In 2024, pet food had 9 recalls. Six of these recalls were for raw pet food, two were for treats, one was for kibble. A total of 46,090 pounds of pet food was recalled (excluding unknown amounts of Northwest Naturals). The leading cause of recalls in 2024 was metal pieces in pet food, with 24,418 pounds recalled (one kibble recall, and one raw recall for metal pieces).
1/27/24 – Viva Raw Pet Food – raw – Salmonella.
5/20/24 – Mars Petcare Pedigree Dog Food – dry – metal pieces.
6/21/24 – TDBBS – raw tripe – metal pieces.
7/1/24 – Viva Raw Pet Food – raw – Listeria.
9/23/24 – Answers Pet Food – raw – Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes.
11/25/24 – Gaines Pet Treats LLC – treats – Salmonella.
11/25/24 – Carolina Prime Pet – treats – Salmonella.
12/2/24 – Blue Ridge Beef – raw – Salmonella.
12/24/24 – Northwest Naturals – raw – HPAI virus.
2024 started with an alarming number of sick pets and pet deaths being reported linked to pet food, the most common brand being reported was Purina. At almost a year later, the FDA has only released the sick pets reports from January 24, the agency has still not released reports from February and March (when many sick pets were still being reported).
The total number of sick pets received by the FDA in (only) January 2024 was 1,312, 1,184 of those reports was for a Purina pet food.
During January 2024 – when more than 1,100 reports of sick pets were being reported to the FDA, Purina told the public these were “false reports” and “rumors”.
In February, during the middle of many reports of sick pets linked to Purina and other brands, regulatory authorities (State Department of Agriculture representatives) from Pennsylvania and Missouri told pet owners “You don’t have a chance to prove there is a problem with the pet food” and “You have no chance of proving this is Purina’s fault.”
And seven months after this serious outbreak of sick pets linked to pet food began, the FDA released issued a statement telling pet owners they could find no cause.
In February 2024, a lawsuit was filed claiming the grain-free pet food scare was fabricated. “Using the tools of professional science and Hill’s vast veterinary influence network, the goal of the scheme was to persuade American pet-owners that grain-free diets weren’t just “fad diets” but actually dangerous for dogs.”
In March 2024, the USDA asked for public comment regarding organic pet food rules. We submitted comments alerting the USDA to several issues of concern, including their proposed rules allowing condemned animal material into organic pet foods.
In March 2024 we learned about a chicken meal plant that was fined for polluting the environment. The hypocrisy of this fine, the same material that was cited for polluting the environment is allowed into pet food with no disclosure.
In October of 2024, a long standing agreement between FDA and AAFCO ended, which left pet owners (and even the pet food industry) with questions about the future of pet food ingredients. For years the pet food/animal feed ingredient approval process was performed by AAFCO with FDA participation. In October 2024, that all changed. FDA has proposed approving new ingredients through their agency alone – but AAFCO has new plans of their own to approve new pet food/animal feed ingredients.
In January 2024, pet food formulator Steve Brown provided pet owners with an easy method to calculate the amount of protein your pet is receiving from their food. Steve provided the math equation (that we put into an easy to use calculator) that determines how much pet food to provide to meet minimum protein requirements. Steve provided pet owners with the equation for cats and dogs, based on the National Research Council’s nutritional guidelines for pets.
Cat Food Calculator here: https://truthaboutpetfood.com/cat-food-minimum-protein-calculator/
Dog Food Calculator here: https://truthaboutpetfood.com/dog-food-minimum-protein-calculator/
The PURR Act was introduced this year, a bill in Congress that does nothing to benefit pet owners even though the proposed legislation is being pitched that way. Read more about the PURR Act here and here.
A pet food concern that has been discussed for years is copper levels, currently pet food manufacturers are NOT held to a maximum level for copper in dog or cat foods. AAFCO formed a discussion group to debate the potential of setting a required or even a voluntary maximum, but when the issue finally came to a vote this year – the organization voted not to establish a maximum level for copper in pet food.
One of the scientists that was involved in AAFCO’s copper discussion group worked for Hill’s Pet Food. This same scientist adamantly argued against any copper maximum. In 2024 we learned that this Hill’s Pet Food scientist was forced to retract a paper she authored due to flawed science. We requested AAFCO take another vote on this issue. That was discussed at the August 2024 meeting, briefly – when an FDA veterinarian shut down the conversation and did not allow a new vote to be taken. Read more here and here.
In 2024, the FDA initiated this year a new website called the FDA Data Dashboard. The website allows the public to see an overview of regulatory actions taken by the agency, such as when inspections are performed.
In 2024 we caught FDA intentionally misleading the public to cause fear about raw pet food.
Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,
Susan Thixton
Pet Food Safety Advocate
Author Buyer Beware, Co-Author Dinner PAWsible
TruthaboutPetFood.com
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The 2025 List
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The 2024/25 Treat List
Susan’s List of trusted pet treat manufacturers. Click Here to learn more.