Cat deaths linked to Orijen

[The Cats Mother]

I have no idea Bonkers. I am just referring to the fact that there is a certificate of some sort included in the documents posted by Public Informer that were released under FOI. Evidently they are one of the suppliers. Have another read of it, some of it has been blacked out, but it's clear they supplied something. Be interesting to know what %age it formed of the final product but all that sort of thing is blacked out too.

[5CatMom]

Noticed a few things in the 66 page document.


1.  Page 25:  May 1, 2007  Certificate of Origin

"To Whom It May Concern, (blacked out) International"

[5CM - Could that be Darling International?]

2.  Page 32: April 26, 2007 Certificate of Origin

"All fresh materials of animal origin (blacked out) are collected from USDA inspected plants and are for inedible purposes only.  Animals were slaughtered in the USA under USDA inspection . . . "

[5CM - So how does inedible material go to Canada and become a "human grade" ingredient?]

3.  Page 34:  April 24, 2007 Processing Time & Temperature Verification Certification of Compliance

"are sourced from USDA/FSIA inspected processing plants in the United States"

"Company:  Griffin Industries, Inc.
Address: 4221 Alexandria Pike Cold Spring KY, 41076"

See first post, second attachment by Admin:
http://www.letstalkpetfoods.org/download/file.php?id=88

Other attachments by Admin @ letstalkpetfoods
http://www.letstalkpetfoods.org/download/file.php?id=89
http://www.letstalkpetfoods.org/download/file.php?id=87

HEAD EXPLODING      

Why would anyone pay $50 for 15 lbs of food - and it's made with the same old rendered crap?

[Bonkers]

  I am as baffled by all of this new info as you are 5catmom.
 
  It would be interesting to know what, if any, are the differences between what Canada and the USA considers "human grade".

  #%^$@ Pet food companies......

[5CatMom]

Hi Bonkers,

Been busy working on house project lately, so I'm way behind on the forum and blog news.

Do you know if this new Orijen info has been picked up by other sites?  I saw links to the source documents posted on LetsTalkPetFood.

If it weren't for alert bloggers like Public Informer and all the Aussie cat folks who have held Champion accountable . . .well, I shutter to think.

Like the Administrator at LetsTalkPet Food said, this is a sad day for Orijen users.

[Bonkers]

5cat,

I first learned about it from reading an article at TruthaboutPetFood.com. I am not aware of any other sites where this has been reported, although I am hoping this new information will spread quickly.

I have so many questions that I know probably will not or cannot be answered. But why would they import rendered products from the US and not sourced locally? Maybe that is why their food is so darn expensive. 

[Bonkers]

Here is the link to the article written by Susan Thixton at TruthaboutPetFood.

http://www.truthaboutpetfood.com/articles/415/1/FOI-Documents-Obtained-Regarding-Orijen-in-Australia/Page1.html

[Bonkers]

 Has anyone contacted Champion to question them about the information contained in these documents?

[The Cats Mother]

Ohooo yes

[Bonkers]

Ohooo yes

Should have known better than to ask such a question Lol.......

Can't wait to hear what they have to say, if or when they respond.

[5CatMom]

The Cats Mother,

Can't wait to hear what they have to say.

Why this new Orijen revelation surprises me, I don't know.  Could be it's because I spent an hour on the phone with Peter back in 2007.  Made sure ingredients were human grade, and from Canada.

The irradiation debacle is bad enough.  Now, we may be about to learn that Orijen has not been honest about their ingredient sources.

Not happy!

@#$(^*$&#&@$%^&&**(%

     

[5CatMom]

Here're links to the FOI documents which don't require the use of filefactory.com.

Just download the pdf files.

http://www.letstalkpetfoods.org/download/file.php?id=87
http://www.letstalkpetfoods.org/download/file.php?id=88
http://www.letstalkpetfoods.org/download/file.php?id=89

[raggiesrule]

I have just received advice that the Australian contact for the compassion fund has been advised that they are to close their file on this matter and all correspondence should be sent directly to Champion foods. This I imagine means anyone that has directed correspondence through him to Champion re: claims in excess of $2000/cat and ongoing expenses will need to contact Champion directly about these matters even if documentation has already been submitted through him.

Jo

[Bonkers]

I have just received advice that the Australian contact for the compassion fund has been advised that they are to close their file on this matter and all correspondence should be sent directly to Champion foods. This I imagine means anyone that has directed correspondence through him to Champion re: claims in excess of $2000/cat and ongoing expenses will need to contact Champion directly about these matters even if documentation has already been submitted through him.

Jo

   Champion sucks.

[5CatMom]

Received the following from a friend with permission to post/cross-post.

It appears to be from Champion's website, but I'm not able to find it there.  Champion's site has many references to "fresh", "regional", "Canadian", but I don't find any mention of meals from US rendering companies.

Very disappointing, to say the least.  If you're active on other sites, please cross post.

5CM


USDA CERTIFIED CHICKEN MEAL IN CANADA’S BEST PET FOOD?

At Champion, we’re passionate about the foods we make and we’re guided by a mandate that’s clear and strong – we make BIOLOGICALLY APPROPRIATE PET FOODS FROM FRESH, REGIONAL INGREDIENTS.

OUR FOCUS IS ON POULTRY, FISH & MEATS THAT ARE NEVER FROZEN AND ARRIVE AT OUR DOOR FRESH EACH DAY, WITHOUT ANY PRESERVATIVES

ORIJEN contains the maximum fresh meat inclusions reaching 35%, or about half of the total meat content of the food.

With the exception of our fresh duck (which is free-run in Ontario, Canada) all of our fresh ingredients are raised or fished in Western Canada.

This includes our free run chicken & turkey, whole eggs, a variety of saltwater and freshwater fish (wild-caught), lamb, bison and wild boar (all ranch-raised and free-run).

These animal ingredients are all fresh from our region. No exceptions.

INGREDIENTS MADE EXCLUSIVELY FROM ANIMALS PASSED FIT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION

This means all animals must pass both pre and post mortem inspection in a federally approved facility.

Our ingredient quality is certified by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, who approves all of our export documents and audits our factory and ingredient suppliers on a regular basis.

No exceptions.

WHY USE CHICKEN MEAL?

Due to the high moisture levels, the fresh meat inclusion is limited to about 35%. High quality cooked or dried meat ingredients (like chicken meal) are added to the fresh meats to achieve higher protein levels.

WHY USE USDA APPROVED CHICKEN MEAL?

While there are a few producers of chicken meal in Canada, none are capable of producing from chickens passed fit for human consumption.

Canadian chicken meal is made with spent hens (from egg laying operations) as well as chickens that have died, but are not processed in a federally inspected facility, or are not passed as ‘fit for human consumption’.

While our focus is “fresh and regional” our primary ingredient objective is to achieve the highest standard in nutrition, palatability and food safety. Until chicken meal from human grade chickens is available in Canada, Champion will source its chicken meal from a USA chicken processor, whose chickens and facility are USDA certified, and who has earned the appropriate European Union qualification (EU 1774).

Although our chicken meal is of the highest quality, and is produced exclusively from chickens passed fit for human consumption, the rule of law requires that the chicken meal itself is not intended for human consumption, and requires it be labeled ‘inedible’.

Confused? We’re not surprised. Call or write to us if you’d like more information.

CHAMPIONPETFOODS.COM

[5CatMom]

The above info from Champion is quite different from the following which does appear on the Q&A page of their site:


Q | FRESH CHICKEN - Where are our chickens from? Are they free-run?
 
A | Our chicken ingredients come from the ALBERTA CHICKEN PRODUCERS and are made fresh from grain-fed Alberta chickens. Our fresh chicken is table grade and arrives FRESH – never frozen and without any preservatives – and is processed into ORIJEN the day it is received. Our chicken meals and fats are produced from human-grade chicken ingredients in Alberta, Canada.

http://www.championpetfoods.com/faq/