Here is the information:
http://www.truthaboutpetfood.com/articles/very-bad-news-for-raw-feeders.html
Jennifer
I feel like even if this was adopted as policy (and that's institutional policy, not law), it wouldn't change the way that vets are already reluctant to give helpful information to their clients about raw feeding, at least in my experience. My current vet is neither supportive nor disapproving, but when I told them I fed raw, they just made sure to give me a schpiel on proper handling of raw meat… which I don't think would change given the terms of this policy.
Then again, why single out raw? They need to be telling me to wash my hands after handling kibble too, as recommended due to the recent Diamond pet food recalls.
And maybe the butcher should be giving me a schpiel on how to properly handle raw meat every time he hands me a packet of meat over the deli counter??
Anyway, here's the AVMA's response that attempts to clarify what they're doing:
http://atwork.avma.org/2012/07/18/the-facts-on-avmas-proposed-policy-on-raw-pet-food-diets/
If nothing else, I'm happy to see the large response from raw feeding advocates directed at the AVMA. Skimming over the comments, the feedback is overwhelmingly in favor of raw feeding. Perhaps this alerts the AVMA that they've been at odds with how pet owners feed their pets for quite some time now?
Yes it seems very fishy to me for them to single out raw when there have been so many issues with kibble and salmonella lately. When I was a kibble feeder no vet ever cautioned me about using proper sanitation techniques to prevent cross-contamination: washing my hands, dog bowls and any surfaces the kibble has come in contact with…but it seems to me that is exactly what they should be doing. If they would adopt a policy to educate about proper sanitation across the board: raw and kibble, that would be just fine with me.
While this vote would not really affect me personally as I am feeding PMR what it could affect down the road is commercially available raw pet food products like Primal etc. Such a policy by the AVMA could have a negative impact on the availability of such products, in the long run.
Edited to add I looked down at the threads on this board and the 5 threads below this one were all regarding some form of pet food recall. Maybe the kibble manufacturers in bed with the AVMA are trying to take a little action in preventing their unhappy customers from turning to raw?
every time I hear things like that about raw feeding I ask myself the same questions.. what about Prime rib? what about steak served rare?. what about carpaccio, steak tartare, sushi,. and all kinds of meat and vegetables we eat raw..and like you mention. what about everyday handling of meat by.. uh everyone?
