Following the deaths of pet cats who ate raw food contaminated with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1, raw pet food manufacturers must now consider the virus as a hazard in their food safety plans, under FDA’s FSMA Preventive Controls for Animal Food rule.
A house cat in Oregon has died from eating raw cat food contaminated with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1 (HPAI H5N1), and a product recall was initiated. Additionally, cats in California contracted HPAI H5N1 from different raw pet food.
Testing and sampling of raw dog and cat food sold at retail across the UK has shown a high prevalence of significant foodborne pathogens, putting pets and pet owners at varying risk of infection by different bacteria, according to the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA).
A recent study out of the UK has revealed that raw dog food containing pheasant meat may pose a health risk to pets due to the presence of high lead concentrations caused by ammunition used to hunt game. With the popularity of raw pet food in the UK on the rise, the numbers of pets at risk for lead exposure could be high.
UK Pet Food, previously known as Pet Food Manufacturers' Association, has announced its new raw pet food production certification, alongside the adoption of a new name for the organization.
