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Contaminated pet food kills 1,300 stray dogs across Taiwan
Source: Xinhua |
January 6, 2009, Tuesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
MOLDY dog food killed more than 1,300 Taiwanese stray dogs that were being looked after at shelters, Taiwan's agricultural department said yesterday.
The dog food was contaminated with aflatoxin, a chemical produced by fungus, which caused liver damage in the dogs.
On December 22, the agricultural authority received a report saying more than 300 dogs had died at two shelters in Taipei County.
Staff at the shelters said the dogs were extremely weak, jaundice, and had blood in their urine. The symptoms are typical of liver damage.
According to Taiwanese media, another 1,000 dogs, with the same symptoms, reportedly died in Yunlin, Tainan and Kaohsiung counties.
The agricultural department did not give any details on when any of the dogs died or how many others might be affected by the tainted food.
The dead dogs were fed with food produced by Ji-Tai Forage Company. The brand name was "Peter's Kind-Hearted Dog Food."
The food only went to pet shelters on the island. It was never exported or sold by retailers, the agricultural authority said.
The company, located in Yunlin, made the dog food with 1,500 tons of moldy corn that was imported from Pakistan.
The company produced 50 tons of dog food with the corn. Twenty tons went to dog shelters on the island.
The agricultural authority ordered Ji-Tai to reclaim and destroy the other 30 tons of tainted dog food last Tuesday.
Ji-Tai also produced 1,450 tons of pig food with the moldy corn. However, Yunlin county authorities found no toxic pig food in spot tests.
It is unknown whether any of the pig feed was exported off the island.
In a statement released yesterday, Ji-Tai Forage Company apologized for the contaminated dog food and said it would not shy away from its responsibilities.
The dog food was contaminated with aflatoxin, a chemical produced by fungus, which caused liver damage in the dogs.
On December 22, the agricultural authority received a report saying more than 300 dogs had died at two shelters in Taipei County.
Staff at the shelters said the dogs were extremely weak, jaundice, and had blood in their urine. The symptoms are typical of liver damage.
According to Taiwanese media, another 1,000 dogs, with the same symptoms, reportedly died in Yunlin, Tainan and Kaohsiung counties.
The agricultural department did not give any details on when any of the dogs died or how many others might be affected by the tainted food.
The dead dogs were fed with food produced by Ji-Tai Forage Company. The brand name was "Peter's Kind-Hearted Dog Food."
The food only went to pet shelters on the island. It was never exported or sold by retailers, the agricultural authority said.
The company, located in Yunlin, made the dog food with 1,500 tons of moldy corn that was imported from Pakistan.
The company produced 50 tons of dog food with the corn. Twenty tons went to dog shelters on the island.
The agricultural authority ordered Ji-Tai to reclaim and destroy the other 30 tons of tainted dog food last Tuesday.
Ji-Tai also produced 1,450 tons of pig food with the moldy corn. However, Yunlin county authorities found no toxic pig food in spot tests.
It is unknown whether any of the pig feed was exported off the island.
In a statement released yesterday, Ji-Tai Forage Company apologized for the contaminated dog food and said it would not shy away from its responsibilities.
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