The Partnership for Food Protection and the FDA Introduce New Pet Food Information Network

By Mike Rozembajgier

The Partnership for Food Protection and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently announced a joint project, the Pet Event Tracking Network (PETNet), designed to keep pets safe from pet food-related illness and other pet product defects.  This coordination and cooperation is a welcome development for companies and consumers concerned about pet safety.  After the 2007 melamine pet food recall, both state and federal governments realized they needed to be better equipped to handle such situations. Many blamed problems with the widespread recall on poor planning and management.  We commend the agency for taking an objective look at its own recall management, as well as the recall effectiveness and compliance by companies in the pet products and pet food industries.

The Pet Event Tracking Network (PETNet), launched earlier this month, will allow federal and state agencies to share critical information about incidents that might have been caused by defective pet products or contaminated pet food, promoting a voluntary exchange of information, as well as a surveillance and alert system. This system will provide a real-time mechanism for alerting companies to product defects that might require a recall.

The PETNet already includes more than 200 members, representing four federal agencies, all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Members include government officials in charge of pet food regulation who can enter suspicious incidents or “events” into the system to help identify trends that could lead to product recalls. Coordination between these different agencies is key to identifying, responding to, and preventing such incidents, while also aiding tremendously in effectively issuing recall announcements, managing recall logistics and ensuring recall compliance.

Following the pet food recalls of 2007, Stephen F. Sundlof, director of the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine, suggested that a regulatory framework to prevent future incidences might be necessary. “We’re going to have look at this after the dust settles and determine if there is something from a regulatory standpoint that we could have done differently,” Sundlof said. PETNet is one initiative that will help the FDA ensure that the industry is more effectively regulated.

The weekly agribusiness newspaper, Feedstuffs, recently discussed the impact PETNet will have on the industry: “Once entered on the standardized form, the information will be immediately available to all other PETNet members. This will enable PETNet members to track the emergence of such data and to evaluate the need for action within individual jurisdictions.” By allowing all members access to key information, PETNet effectively streamlines a process that was once conducted is several separate parts, giving all parties the information they need to respond in an appropriate and timely manner.

The focus on better documentation will help the government keep the public better informed during crises. As the FDA, state and federal governments work together in the early stages of PETNet’s implementation, manufacturers and retailers should be aware of the new capabilities available for managing pet related recalls.

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