<html><body>
<DIV>is anyone getting this also...let me know so maybe I can drop my name from the list...thanks Vickie</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px solid">-------------- Forwarded Message: -------------- <BR>From: ADOA ADMIN <> <BR>To: big4dogs@comcast.net <BR>Subject: ADOA NEWS <BR>Date: Thu, 3 May 2007 12:57:34 +0000 <BR><BASE href=http://www.adoa.org>
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 border=0>
<TBODY>
<TR>
<TD vAlign=top>
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=500 bgColor=#ffffff border=0>
<TBODY>
<TR>
<TD><IMG src="http://campaignwindow.com/adoa/uploads/adoa/ADOA-logo.150%20x%20150.jpg"></TD>
<TD width="100%" bgColor=#ffffff><IMG src="http://campaignwindow.com/_cache/e60af6e01f32aebbfc7a19179ba7cf80.gif"></TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD bgColor=#999999 colSpan=2 height=1><IMG height=1 src="http://campaignwindow.com/images/pixel.gif" width=1></TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD colSpan=2><IMG height=20 src="http://campaignwindow.com/images/pixel.gif" width=1></TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD colSpan=2>
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="90%" align=center border=0>
<TBODY>
<TR vAlign=top>
<TD style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 14px; COLOR: #00008b; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana,sans-serif">ADOA NEWS</TD></TR>
<TR align=left>
<TD vAlign=top><IMG height=20 src="http://campaignwindow.com/images/pixel.gif" width=1></TD></TR>
<TR align=left>
<TD style="FONT-SIZE: 13px; COLOR: #000000; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, sans-serif" vAlign=top>
<DIV align=center>
<TABLE class=MsoNormalTable style="BACKGROUND: white; WIDTH: 100%; mso-cellspacing: 0in; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0>
<TBODY>
<TR style="mso-yfti-irow: 0; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes">
<TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; PADDING-RIGHT: 0in; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; PADDING-LEFT: 0in; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" vAlign=top>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><A href="http://www.boston.com/news/globe/"></A></SPAN><?xml:namespace prefix = v /><v:shapetype id=_x0000_t75 coordsize="21600,21600" o:spt="75" o:preferrelative="t" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f"><v:stroke joinstyle="miter"></v:stroke><v:formulas><v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"></v:f></v:formulas><v:path o:extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect"></v:path><?xml:namespace prefix = o /><o:lock v:ext="edit" aspectratio="t"></o:lock></v:shapetype><v:shape id=
_x0000_s1026 style="MARGIN-TOP: -14.4pt; Z-INDEX: 1; MARGIN-LEFT: -18pt; WIDTH: 78.75pt; POSITION: absolute; HEIGHT: 15pt; mso-wrap-distance-left: 0; mso-wrap-distance-top: 0; mso-wrap-distance-right: 0; mso-wrap-distance-bottom: 0; mso-position-horizontal: absolute; mso-position-horizontal-relative: text; mso-position-vertical: absolute; mso-position-vertical-relative: line" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="The Boston Globe" href="http://www.boston.com/news/globe/" o:allowoverlap="f" o:button="t"><v:imagedata src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\Kimberly\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\clip_image001.gif" o:title="from_provider_globe"></v:imagedata><?xml:namespace prefix = w /><w:wrap type="square"></w:wrap></v:shape><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-no-proof: yes"><A href="http://www.boston.com/news/globe/"></A></SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<H1 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" align=left><SPAN style="COLOR: black"><FONT size=5>Do pit bulls need a law of their own?<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></H1>
<H2 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" align=left><SPAN style="COLOR: black"><FONT size=4>Idea of breed-specific measure stirs fierce debate<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></H2>
<P class=byline style="MARGIN: auto 0in" align=left><FONT size=2>By Raja Mishra, Globe Staff | May 3, 2007<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P align=left><FONT size=2>Lawmakers are exploring whether to push for a statewide ban on pit bulls, with some urban legislators saying <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 /><st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Massachusetts</st1:place></st1:state> needs to overhaul dog- control laws to reduce attacks by combative canines.<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P align=left><FONT size=2>The effort is the latest attempt to rein in perhaps the most controversial breed of dog, one that has become synonymous with urban dysfunction but is beloved by thousands of pet owners.<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P align=left><FONT size=2>In the past two months, pit bulls attacked <st1:city w:st="on">Lynn</st1:city> police officers and mauled a 10-year-old boy in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Taunton</st1:place></st1:city>. Numerous <st1:state w:st="on">Massachusetts</st1:state> towns have passed an array of local measures, with <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Canton</st1:place></st1:city> legislators passing tough regulations this week limiting pit bull ownership.<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P align=left><FONT size=2>Animal rights advocates and some lawmakers said they oppose banning pit bulls or any other breed, argu ing that regulations should target careless and malicious dog owners, rather than their pets.<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P align=left><FONT size=2>"It so happens that pit bulls are the breed favored by those who like to raise dangerous dogs, but they're also great family pets," said Scott Giacoppo, deputy director of advocacy for the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P align=left><FONT size=2>Lawmakers on the Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government, which will hold a hearing May 14 on potential new dog-control laws, were divided yesterday on banning pit bulls statewide. But several other proposals under consideration appear to have more support: providing guidelines for cities and towns to banish troublesome dogs; mandating license requirements for certain breeds; requiring training for owners of certain breeds; fining owners of noisy dogs; and seeking stricter leash laws.<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P align=left><FONT size=2>Word of a possible pit bull ban, which leaked earlier this week, has drawn considerable backlash from dog owners, veterinarians, and animal rights activists, who have flooded lawmakers with protests. At the heart of the issue is whether pit bulls -- several breeds of dog that include American pit bull terriers, American Staffordshire terriers, or Staffordshire bull terriers -- are inherently dangerous.<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P align=left><FONT size=2>The dogs were first bred in 17th-century <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">England</st1:place></st1:country-region> by crossing terriers and bulldogs and were often used in dog fights because of their strength. They were brought to the <st1:country-region w:st="on">United States</st1:country-region> in the 1800s by Irish immigrants coming to <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Boston</st1:place></st1:city>, then subjected to further breeding that gave rise to the American versions.<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P align=left><FONT size=2>Pit bull incidents became so frequent in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Boston</st1:place></st1:city> that in 2004 city officials passed expansive regulations requiring all pit bulls to be spayed or neutered and to be muzzled in public. Owners in the city are required to display warning signs outside their homes.<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P align=left><FONT size=2>"The number of pit bull attacks raises concerns," said Representative Vincent A. Pedone, Democrat of Worcester, who has informally discussed a ban with committee members. "These dogs are kept specifically for fighting or as weapons, and I don't think they have any place in civilized society."<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P align=left><FONT size=2>He rejected arguments that dog owners are more to blame for problem animals.<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P align=left><FONT size=2>"That's the same argument that opponents of restrictive gun laws give us: It's the person, not the gun," he said.<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P align=left><FONT size=2>"But the fact of the matter is that if you reduce the availability of a weapon, whether it's a pit bull or gun, you reduce the number of incidents."<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P align=left><FONT size=2>In 2000, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention studied 238 fatal US dog attacks over two decades and found that more than half were caused by pit bulls or Rottweilers. But the study also found that 82 percent of the attacks involved unrestrained dogs, and the authors cautioned against broad conclusions about the nature of pit bulls.<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P align=left><FONT size=2>The committee's chairman, Senator James E. Timilty, a Walpole Democrat, said he would oppose any ban, suggesting it will have a difficult time passing.<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P align=left><FONT size=2>"I'm against any kind of breed-specific legislation," he said. "I think its unfair to responsible dog owners. You start with pit bulls and are going after German shepherds next."<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P align=left><FONT size=2>No <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">US</st1:place></st1:country-region> states have banned pit bulls. Several cities and municipalities have, most notably <st1:city w:st="on">Denver</st1:city> and <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Prince George</st1:place></st1:city>'s County, Md<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P align=left><FONT size=2>Giacoppo of the MSPCA said a pit bull ban would not work, because owners who train their dogs to be aggressive would not comply with it.<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P align=left><FONT size=2>On Monday, <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Canton</st1:place></st1:city>'s Board of Selectmen passed an ordinance limiting households to one pit bull, which must be spayed or neutered and kept in an enclosed area. The move was prompted by one family's dogs that roamed the neighborhood.<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P align=left><FONT size=2>"We had the dogs picked up, we fined them, but still it kept happening," said Avril T . Elkort, a member of the Canton Board of Selectmen. "We had no other option. They were terrorizing the children."<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P align=left><FONT size=2>As with many animal-related issues, the debate has become emotional . Timilty said he grew up with a large and somewhat aggressive Hungarian sheepdog named Kiraly. "We adored the dog," he said, "so I guess I'm sensitive about the issue." <v:shape id=_x0000_i1025 style="WIDTH: 4.5pt; HEIGHT: 6pt" type="#_x0000_t75" alt=""> </v:shape></FONT></P>
<P align=left><FONT size=2><v:shape style="WIDTH: 4.5pt; HEIGHT: 6pt" type="#_x0000_t75" alt=""><STRONG><EM>The American Dog Owners Association will have representatives attending this hearing and we are urging all of our members in MA to attend as well.</EM></STRONG></v:shape></FONT></P>
<P align=left><FONT size=2><v:shape style="WIDTH: 4.5pt; HEIGHT: 6pt" type="#_x0000_t75" alt=""><v:imagedata src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\Kimberly\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\clip_image002.gif" o:href="http://cache.boston.com/bonzai-fba/File-Based_Image_Resource/dingbat_story_end_icon.gif"></v:imagedata></v:shape><o:p></o:p></FONT></P></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" align=left><SPAN class=small1><SPAN lang=EN style="FONT-SIZE: 8pt; COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></SPAN></P>
<DIV align=left>
<TABLE class=MsoNormalTable style="WIDTH: 623.6pt; mso-cellspacing: 1.5pt" cellPadding=0 width=831 border=0>
<TBODY>
<TR style="mso-yfti-irow: 0; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes">
<TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; WIDTH: 64.65pt; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" width=86>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Book Antiqua'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P></TD>
<TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; WIDTH: 554.45pt; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" width=739 colSpan=2>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Book Antiqua'"><BR style="mso-special-character: line-break"><BR style="mso-special-character: line-break"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P><!-- news -->
<H1 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=5>New Theory on Dog and Cat Poisonings<SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; COLOR: black"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></H1>
<H3 style="MARGIN: 12pt 0in 3pt">Food Safety Agencies "Asleep," Says Congresswoman<o:p></o:p></H3></TD></TR>
<TR style="mso-yfti-irow: 1; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes">
<TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; BACKGROUND: white; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; WIDTH: 64.65pt; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8" vAlign=top width=86>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Book Antiqua'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P></TD>
<TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; WIDTH: 499.5pt; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" vAlign=top width=666><!-- author -->
<P class=small style="MARGIN: auto 0in"><STRONG><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT size=2>By Lisa Wade McCormick</FONT></SPAN></STRONG><STRONG><BR><STRONG><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT size=2>ConsumerAffairs.Com</FONT></SPAN></STRONG></STRONG><o:p></o:p></P><!-- author --><!-- date -->
<P><FONT size=2><EM><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">May 3, 2007</SPAN></EM><!-- date --> <!-- body -->There’s a new theory that might explain why thousands of dogs and cats that have eaten pet food -- made with contaminated ingredients imported from <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region> -- have become sick or died. <o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>Tests conducted at the <st1:placetype w:st="on">University</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename w:st="on">Guelph</st1:placename>’s Animal Health Laboratory in <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Ontario</st1:place></st1:state> revealed that two chemicals found in the tainted pet foods -- melamine and cyanuric acid -- can react to form crystals that block kidney function. <o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>"This is a piece of the puzzle, a significant finding," John Melichercik, director of analytical services for <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Guelph</st1:place></st1:city>'s laboratory services, told <EM><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">The Toronto Star</SPAN></EM>. "We have found these crystals in cats that have suffered renal failure."<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>Analysis of those crystals revealed their chemical make-up is approximately 70 percent cyanuric acid and 30 percent melamine. The crystals are also insoluble — or can’t be dissolved in liquid. <o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>Researchers were also able to replicate these crystals when they mixed melamine and cyanuric acid in samples of cat urine.<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>“This is still just a theory, but it’s a pretty compelling one,” Tom McPheron, spokesman for the </FONT><A href="http://www.avma.org/"><FONT color=#000066 size=2>American Veterinary Medical Association</FONT></A><FONT size=2> (AMVA), told ConsumerAffairs.com. His organization participated in discussions with scientists about these findings. “These crystals are very unique. They’re something that scientist haven’t seen before, except perhaps once in a cat from <st1:place w:st="on">Asia</st1:place>.<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>“They’re now talking about trying to replicate the crystals in the urine of dogs. The original tests were done on the urine of cats.” <o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>McPherson said scientists suspect two other melamine-related substances -- ammelide and ammeline -- may also play a role in the animals’ illnesses. Those chemicals are now under investigation.<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has confirmed the presence of melamine and cyanuric acid in the imported wheat gluten and rice protein used to make the contaminated pet foods. <o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>Melamine is a chemical used to make plastic. Cyanuric acid is used to chlorinate pools. <o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>Neither is approved for use in pet foods.<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>The presences of these chemicals triggered one of the largest pet food recalls in history — 18 companies have recalled more than 5,300 pet food products in the past six weeks.<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<H3 style="MARGIN: 12pt 0in 3pt"><o:p> </o:p></H3>
<H3 style="MARGIN: 12pt 0in 3pt">Case Solved?<o:p></o:p></H3>
<P><FONT size=2>Does this latest study finally solve the mystery surrounding the deaths and illnesses of pets who eaten the tainted food?<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>Not at all, says Daniel Rice, director of the </FONT><A href="http://www.agmkt.state.ny.us/"><FONT color=#000066 size=2>New York State Food Laboratory</FONT></A><FONT size=2>.<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>“I don’t think we’ve found the solution,” Rice told ConsumerAffairs.com today. “No one has shown a cause and effect. We’ve found some things in the urine; we’ve found some things in the feed. Right now, it’s just a hypothesis.<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>“I think people are fairly open-minded about the possibility that there might be something else at play.”<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>In March, Rice’s New York Laboratory and <st1:placename w:st="on">Cornell</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">University</st1:placetype>’s <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on">College</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename w:st="on">Veterinary Medicine</st1:placename></st1:place> identified another toxin in samples of the recalled pet food: aminopterin. <o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>At the time, scientists thought this toxin might be the culprit behind the kidney failure and deaths in pets that ate the recalled foods. <o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>Aminopterin is used as rat poison in some countries and as a cancer drug in the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">United States</st1:place></st1:country-region>. <o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>The FDA and other laboratories, however, downplayed that finding and focused their attention on melamine.<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>“We still stand by our results,” Rice says of the discovery of aminopterin in the recalled food. “And we’re still testing for that and other toxins. It’s possible that what we found was relatively rare...one early piece of the puzzle.”<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>He adds: “We found aminopterin in two pet food samples, but we haven’t found it in any other samples.”<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>Focusing the investigation on melamine makes scientific sense, Rice says.<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>“It’s the one common feature. It appears that melamine and other-related compounds have been there (in the recalled products) and that’s why scientists are focusing on that angle. Cyanuric acid has been found in the food; melamine has been found in the food.”<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>Rice predicts scientists will continue to find melamine in other foods.<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>“I’m sure there will be other instances of finding melamine where it shouldn’t be. We’ve definitely identified a problem.”<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>Will scientists ever solve this current pet food mystery, though?<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>“I hope that we’ll get an answer,” Rice says. “But I don’t see anything on the imminent horizon.<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>“There are a lot of excellent people all over the country who are working on the problem and they’re very interested and passionate about figuring it out. People aren’t going to just let this drop — at least not in the scientific community. We’re not considering it a dead issue.”<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<H3 style="MARGIN: 12pt 0in 3pt">3 Million Chickens<o:p></o:p></H3>
<P><FONT size=2>In related news, the FDA estimates that three million chickens and 500 hogs consumed feed made from tainted pet food scraps.<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>And a small percentage of those animals entered the human food chain.<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>The FDA, however, said the risk of illness to humans from eating these animals is minimal. <o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>Why?<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>Federal authorities say the percentage of melamine in the feed is extremely low and only a small percentage of tainted pet food was used in poultry and hog feed.<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>To protect humans from these increasing problems with contaminated food, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) introduced legislation on Tuesday to revise and upgrade the nation's food safety system. <o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>The FDA -- one of the federal agencies charged with safeguarding the U.S. food supply -- has come under fire in the wake of nationwide recalls and quarantines of tainted pork, spinach, peanut butter, and pet food. <o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>"The product recalls that we have seen in the past few weeks - first with pet food and then with food intended for human consumption - have shown us that food-borne illness is a dangerous and real threat in this country," Durbin said in a statement issued by his office.<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>"There are gaps in the inspection, monitoring, notification and enforcement elements of our food system and we must act now to address them. We simply cannot afford to let consumers continue to be the guinea pigs in our food safety system." <o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<H3 style="MARGIN: 12pt 0in 3pt">Food Safety Agencies Asleep<o:p></o:p></H3>
<P><FONT size=2>Representative DeLauro added: "After the countless recalls, alerts, and advisories from the past year, along with the latest Centers for Disease Control (CDC) numbers showing increases in various food-borne illnesses, the evidence is clear our food safety system is collapsing and one of the main agencies charged with protecting it, is asleep.<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>"This needs to change immediately - it is time to transform the FDA from the toothless agency it has become to one that takes the proactive steps necessary to protect our food supply and the public health."<o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>The CDC estimates as many as 76 million people suffer from food poisoning each year, Durbin and DeLauro said. Of that number, approximately 325,000 will be hospitalized and more than 5,000 will die. <o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>Under Durbin and DeLauro’s proposed legislation, the FDA would have authority to: <BR><BR>• <STRONG><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Issue mandatory recalls</SPAN></STRONG> of contaminated or dangerous food. The FDA currently does not have this power. It must rely on the industry to voluntarily pull products from store shelves; <BR><BR>• <STRONG><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Establish an early warning and notification system</SPAN></STRONG> for human food — and pet food products. The legislation directs the FDA to work with professional organizations, veterinarians, and others to share information about pet food contamination. In cases of both pet and human food contamination, the FDA would be required to keep up-to-date recall lists on its Web site; <BR><BR>• <STRONG><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Establish uniform federal standards</SPAN></STRONG> and better labeling of pet food. The practices that govern the pet food industry today are implemented on a volun
tary basis by manufacturers and state departments of agriculture. There is no requirement for states to adopt these practices and they don't have the force of federal guidelines. Inspections are not coordinated state-to-state and some states have different standards than others; <BR><BR>• <STRONG><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Improve the FDA's ability to regulate imported food products.</SPAN></STRONG> The sources of the recent human and pet food contamination were wheat gluten and rice protein concentrate from <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>. Neither shipment was inspected by FDA; in fact, the FDA inspects less than 1.5% of imports. The FDA does not currently certify that trading partners have food safety standards equivalent to those of the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">United States</st1:place></st1:country-region>. Under the bill, foreign food safety systems and plants would be inspected by the FD
A prior to certification and the United States could revoke certifications and deny importation of food that presented a public health risk; <BR><BR>• Require companies to maintain records and make them accessible to the FDA. This would prevent delays that could keep contaminations from being traced as quickly as possible. In the recent peanut butter recall, an FDA report showed that inspectors were denied documents when they requested them. <o:p></o:p></FONT></P>
<P><o:p><FONT size=2> </FONT></o:p></P></TD>
<TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"><!-- body --><!--news-->
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: right" align=left><SPAN lang=EN style="FONT-SIZE: 7.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN"><v:shape id=_x0000_i1026 style="WIDTH: 7.5pt; HEIGHT: 7.5pt" type="#_x0000_t75" alt=""><v:imagedata src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\Kimberly\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\clip_image003.gif" o:href="http://static.viacomlocalnetworks.com/img/icon_plus_on.gif"></v:imagedata></v:shape><STRONG><A href="javascript:void(0)"></A><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3> | </FONT></STRONG><v:shape id=_x0000_i1027 style="WIDTH: 7.5pt; HEIGHT: 7.5pt" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="Email this Article"><v:imagedata src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\Kimberly\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\clip_image004.gif" o:href="http://static.viacomlocalnetworks.com/img/story_email_icon.gif"></v:imagedata></v:shape><A title="Email this Article" href="mailto:?subject=Recent%20Attacks%20Prompt%20Calls%20For%20New%20Pitbull%20Laws&body=http://wjz.com/pets/local_story_122164332.html"><FONT face="Ti
mes New Roman" color=#000066 size=3>E-mail</FONT></A><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"> | <v:shape id=_x0000_i1028 style="WIDTH: 7.5pt; HEIGHT: 7.5pt" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="Print this Article"><v:imagedata src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\Kimberly\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\clip_image005.gif" o:href="http://static.viacomlocalnetworks.com/img/story_print_icon.gif"></v:imagedata></v:shape></FONT></FONT><A title="Print this Article" href="javascript:print()"><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#000066 size=3>Print</FONT></A><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#000066 size=3>Save</FONT></P>
<P class=storynote1 style="MARGIN: auto 0in 12pt" align=left><SPAN lang=EN style="FONT-SIZE: 8.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN"><v:shape id=_x0000_i1029 style="WIDTH: 7.5pt; HEIGHT: 7.5pt" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="clock"><v:imagedata src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\Kimberly\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\clip_image006.gif" o:href="http://static.viacomlocalnetworks.com/img/clock2.gif"></v:imagedata></v:shape><FONT color=#666666><FONT face="Times New Roman">May 2, 2007 4:34 pm US/Eastern<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 2.4pt; mso-outline-level: 2; mso-line-height-alt: 12.0pt" align=left><STRONG><SPAN lang=EN style="FONT-SIZE: 21pt; LETTER-SPACING: -0.6pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">Recent Attacks Prompt Calls For New Pitbull Laws<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></STRONG></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" align=left><SPAN lang=EN style="FONT-SIZE: 7.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN"><FONT face="Times New Roman"><v:shape id=_x0000_i1030 style="WIDTH: 56.25pt; HEIGHT: 42pt" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="Image"><v:imagedata src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\Kimberly\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\clip_image007.jpg" o:href="http://llnw.img.viacomlocalnetworks.com/images_sizedimage_082143741/sm"></v:imagedata></v:shape><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 12pt 63.75pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 14.4pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto" align=left><SPAN lang=EN style="FONT-SIZE: 8.5pt; COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN"><A href="http://wjz.com/bios/local_bio_119112557.html"><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#000066>Derek Valcourt</FONT></A><BR><FONT face="Times New Roman">Reporting<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 22.8pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto" align=left><EM><SPAN lang=EN style="COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>(WJZ)</FONT></SPAN></EM><SPAN lang=EN style="COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"> <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><EM>TOWSON</EM></st1:city><EM>, <st1:state w:st="on">Md.</st1:state></EM></st1:place> A string of recent dog attacks in the <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Towson</st1:place></st1:city> area, has residents and at least one lawmaker calling for change.<BR><BR>As <STRONG>Derek Valcourt</STRONG> reports the latest attacks happened to two young children at the jaws of one ferocious pit bull.<BR><BR>Nine-year-old Scottie Mason was attacked in an alley near his home last Saturday.<BR><BR>The dog responsible for the attack also recently injured 10-year-old Dominic Solesky, leaving him recovering at an area hospital.
<BR><BR>"No child should have to endure that and the sight that I have seen I just hope I never have to see again," said Irene Solesky. "The memories are forever etched in my mind," she added.<BR><BR>Baltimore County Councilman Vince Gardina said current laws are not strong enough and that changes should be made to prevent rather than just react to a dog bite.<BR><BR>"When a child is attacked in such a vicious manner I think we have a responsibility to do whatever we can to prohibit that from happening again," said Gardina.<BR><BR>Anthony Solesky said his son was so severely hurt that it has been a highlight of his recovery that he can say "hi" and actually speack to loved ones. <BR><BR>Gardina has joined calls for tougher rules specifically aimed at pitbulls. One of his proposals would be to have a pitbull registry created similar to registries for sex offenders.<BR><BR>"If a sex offender, [is] in the neighborhood, you know he's there. If a person has a pitbull, the neighbors shou
ld know it," said Gardina.<BR><BR>Each year about 1,000 dog bites get recorded by county health officials.<BR><BR>Despite the repeated and recurring attacks, officials said a ban on pitbulls altogether would not be likely.<BR><BR>"There's no way to sort of justify a specific breed ban becuase I think that that ends up creating a lot of stereotyping around a particular type of dog that may not be warranted," said Dr. Pierre Vigilance.<BR><BR>The recent attacks on the boys in the <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Towson</st1:place></st1:city> area came just about a week after a family's small dog was killed by two neighborhood pitbulls.<BR><BR>One of the dogs was euthanized and the other was put in the custody of animal control.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=storynote1 style="MARGIN: auto 0in 12pt" align=left><SPAN lang=EN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN"><FONT color=#666666><FONT face="Times New Roman">(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P><!-- STORY END --></TD></TR>
<TR align=left>
<TD vAlign=top><IMG height=20 src="http://campaignwindow.com/images/pixel.gif" width=1></TD></TR>
<TR align=left>
<TD vAlign=top><IMG height=20 src="http://campaignwindow.com/images/pixel.gif" width=1></TD></TR>
<TR align=left>
<TD style="FONT-SIZE: 11px; COLOR: #000000; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, sans-serif" vAlign=top>To be removed from our mailing list, <A href="http://www.adoa.org/contact/index.cfm?fuseaction=remove&id=197544">click here</A></TD></TR>
<TR align=left>
<TD vAlign=top><IMG height=20 src="http://campaignwindow.com/images/pixel.gif" width=1></TD></TR>
<TR align=left>
<TD style="FONT-SIZE: 11px; COLOR: #000000; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, sans-serif" vAlign=top>
<HR color=#666666 noShade SIZE=2>
This e-mail was generated automatically by ADOA<BR></FONT>
<HR color=#666666 noShade SIZE=2>
</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD align=middle><A href="http://campaignwindow.com/"><IMG src="http://www.trgexpress.com/images/poweredby_campaign.gif" border=0></A></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD>
<TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" vAlign=top width=120> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></BLOCKQUOTE></body></html>