Ingredients of Kumpi

[Summer]

Sarah ~

Maybe I answered the question in too much detail.

Live kill meat (slaughtered fresh and then flash frozen in cubes) is different from (the term commonly used online for)rendered meat.  Rendered meat is taking the portions of already dead animals and cooking them up.   All of the meat used in Kumpi cat and dog food are 'live kills'.......a phrase that doesn't fit in the same sentence as rendered meat.

Whether or not other companies use live kill or rendered - that I can't answer for you.  You would need to ask each individual company.

Therese was kind enough to let me know about your post.  I do not want to seem like I don't care 

It's just been a very busy time for me.  I am the president of my company and I answer all of the phone calls - all of them.  Pet parents who have lost their FurAngels deserve time and a caring ear that will listen.  They aren't short phone calls and I will not rush them - they need to be heard - they need to express and share.  Also, I am a 'working' president and that includes a lot of paperwork, keeping track of inventory, writing articles - my work day usually ends around 8 - 9 pm.

I am just a day or two away from setting up my blog on my site (fingers crossed!)

and Alek - thanks for your patience!!!!

Demand for pet food from smaller companys have taxed some limits lately and I am doing everything I can to accommodate everyone I can.  Grieving pet parents are my priority, along with keeping the company rolling.  Being able to answer all blog questions is hard for me to keep up with.  That is why I am starting my own and will be answering questions there that I receive at kumpi@earthink.net.

[Sarah]

Thanks for your reply Evy, and thanks to Therese too.  I do get suspicious when questions like this aren't answered right away, I guess I have had too much "Jenniferspeak" (of Natural Balance).  So I'm suspicious of everyone now until they can persuade me otherwise.

I can appreciate that grieving pet parents that have lost, come first.  And this is a very good thing you are doing.  But if your pet food is a notch - or several - above the others then that is really important too.  People are really frantic about buying a food for their pets that at the least won't hurt them, and hopefully would be good for them.

I would like to get answers to my other questions, among them - you mentioned it is against the law or the FDA rules that dogs and cats cannot be used in pet food.  I looked for this law or rule but couldn't find anything about it.
Sarah

[Summer]

Sarah ~

Right now I cannot put any more pressure on the company who sources my dries.  Several plants needed to shut down for a couple of days due to the flooding.  If I don't step back and let them do their job efficiently, then consumers will be angry that they aren't doing their job well.  There are so many different things that come into play when a pet food is made - many entities involved.  Those who are working to do it well are strained already by the increase in demand and now, weather issues too.  I need to respect their time and not expect them to jump every time I have a question I'd like to answer.  I have written to my AAFCO rep, Chandra, to see if she can track that down for me - per the roadkill, etc.  I can tell you I've personally seen the documentation on my food.  And even if Chandra can provide the legal proof, that will not be a guarantee that it is followed by other companies.

I can only speak for mine.  And I understand the panic.  It is much easier for me if you would please email me at kumpi@earthlink.net or call 303.693.6533.  On top of helping grieving pet parents and also the one's who are living witha compromised pet and are seeking guidance on what to feed when they cannot feed KumpiKat due to renal failure - I have an 87 year old mom too - and a business to run.  I have worked for two months as hard as I can to reply promptly to all concerns.  I hope that those efforts combined with the strain I am trying to explain to you eases your concerns. 

[Sarah]

Well, no it doesn't.  I would assume it takes the same amount of time to answer my email privately as it does to answer in this forum.

And your source for rendered meat meal should welcome the interruption in their busy schedule to answer any and all questions - especially very simple ones like I am asking.

As for AAFCO, the president of AAFCO is on record as stating "you won't know if your pet food has beef, horse, or Fluffy."  I did find one web site that a person from the FDA said while the FDA frowns on dogs and cats in pet food, they can understand why using pets would be helpful to "use them up" so to speak.

Evy I can understand your situation, but quite frankly I am baffled at your reluctance to continually balk at answering very simple questions.  You should be aware of what goes in your pet food anyway, and to state that you have to find out, that is not very reassuring.

[Summer]

Sarah ~

There is no rendered meat, euthanized pets or roadkill in Kumpi.  I've stated that and it's also on my website.

As for trying to contact my AAFCO rep, they have readier access to someone at the FDA more immediately than I would.  That is why I contacted her.

Also, the idea with asking folks to email questions to me, is so I can post them on the blog I am trying to get established as a link from both of my web sites, so EVERYONE can see the questions and answers - not just the folks here on Therese's forum.  There are several and keeping my answers to one location gives everyone the best info.

Repeat, there is no rendered meat meal in Kumpi pet products.

And no one is welcoming interruptions right now.  The process of quality analysis has been heightened, there are more paper trails to follow and a person can focus on only so many things at once, with so many hours of sleep - or their efficiency is compromised.

If you take the time to read through all of my threads, you will find I know exactly what goes into my food, where it came from, etc.  Also, some of that information can be sourced from my web site as well.  Kumpi.com.

I am starting a blog.  People email questions to me.  I post their questions and my answer on the blog. 

I am not sure where you ever got the impression that I don't know what goes into my food.  You asked me about the regulation that was initiated about roadkill, euthanized animals, etc. and where that was located.  The actual documentation of that is what I do not know about.  That has nothing to do with knowing what is in my food

Have a good day!!

[Sarah]

But Evy I am not asking for documentation (except for where the FDA rule was about dogs and cats in dog and cat food which you brought up).  Just answers to my questions back on page 3.  They are very simple questions and if you know exactly what goes into your food, then why didn't you answer them?  Yes, I know your replies are for your blog, but this information would be just as useful here too.  Or, you can just say not to have any Kumpi thread at all, and instead direct all inquiries to your web site.

You post too much like Jennifer of Natural Balance, right down to the "Have a good Day."  You do not want to answer the questions, you have excuses about answering the questions, and I get the impression all this Jenniferspeak is hiding something.  I hope I am wrong, I don't want to upset you or anybody.  But in the aftermath of this pet food scandal, I have been asking both human food makers and pet food makers just what ingredients are in their food, and where they come from.  All I get is more evasiveness.  I cannot trust any company like that.  The lives of my pets are at stake.
Sarah

[Summer]

Sarah ~

I have read your questions on page three and cannot find one that I have not answered.  Would you be kind enough to start over again for me?  What question did I not answer??

Thanks 

Evy

[Tommyboy]

This seems like it is turning into badgering of the only pet food president with balls enough to come on here. Even the braniac with scientific questions is waiting patiently for his answers, of which he probably already knows. 10 of 12 posts directed here and here alone. Come on.

[Sarah]

Tommyboy, all it would have taken was one post from Evy to answer my questions.  Then that would be all there was to it.  Instead, more than a week goes by, and finally an answer after repeating one of my questions.  Trying to find out answers isn't "badgering."  If you think it is, then I guess I can't ask anything at all
Sarah

[Summer]

Sarah ~

Your question was posted on Monday and I answered by Saturday.  I'm sure you haven't had the chance to read all of my posts on the www, but I do have an 87 year old mom who I adore who has needs.  I have had over 300 new FedEx customers and many with special needs.  I am doing the best I can for everyone but am limited.  While other companys have departments for accounting, shipping, trucking, retailers, out of state accounts, etc....I do not.  I am a hands on president and this tragedy has set the pet food world into chaos.  It took me some time to find the answers and I have done the best that I could.  I have not seen any other pet food company come onto these blogs for as long as I have to answer questions and be as transparent as I've been.  I answer my own phone calls and as posted before, you can call me any time you would like to.  The number is 303.693.6533, I work from my home so evenings and weekends are cool.  I know of no other company president who has posted their phone number and solicited the public to call if they have concerns or questions.  Wish you would take me up on it!!

I know you're concerned.  I know you're frightened.  And it makes me sadder than you know that anyone in this country needs to worry about killing their pet by doing something as common as purchasing pet food at any store.  What you are discovering about the pet food industry is what I've known for over nine years and have been fighting the battle in my own unique way.  I know the pain of having my dog die in my arms.  That is why I work so hard to answer every question I can.  I care.  I'm just sorry it wasn't good enough or fast enough for you.  I lost a cat last December to a CAN of cat food and almost lost my mom to food poisoning in February of this year.  Sarah, I do care more than you know!!

[T. Eric]

Sarah,

There are so many blogs and posts out there right now it's hard to keep up with them all.  

I posted on a blog on Itchmo, then went to another only to find out later that people were saying on another blog "WHERE ARE YOU"!!  Not that I am popular but I was having some foods tested and they wanted to know the results.  I would gather that Evy doesn't have the time to look at all posts everywhere.  Although, it appears she is trying.    I commend her for that!  I don't see any other companies (especially the President, not even our own) answering any of our concerns.

I have been beside myself through all of this recall as you have.  My dogs and cats are my kids.  

All I can tell you about Kumpi is this.  I had the first bag (4 lbs) of Kumpi tested for the toxins in question.  It was negative.  I then ordered a 20 lb bag and had it tested.  It was negative.  I will have the next 20 lb bag I buy tested as well.  This is what I personally have to do to feel comfortable with what I am feeding my kids right now.  

I have noticed that my kitty (Nancy) who always threw up 2 or 3 times a week for 5 years has not thrown up since eating KumpiKat.  My puppy Cori has had less allergy issues (eyes & reversed sneezing) and has more energy since being on Kumpi Senior.   I'm very pleased with Kumpi and appreciate the President of the company taking the time she did to address my concerns.  My Cori is like a pup again.  

Please understand I must say that this is my opinion only and the results of feeding this food have positive in my kids.  Please do your own research and testing if it will make you feel better and make the right choice in the food you choose.

I'm happy with Kumpi and so are my kiddos.


 

[Caylynn]

Sarah, coming to all the various blogs, looking for questions and answering them definitely takes more time than simply opening an email and answering the questions in an email.  There are so many blogs an forums covering the pet food recall that it is hard for me, as a consumer, to keep up.  I'm sure it is even more difficult for the small pet food companies who don't have a large staff devoted to answering phone calls and emails (Kumpi and Orijen are two such companies that come to mind.)

People are getting upset when they don't receive an immediate reply.  But people don't realize that a lot of these small companies that produce high quality foods are SWAMPED right now.  They are overwhelmed with emails and phone calls, so it is hard for them to answer them in a timely fashion.  I do know that everyone I have spoken to who has CALLED Kumpi or Orijen has been very impressed with the answers to their questions that they have received.  Email replies are taking longer, because they have received so many of them.  Questions posted on blogs (here and at Itchmo) sometimes aren't answered right away, and then people get upset and suspicious.  But people don't seem to realized that visiting blogs and forums, and wading through all the posts to find ones devoted to a particular company, takes time.  (Here finding the posts doesn't necessarily take time, because the forum is divided according to brand, but it still takes more time to visit a website than it does to open an email.)

We all want what's best for our pets, and so many people are becoming suspicious.  But having spoken with some of these small, high quality companies, I know that they are truly overwhelmed by the volume of inquiries they have had, and it is taking them time to answer them all.

Kumpi and Orijen are the two companies I have seen that have been honestly trying to answer people's questions.  I have chosen to feed Orijen for the moment, since it has been approved for import into the EU, and the regulations governing pet food an its import into the EU are very stringent and strictly enforced.  Ever since mad cow disease became an issue, all pet food in the EU must be made with human grade ingredients, so I am confident in Orijen's quality.

[sylvia]

Sarah,

Before switching to Kumpi I spent a great deal of time checking out various foods for my show dogs. I have always fed premium and NONE of the former foods I used, nor has Kumpi, had even a whisper of a possible recall. Evy is great at answering emails so why you would insist that she go through all the blogs and forums to find you and your questions is beyond me. You can call or email directly and she will answer.   What's up here anyway? 
Personally I am happy to know my dogs are safe and well fed because a company's owner is so diligent and caring. Thanks Evy for your "above and beyond" responses to everyone. 
 

[Cindy Nevarez]

Sylvia;
If she would just answer the simple questions Sarah asked with direct answers the first time around....there wouldn't be any issues at all.

Also, some of us others are also waiting for those answers as well. Also some of us can see the evasiveness that the thread has taken even if you and the others who posted yesterday can't.

[Summer]

Cindy ~

I am sorry that you mistook my not knowing the answer as evasiveness.  Sarah asked me something I didn't know and I addressed what I could.  Maybe you don't fully realize my side of things - though some do, as reflected in some of the above posts.  This kind of terseness may be what is keeping other companys from taking the time to post.  You don't know me or my heart and it hurts to see strangers cast judgment when I've worked at helping dogs/cats in nutrition for over nine years, and behavior in a humane and kind fashion for over thirty five years.  There are people behind these keystrokes and I'll say again - I have yet to know of any other company that has even attemped to keep pace with blogs.....especially the president. 

I have listed my phone number 303.693.6533 and encourage people to call since it's easier to dialogue and get a feel for what someone is wanting to know.  Often conversations start in one arena and end up somewhere altogether different as they keep asking questions. 

This thread started on 4/28.  I posted four times on 4/29, once on 4/30, three times on 5/1, twice on 5/2, once on 5/5 (where I thought all questions from Sarah had been addressed), once on 5/15 and four times on 5/16.  These are answers that are filled with a lot of information - I am not going to make up answers to thing I don't know.  Even the webmaster of this forum has asked Sarah to contact me via email.  I have done so several times and even offer a phone number.

If you need to vent about me, please call me and do it 'to my face' but do not try and trash my reputation or my company online, please.