For years now, I have been warning people about problems with jerky treats. Chicken, sweet potato and duck jerky treats have sickened over 5,600 dogs and 24 cats. Over 1,000 dog deaths have been linked to these jerky treats. Now, 3 humans have been sickened as well. Since most of the toxic jerky treats came from China, many people are under the impression that jerky made in the United States is safe. Unfortunately, this is not the case.
Products marked, “Made in the USA,” mean the product was assembled within our borders. It does not necessarily mean all of the ingredients came from the United States. Companies create grocery lists for their products then shop them around to see who has the lowest price. They could buy chicken from China, manufacture the jerky in the U.S. and still label it, “Made in the USA.”
The Federal Drug Administration and Centers For Disease Control are working to identify the cause of the toxic jerky. Until the cause is identified and removed, I do not recommend feeding any jerky to your pet. Why take the chance when there are so many other treats available?
Source:
– Aleccia, Jonel. “Pet Treat Mystery: More Dogs Dead, 3 People Sick, FDA Says“, NBCNews, May 19, 2014, http://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/pet-treat-mystery-more-dogs-dead-3-people-sick-fda-n107286.