End of Raw Meaty Bone Diet for Dogs?

Originally from: mona parr
                        
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/articles/10984387?source=Evening%20Standard

EU bans giving bones to dog owners
By Nigel Rosser, Evening Standard
26 May 2004 Butchers are being threatened with fines if they give bones away to dog owners.

They are being sent letters telling them that a new European directive bans the traditional practice.

In future, Britain's 10,000 butchers will have to pay for the bones to be incinerated rather than hand them free to customers for their pets.
 
The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs today confirmed the Brussels ban.

It said the bones are now considered "waste" which must be properly disposed of.

A spokesman said: "Customers can take bones away with them when they buy the deboned meat if it is for human consumption.

"But if the bone is waste or for pet food then it's a byproduct – and cannot be passed to the public."

Aberystwyth butcher Aled Morgan, 35, one of the first to receive a warning letter, said: "I just don't see where the EU is coming from. It's just going to cost butchers at least £2,000 a year."

Local dog owner Martin Swanson, 32, said: "It seems to me to be another barmy EU directive."

Originally from: Farmtalking
                        
O dear! – Tom won't be very pleased about this – see http://www.farmtalking.com/books_4.htm

I guess the pet food manufactureres will be delighted and some vets too; as they get to do even more dental work on dogs and cats!

It seems all the natural methods of recycling dead mammals that have lasted for thousands of years and been very successful are gradually being banned and all for reasons that are completely hypothetical, as far as I understand it.

I wonder how long will it be before human burial is forbidden as well and we all have to be cremated when the end comes?

Originally from: Bill
                        
Total madness. Bones are a valuable resource, mineral stores. Look at how human health has deteriorated since the banning of MBM from manufactured food in 1996. We have a cancer epidemic, an Alzheimer's epidemic, an obesity epidemic.

We are urged to re-cycle tin cans yet we must incinerate bones, precious mineral stores that mankind has been re-cycling for thousands of years.

Bill.
                        

Originally from: Pat Gardiner
                        
Ban on burial? Over my dead body. I intend to be in one mouldering piece the better to come back and haunt Maff-Defra's State Veterinary Service.

Being thrown out of Page Street won't save them, I will rattle my bones all the way down the corridors of their new lair.

Tally Ho!

Regards
Pat Gardiner

Originally from: PoppaC
                        
Evening All

Really can't see a problem here

"A spokesman said: "Customers can take bones away with them when they buy the deboned meat if it is for human consumption."

Pets are human ain't they?

Hoo Roo

Norm
                        

Originally from: coleen
                        
Strange isn't it – how they will not ban smoking in public places. Something that is offensive and harmful to many people they will not ban. Yet they are telling us what we can and cannot eat (freedom of choice taken away) what we can and cannot feed our dogs. They want us to all loose weight and be more healthy – yet they want our dogs to eat the dried tinned rubbish so we can make the pet food manufacturers even richer. So whilst we all get super thin and fit – our dogs turn into junk eating, bad breathed creatures.

I listened to John Reid Minister for Health this morning actually say 'we are listening to the people, and we do act on what they tell us'. I was not aware it was April the 1st!

I am concerned how they keep calling being fat a disease – should we ALL be worried? We know how we treat diseases here in the UK! So are all the (over weight people) going to be shot. I will get even more worried when I hear or read that this has been given over the DEFRA.

Coleen

Originally from: Farmtalking
                        
Yes, you have a point Norm, but in the UK it has long been the pratice for many butchers to set aside some bones especially for pets, meat too.

So, customers have long been able to ask for a pound or two of pet meat and/or bones.

The amount of bones that might come in a portion of meat for personal consumption, purchased by a pensioner – such as myself! – or a single person living alone, whose numbers are increasing in the UK, would hardly provide enough bones for a medium-sized dog but I guess might might be enough for a cat!

As for 'pets are human' well we're all mammals, so I guess you have a point there too! Omnia mors aequat!

Originally from: Farmtalking
                        
I rather think they will ban smoking in public places and not before too long either! More's the pity IMO, but then I'm a smoker!

I guess their arguement for the banning of bones for pets is that in their opinion such a practice is likely to be harmful too, though harmful to what or whom is uncertain.

Of course it could also be that John Reid is right, and they do listen to the people and act on what they tell them, What we have to realize is that in a democracy we have to accept that the majority opinion will be the one that is followed and acted on.

The minority, such as ourselves, may also be listened to but our opinions are outweighed by the majority.

That isn't to say that the minority haven't got it right in many respects but their opinions and advice fall on deaf ears. Especially when they question the actions of huge manufacturing companies such as those involved in the Pet Food and allied industries.

I guess that's the price we pay for 'Globalization' and that opens yet another huge can of worms! Pardon the pun!

Jane