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Pet Food Subject To Regulation And Recalls

By Amy E. Feldman

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - The FDA doesn't just regulate human food, it regulates pet food too.

The Food and Drug Administration is investigating whether dog treats made in China and sold at Petco caused dogs to get sick or die, after it received almost 5000 complaints.

No, this isn't a rerun of 2007 when the FDA investigated contamination in Chinese produced pet foods sold at Petco. Once burned, twice learned apparently - Petco has announced it will no longer sell the Chinese produced products.

And, it makes pet owners question exactly what they're feeding their animals and who's minding the store. Actually, the government.

The law requires that pet foods, like human foods, be safe to eat, be produced under sanitary conditions, contain no harmful substances, and be truthfully labeled. The law permits the seizure and condemnation of food that has been contaminated or held for sale under conditions where it might have been contaminated.

Twenty two different brands of pet food were recalled for health hazards last year alone.

You can check the FDA's website to see if you have purchased food that's been recalled.

But, while the FDA recognizes that there may be financial costs associated with any veterinarian visit, reimbursement for veterinary care does not fall under FDA's regulatory authority. For that, you sick a lawyer - a real pit bull - on the maker and file suit.

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