Re Smokey,
Have today emailed the Minister, Biosecurity Australia, AQIS and CSIRO Animal Health Laboratory as follows:

Good afternoon,

An aggrieved owner has given me permission to directly quote his email to you regarding the death of his cat last Thursday following being struck down by full paralysis in November 2008. This cat was particularly badly affected, being rigidly spastic and having no volitional movement whatsoever. He has now died due to organ damage complications.

Hi T,

Smokey is gone... this morning found him, not breathing... can't function properly, I knew it was coming and yet...

Went to the vet, he has found that the thyroid was enlarged (he had thyroid problems and was on medication since the orijen seems to have done something). Also, he has tried to pass urine but for some reason couldn't and the quantity of urea in the blood was elevated - leading to seizures.

Last night he seemed a little more at peace - although he was somewhere else.

Am sorry - it's bad news

Regards,

B. B.



Whilst I have received a reply from Tim Chapman,Executive Manager, Quarantine Operations Division, on behalf of the Minister the Hon. Tony Burke M.P. to my letter of 16 January, I feel bound to say it falls far short of addressing the requests for full review of legislation around gamma irradiation and amendment of labelling laws in relation to pet food.

It is simply not enough to say that the safety of pet food is outside of the control of AQIS.

The safety of other people's children is outside of my control but watch what happens to me if a parent momentarily loses concentration outside a school and their child runs into the path of my oncoming car.

You, DAFF/ AQIS, maybe legislatively out of reach but you are socially out of touch and as morally liable for killing this cat (and some 20 others) as Champion and their importer are legally liable and shame on you for avoiding this issue by sanctimoniously hiding behind the goodness of the Quarantine Act of 1908, of which it is unnecessary to remind me since my disclaimer on the cover page of my submission explained that I am fully aware of and support it.

It is the methods used and the lack of duty of care (which you still have, regardless) and due diligence when the decision was taken, by whoever it was, to irradiate pet foods at a MINIMUM of 50kGy. In the USA, 50kGy is the MAXIMUM allowable. And a 40% tolerance level above this amount is - well - intolerable. I know of no other protocol, scientific or otherwise which allows for a 40% tolerance level. If you do, then please point me to it and I will stand corrected.

Glad no anaesthetist I've ever needed worked to that protocol.





T C

and I attached photo of Smokey as well.


All I get is read reports, but the pressure has to be kept up.


TCM