then misuse existing scientific
methods and compliant professional journals to perpetuate and bolster the
lie.
3. Reliance on inadequate scientific paradigms facilitates the junk pet-
food fraud. The search for better options is discouraged.
If the current methods of science can be hijacked with impunity then
perhaps there’s something the matter with the so called science. Chapter
14 of Raw Meaty Bones postulates a new scientific paradigm that makes use
of existing paradigms without falling victim to their inadequacies.
Unfortunately the veterinary authorities have been successful in
suppressing any consideration of new approaches.
4. Economic consequences can be measured in the $billions. The human
health and natural environmental burdens are immense.
The junk pet-food industry dark satanic mills churn out industrialized
food full of dire consequences. In the Pet Food Manufacturers’
Association letter below they claim their industry supports 8000 UK
workers. The raw food industry is labour-intensive. Tens, perhaps
hundreds, of thousands of jobs could be created by a move to more natural
pet food. A full economic audit is well overdue.
5. Failure of democratic, administrative and legal systems —- whether due
to oversight, incompetence or corruption -— facilitates the junk pet-food
fraud.
Jack Spratt aided by the founder of Crufts Dog Show, Charles Cruft,
started the junk pet-food industry in the 1860s and it’s been downhill
since then. We’ve had endless political representatives, governments have
come and gone and the legal profession has been ever present. Yet 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.
The future does not need to mimic the past. We can make changes. In the
first instance may I suggest that you contact your elected
representatives and tell them of the Five Facets of the Pet Food Fraud?
There are contact details at: http://www.ukrmb.co.uk/showcontent.toy?
contentnid=7199
Below is the British Parliament, Early Day Motion No335 PROCESSED PET
FOODS AND VETS and the British Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons
(RCVS) response which they say was produced ‘in readiness for any press
enquiries we might receive. We did not issue this statement proactively’.
In other words the Royal College were careful not to inform the more than
21,000 registered vets about discussions taking place in Parliament -—
discussions which centered on the very essence of veterinary activity.
The RCVS confirm that their statement was: ‘Based on the same scientific
papers and evidence which were documented by the Pet Food Manufacturers’
Association in its press release dated 17 December 2004.’ From which
statement we can conclude that the RCVS endorse and rely on self-serving
twaddle generated by an industy whose products slowly poison the majority
of the world’s pets.
The RCVS have at least three copies of Raw Meaty Bones the 389 page,
fully referenced, peer reviewed book on the pet food scam. Chapters 7 and
14 provide close detail of papers written by me and published in ‘peer
reviewed (veterinary) scientific journals’. Despite this they make the
disingenuous claim:
‘We have . . . urged him to submit scientific evidence to support his
claims and to publish this material in peer reviewed (veterinary)
scientific journals. We understand that Mr Lonsdale has not yet
accomplished this but we would encourage him to do so.’
QUESTION: Besides denying possession of compelling evidence of a multi-
facetted fraud, which veterinary regulator requires the whistleblowers to
fund and carry out investigations to further substantiate existing
evidence?
ANSWER: The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.
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British Parliament, 7 December 2005 Early Day Motion 335,
PROCESSED PET FOODS AND VETS
http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=26858
That this House deeply regrets the professional endorsement of processed
food for domestic dogs, cats and ferrets by some members of the
veterinary profession; is concerned at the level of incidence of
malodorous gum disease and associated diseases of the kidneys, liver and
other organs amongst the domestic pet population; recognises that their
health and welfare is best served by foods, such as raw meaty bones, that
reflect the full range of nutritional need; applauds and recommends the
work of veterinary surgeon Tom Lonsdale and others in this field;
recognises also that vets in the UK are trusted and independent advisers
on the health of our pets; is therefore concerned by the nature of the
relationship between some vets and producers of foods that cause
illnesses in pets; and calls upon the Royal College of Veterinary
Surgeons to make a definitive statement on the active endorsement and
promotion of processed pet foods by vets.
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Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Position Paper December 2004
Early Day Motion – Processed Pet Foods and Vets
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The RCVS is aware of different views within the veterinary profession
concerning the feeding of processed pet foods to companion animals, not
least those of Tom Lonsdale. However, as the regulatory body for the
veterinary profession, the RCVS does not exist to represent the views of
veterinary surgeons and is not in a position to provide authoritative
scientific comment on the nutritional benefits of pet foods.
Veterinary surgeons are not expected to endorse products without due
justification or it they might compromise the clinical care of animals.
The RCVS does, however, expect veterinary surgeons to make clinical
decisions according to their professional judgement and based on the best
available evidence at the time.
We understand that there is currently an abundance of scientific evidence
available to support the use of processed pet foods for everyday feeding
of companion animals, together with medicated or “science” diets to
provide advanced nutrition for animals that may be unwell, nutritionally
deficient or at a certain stage in life.
Mr Lonsdale has stood in the RCVS Council Elections for the past eight
years in order to promote his concerns. Each time he has secured the
least number of votes, which would imply there is little support for his
views within the veterinary profession, of whom there are currently over
21,000 registered RCVS members.
We have discussed Mr Lonsdale’s concerns with him on a number of
occasions and have urged him to submit scientific evidence to support his
claims and to publish this material in peer reviewed (veterinary)
scientific journals. We understand that Mr Lonsdale has not yet
accomplished this but we would encourage him to do so.
For further information please contact:
Ian Holloway
RCVS External Affairs Officer
T: 020 7203 0727
F: 020 7202 0740
E: i.holloway@rcvs.org.uk
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Pet Food Manufacturers' Association letter to Members of Parliament who
signed Early Day Motion 335, PROCESSED PET FOODS AND VETS
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Pet Food Manufacturers’ Association Ltd
20 Bedford Street
Covent Garden
London WC2E 9HP
Tel: 020 7379 9009
Fax: 020 7379 8008
Email: info@pfma.org.uk
Web: www.pfma.com
22 December 2004
Dear [Member of Parliament],
Early Day Motion – Processed Pet Foods and Vets
I am writing to you on behalf of the Pet Food Manufacturers’ Association.
We represent over 50 UK manufacturers, directly employing around 8,000
people. We are very concerned about the nature of the Early Day Motion
(335) on Processed Pet Foods and Vets. In particular there are some
disturbing inaccuracies within the EDM, which need to be countered.
Firstly, there is simply no evidence that processed pet food causes a
higher incidence of dental problems. In fact studies have shown that dogs
fed “natural” diets have the same incidence of periodontal problems that
are found in pets fed commercial diets. Rather, it is the feeding of
bones that can result in chipped or broken teeth, therefore preventing
the dog from adequately chewing its food to aid digestion. A 1997 study
of foxhounds fed animal carcass showed that older dogs had an average of
50% fractured teeth.
Secondly, it is quite wrong to claim that a diet of raw meaty
bones “reflect the full range of nutritional need”. Quite the reverse, as
such a diet runs a high risk of nutritional imbalance as eating only the
meat and bone of a carcass does not represent a balanced diet. There are
many examples of pathological fractures resulting from poor bone
mineralization and nutritional hyperparathydroidism where animals have
been fed diets containing meat with inadequate calcium supplementation.
Vitamins, trace minerals, potassium and essential fatty acids must be
added to the diet before the diet will contain the minimum concentration
of known essential nutrients.
Finally, to imply that pet food manufacturers produce food that “causes
illness in pets” is false, and to suggest that a number of veterinary
surgeons are party to this is wrong. Our members take the responsibility
of feeding the nation’s pets very seriously. They have spent decades
understanding the nutritional requirements of pets to develop products
that provide optimum nutrition and promote the health and well being of
the UK pet population. Industry has done this work often in concert with
a number of dedicated veterinarians. Their expertise on the physiology of
pet animals ensures we are providing the optimum nutrition for the pets
needs. As a result, knowledge has advanced beyond recognition, and it is
now widely recognised by veterinarians that pets are leading longer and
healthier lives.
I attach some further background. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if
you require any additional information.
Yours sincerely,
Michael Bellingham
PFMA Chief Executive
FDF a member of the The Food & Drink Federation
Registered Office: 15 High Street, Brackley, Northants. NN13 7DH
Registered No: 3139685
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in future RMB Newsletters.
Please circulate, distribute or reproduce this newsletter as you wish.
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