Our store is open every Saturday from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
2626 Shepherds Mill Road, Berryville, VA 22611
540-955-9690
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In 2007 hundreds of pets were sickened and killed by melamine that was illegally added to pet food ingredients imported from China. Melamine is a chemical used in plastic manufacturing and is not naturally occurring in food. It is added to artificially increase the protein analysis. If you thought this was an isolated incident you would be wrong. According to the FDA Import Refusal Records, melamine is being found in our food and in pet products every month. Check out our Contaminated Food From China page for a listing of the consumable products refused entry into the United States due to a range of violations from unsafe additives, filthy, unapproved vet drugs, and unsafe coloring (in children’s lollipops!).
For your safety and the safety of your pets, check the country of origin before you buy. You cannot trust the front label and assume it is made in America. When I looked at the back of a can of Chicken of the Sea Mackerel I found “product of China” and Kraft biscuits appeared on the refusal list for melamine in June of 2012.
Many years ago I applied monthly pesticide treatments on my dogs and cats as recommended by my veterinarian. At the time I thought it was my responsibility as a caring pet owner. I did not think to question why I was told to put on disposable gloves to avoid possible contact with my skin while the solution was being placed directly onto my pets’ skin.
Then one day my golden retriever collapsed to the ground within minutes of the treatment. I carried her to the car and rushed to the emergency vet. She was given intravenous fluids and recovered enough to come home by the end of the day. There was never a diagnosis of the malady that caused her collapse but circumstantial evidence pointed to the topical flea and tick solution. Circumstantial evidence was enough for me to discontinue topical pesticides from that day forward.
The ingredient in the topical treatment I was using on my pets is Fipronil. The World Health Organization has classified Fipronil as a moderately hazardous pesticide. I printed the Material Safety Data Sheet for Frontline Plus For Dogs from the Merial website and found the following:
- “Mixture: consisting of the following components: Firponil Technical, (S)-Methoprene, ethanol”
- “Harmful if in contact with skin”
- “Harmful by inhalation”
- “Harmful if swallowed”
- “Toxic to aquatic organisms”
- “Toxic to bees”
When I was writing a column for our local newspaper I wrote about natural alternatives to Fipronil. After it was published I received a phone call from the legal department of the company promoting Fipronil. They took exception to my suggestions about the potential hazards of their product and demanded a retraction. To my surprise, an unpaid, free-lance writer for a small town newspaper appeared on their radar. The newspaper conceded to print a statement that the product is safe when used according to package directions.
Because I do not have a legal defense fund I will not suggest to you that putting a pesticide on your pet’s skin each month is unhealthy. You can read the Material Safety Data Sheet and form your own conclusions. You can find information about the dangers of pesticides here.
I have found diatomaceous earth and essential oils to be effective in controlling parasites.
Diatomaceous Earth can be added to food to destroy internal parasites and can be rubbed into the coat to kill fleas and ticks. It is also effective in barns as an insecticide and deodorizer. There is a food grade and a commercial grade of D.E. Only food-grade should be used with your pets. The commercial grade is chemically treated for use in swimming pool filters.
An effective bug repellent that is safe for dogs and people can be made with essential oils and olive oil. You will need citronella, rosemary, geranium, and eucalyptus essential oils. Combine two tablespoons of each essential oil with ½ cup of olive oil in a dark glass bottle. Rub a few drops in the palm of your hands and massage it onto your dog’s skin and fur, with particular attention to the belly area, legs, and feet. This formula is approved by the EPA as an insect repellent. I would not recommend using essential oils on cats or small dogs, as they can be sensitive to the strong aroma.
Increased Scrutiny of Flea and Tick Control Products for Pets
The following is an excerpt from the EPA web site:
“The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is intensifying its evaluation of spot-on pesticide products for flea and tick control due to recent increases in the number of reported adverse reactions in pets treated with these products. Adverse reactions reported range from mild effects such as skin irritation to more serious effects such as seizures and, in some cases, death of the pet.
Flea and tick products can be appropriate treatments for protecting your pets and your family’s health because fleas and ticks can transmit disease. While many people use the products with no harm to their pets, EPA recommends that pet owners take precautions when using these products. People should carefully follow label directions and monitor their pets for any signs of an adverse reaction after application, particularly when using these products for the first time. Also, before use of these products on weak, aged, medicated, sick, pregnant or nursing pets, or on pets that have previously shown signs of sensitivity to pesticide products, EPA recommends that a veterinarian be consulted. Additional safety tips are available for taking care of fleas and ticks on your pet.
Pets may experience adverse reactions from flea and tick control products, including spot-on treatments, sprays, collars and shampoos. However, the majority of reports to EPA are related to flea and tick treatments with EPA-registered spot-on products. Spot-on products are generally sold in tubes or vials and are applied to one or more localized areas on the body of the pet, such as in between the shoulders or in a stripe along the back. ”
Flea Collar Law Suit
The following article appeared in the June 2009 Pet Age magazine:
“The Natural Resources Defense Council on April 23 filed a lawsuit in California against major pet retailers and manufacturers for illegally selling pet products containing a known cancer-causing chemical called propoxur without proper warning labels.
In a new scientific analysis, the nonprofit NRDC found high levels of propoxur and tetrachlorvinphos, another carcinogenic neurotoxin common in household pet products, on pet fur after the use of ordinary flea collars”
On their web site, NRDC states that children are particularly at risk from pesticides designed to kill fleas and ticks on household pets “because their neurological and metabolic systems are still developing. They are also more likely than adults to put their hands in their mouths after petting an animal, and so are more likely to ingest the hazardous residue.”
If you purchase a puppy from a pet store there is a good chance the little fellow came from a puppy mill. If he is a small breed his mother may have lived in a stacked cage, with other unfortunate souls below and above her, and only a wire floor to lay on as she whelped her pups. Her sole purpose is reproduction so she is bred every time she comes in to season – as often as twice a year beginning at 6 months of age. When his mother is no longer profitable she may be killed or sent to an auction.
Then there is the trip from the puppy mill to the broker or pet shop. Perhaps as early as 6 weeks of age your puppy was transported by a tractor trailer containing stacks of wire cages. There is no climate control so, depending on the time of year, he must endure extreme heat or extreme cold. Due to the stress of transportation, some puppies die along the way. This is considered the cost of doing business. At puppy mills, dogs are a commodity.
A few years ago I temporarily housed a group of young male golden retrievers who were rescued from a puppy mill auction. Their mothers were bred to produce Christmas puppies. These were leftovers that did not sell and had grown up past their ball of fluff stage. They were 4-5 months old and no longer had that impulse-buy cuteness needed for a pet store. I suspect there were only males auctioned off because the females could be kept for breeding.
When the van arrived I was struck by the terrified eyes looking at me from the back of the crates. Each dog was wearing an auction tag on a piece of wire around his neck. They had no names, only numbers. When the dogs were lifted out of the crates and placed in the dog yard they were motionless. They stood still with vacant eyes as if everything was just too much to handle. Within a few minutes they all ran to the furthest corner and cowered together in a tight group. I knew I was looking at young golden retrievers but they acted like wild animals who had never had human contact.
Over the next few days I showed them their toys, brought them treats and talked to them. I would sit on the ground at least 10 feet away with my eyes averted and talk softly to acclimate them to a human presence. But my slightest movements created panic in the group. They had no interest in the toys and would eat their meals only after I left the area. It was heartbreaking to witness.
Thanks to the hard work and dedication of many volunteers, each of these goldens moved into a foster home and was eventually adopted out to a loving family. For this group there was a happy ending. But what about all of the others? Please, when you see that cute puppy in the pet shop, think about what his mother is enduring as she continues to produce more inventory until the day she dies.
For information on the horror of puppy mills and what you can do to help, visit Prisoners of Greed.
January First is always a time for reflection. In 2012 I experienced many blessings and some heartbreaks. Both of my children married wonderful people- a wonderful blessing for us all. The great friends I have made through my store continue to support me and add so much to my life. I said goodbye to some good friends – Sassy my sweet pony who left this earth with her head on my lap, Sara my devoted golden who went to the Rainbow Bridge so suddenly, and Buffy the mother to my sweet Ginger who was always calm and steadfast – even at the end. I closed my store on Main Street in Berryville and moved everything to my home to create a part time shop on Saturdays. Not quite what I imagined when I opened the store 6 years ago but I have now met a wonderful group of people at my new job at Jakobsen and Bowe, for which I am so thankful. My little goat friends, Lily and Nutmeg joined my Peaceable Kingdom in the fall and have brought so much joy and laughter.
And today I received a special gift. An update from the “parents” of my former foster dog Abby that is so uplifting. Abby arrived at my home as a very frightened young Golden-Doodle a few years ago. She seemed to want affection but was so afraid. Her first few days were spent hugging the walls and hiding behind furniture. She did eventually come out to join my goldens and seemed more relaxed in the group – Sweet Sara, Buffy, Ginger and Murphy all helped her adjust. But her terror from whatever she experienced in the past just would not let her completely trust her new human friend.
In all my years of fostering for Golden Retriever Rescue Education and Training (www.GRREAT.org) there have been only three who I thought I should bring into my family. Most of the goldens were so typical of the breed – “I’m happy, what’s next!” and I knew they would be fine with their new families. But there have been three that seemed so damaged by human beings in their past that they touched my soul. Abby was one of those. But before I completed the paperwork to adopt Abby two angels came forward who wanted her to join their family. (I did adopt the other two.) And today I received this wonderful email they have agree I can share:
Wanted to send you an update on Abby! She is a big love bug! Funny thing is that she never became really comfortable with her surroundings until this year when she had a big medical setback! Three years ago she had come down with Glaucoma in one eye and after much specialty treatment she lost her right eye but there was no difference in her. And then this year without warning she walked into a wall head on and could not see much at all out of her good left eye! Off to the specialist to find she had the same thing in the one good eye…Treatment did not work and she lost the second eye! The first 4 days after surgery we didn’t know if we did the right thing as she never left her bed!!! On the 5th day she came out of her shell and has been more active without eyes than she was with eyes! She can’t see her fear anymore! She has no fear at all anymore and if you didn’t know you would never know she had no eyes! Her eye specialist asked us if we were going to euthanize her and if so would we let her adopt her! No deal, she is our girl and would be coming home with us leaving the eyes behind! Other than the eyes she is great and runs the house!
Foster Girl Abby with my Ginger
Foster Girl Abby getting her bath at my house
Abby Today – One Special and Lucky Girl!
Today Lily and Nutmeg spent the day in the backyard. Although they had the entire area to graze and play, they preferred staying on the back porch with the goldens.
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| Lily used the chairs to get closer to the goldens |
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| Sara enjoyed the company |
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| Can we come in and play?
Earlier this week I took some house plants outside to freshen them up. Hindsight is 20-20. Houseplants and goats together on the porch are not a good combination.
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| Nutmeg!
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| This was a lush tropical plant yesterday
When Gustof joined the fun the goats decided to go back into the yard. Gustof doesn’t seem to know if he should guard his little herd or play with them. Today Nutmeg tried to play with him like he was a goat. And Gustof returned the favor by trying to share a stick with Nutmeg.
Don’t worry Lily, I’ve got your back
What do you find so good about this stuff?
Do you want to play Nutmeg?
This is how goats play, watch your head!
I have a better idea, let’s play with this stick instead
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Do you remember the massive pet food recall in 2007 because of melamine that killed and sickened thousands of pets? Do you remember the melamine in baby formula in 2008 that sickened thousands of babies in China and caused irreparable harm to their kidneys? Do you think that after such horrendous incidents there are enough safety precautions in place that we no longer have to be concerned about melamine in the food supply? If so, you would be wrong.
Melamine is not a food substance. It is a chemical used in plastic manufacturing that has been intentionally added to products in China to artificially boost the protein analysis. If it doesn’t kill you, it will seriously injure your kidneys.
I have been tracking the FDA import refusals from China since February of this year. The number of refusals is staggering and the reasons are disturbing. Food has been refused because it is filthy, decomposed, poisonous, organics containing pesticides, and fish testing positive for unapproved vet drugs. For this post I’ll tell you just about the melamine.
Here are the foods that were refused entry into the United Sates in the last six months because of melamine contamination. Keep in mind the FDA inspects only about 2% of the imports. So I believe it is safe to assume that some melamine contaminated food is on store shelves as I write this.
2/21/12 Manggong Biscuite – Melamine; Poisonous
2/9/12 Isolated Soybean Protein – Melamine; Poisonous
2/9/12 Dog Food – Melamine; Poisonous
3/27/12 Chocolate – Melamine
3/26/12 Guinea Pig Treat – Filthy; Melamine; Poisonous
3/26/12 Rabbit Carrot Treat – Filthy; Melamine; Poisonous
3/26/12 Quiche Lorrain Small Animal Treat – Filthy; Melamine; Poisonous
3/13/12 Chicken Tenders – Melamine; Poisonous
3/13/12 Bull Pizzles – Melamine; Poisonous
3/1/12 Shortbread Butter Cookies – Melamine; Poisonous
3/1/12 Sesame Cookie Rolls – Melamine; Poisonous
4/23/12 Isolated Soy Protein – Melamine
4/13/12 Pet Chews – Filthy; Melamine – Poisonous
4/2/12 Ice Cream – Melamine; Poisonous; Unfit4Food
4/2/12 Hawthorne Cake – Melamine; Poisonous; Unfit4Food
5/15/12 Breadcrumbs – Melamine, Poisonous
6/27/12 Organic Soybean Cake Meal – Melamine, Poisonous
6/22/12 Dried Baking Powder – Melamine, Adulteration
6/20/12 Antistaling Agent (Used in food production) – Melamine,
6/13/12 Biscuit, Kraft Foods – Melamine
6/13/12 Biscuit, Nabisco – Melamine
7/20/12 Hot Chocolate – Melamine, Poisonous, Adulteration
7/19/12 Chocolate – Melamine, Poisonous, Adulteration
7/18/12 Cracker – Melamine, Poisonous, Adulteration
7/12/12 Sugar Free Soybean Drink Powder – Melamine, Poisonous, Adulteration
7/12/12 Vegetable Biscuit – Melamine, Poisonous, Adulteration
7/12/12 Wheat Cracker – Melamine, Poisonous, Adulteration
7/10/12 Pea Protein Pg Feed Grade – Melamine, Poisonous, Adulteration
7/6/12 Fried Round Gluten – Melamine, Poisonous, Adulterated
7/5/12 Coconut Milk Flavor Crispy – Melamine, Poisonous, Adulteration
And if you think you can avoid products from China by reading the labels, it’s not that easy. If a products is made in the United States with materials from China you will not see any indication of it on the label.
Gives a whole new perspective on Buy Fresh Buy Local doesn’t it?
To say the newest additions to the farm are busy would be an understatement. Each day we spend time walking through the field together and today I decided to bring a camera with me to capture some of their antics. It didn’t take long. For the first time they discovered the ramp into the chicken house and scampered in with me hot on their trail. Lily discovered she really doesn’t like chicken feed while Nutmeg was jumping on me with his usual exuberance.
Once we got back out in the field the twins began their grazing so I decided to get some pictures when they were not so naughty. Holly had different ideas. She decided it was her turn for attention and each time I lined up a shot she stepped in.
Excuse me Holly, step back just a little please.
OK, now I think you are doing this on purpose.
After our walk I decided to sit in the lawn chair and enjoy the evening while the animals grazed. Lily had other ideas.??
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| Hey, Nutmeg, watch this!
I took Mom’s chair!
No Holly. There are just some things the goats are allowed to do that you can’t. Sorry girl.
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Midas Touch Naturally Healthy Pets is home! My home that is. And we are open for business.
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2626 Shepherds Mill Road
Berryville, Virginia 22611
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| We are open Tuesday through Saturday 10:00 – 6:00 |
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| Tito enjoys napping on the checkout counter |
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When I moved Midas Touch Naturally Healthy Pets to my home this week I had to make new accommodations for our store cat Midas. He is FIV positive and has been living as the only cat in the original store since showing up as a stray a couple years ago. I cannot bring him inside to mingle with my house cats because of the risk of spreading the disease so I thought he could enjoy life as a barn cat.
On Sunday evening I brought him home and set him up with a comfortable bed, food, water and toys in the barn. The next morning I came bearing gifts of treats and new toys only to find that he was missing. Frantically I searched the barn and the pasture to no avail. I had to finally admit the search was fruitless so I returned to the house. Guess who was sitting on the front porch patiently waiting for his breakfast?
So I am happy to report that Midas will continue to be the official greeter for Midas Touch Naturally Healthy Pets. He has chosen the front porch as his new home so we will fix that up as Midas’ palace. Apparently he won’t have it any other way.
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| You expect me to live with farm animals? I don’t think so. |
There are class action law suits being filed by pet owners whose dogs have been harmed by chicken jerky treats made in China. Now there is a possible link between other China imported pet treats and illness.
Check out this article
Before you buy any pet treats look for the country where they are made. You may be surprised by how many are from China.
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