Did the FDA allow Evangers Pet Food to continue to manufacture and ship pet food simply because of the investigation into the company allegedly stealing gas & electric? Just speculation, you consider the evidence and decide.
In April 2008, the FDA ordered Evangers Pet Food Company to obtain an Emergency Operating Permit. An FDA inspection “revealed significant deviations from prescribed documentation of processes, equipment, and recordkeeping in the production of the company’s thermally processed low acid canned food (LACF) products.” According to the FDA release, the problems discovered by inspectors could result in under-processed pet foods which can allow the growth of botulism. http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/2008/ucm116886.htm
On June 12, 2009 the FDA suspended Evangers temporary Emergency Operating Permit. “During inspections conducted between March 2009 and April 2009, FDA determined Evanger’s was not operating in compliance with the mandatory requirements and conditions of the Temporary Emergency Permit.” http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/NewsEvents/CVMUpdates/ucm166265.htm
Within a few days after the FDA suspended Evangers Operating Permit, with no announcement by the FDA as to why, Evangers was back in business. There was no announcement of the resolve to this issue. I have written the FDA numerous times and left numerous voice mail messages with the FDA asking for information on how the Evangers ‘issue’ was resolved; none of my emails or voice mail messages were ever answered.
It seemed very suspicious to me at the time. Today, in light of what Evangers is now accused of, it seems suspicious again, but in a different way.
I cannot help but wonder…did Illinois investigators pressure the FDA into allowing Evangers to continue operations? Without the Evangers plant in full operation, the investigation of the company allegedly stealing $2 M worth of gas and electric would have stalled or maybe even stopped. Was an investigation of the company stealing gas and electric put at more importance than the company producing safe pet foods?
A very suspicious timeline…
April 2008
FDA orders Evangers to obtain Temporary Emergency Operating Permit
June 2008
Evangers was issued Temporary Operation Permit from FDA
December 2008
Former Evangers employee alerts Nicor of Evangers (alleged) gas line tapping – stealing gas at plant
June 2009
FDA suspends Evangers Temporary Operating Permit; FDA stops Evangers ability to ship pet food in interstate commerce
Days later
Evangers resumes business with no official announcement from the FDA
June 2009
TruthaboutPetFood.com email to FDA requesting information to resolve of Evangers Operating Permit; no reply.
July 2009
Numerous TruthaboutPetFood.com phone calls and emails to FDA requesting information to resolve of Evangers Operating Permit; no reply.
August 2009
Numerous TruthaboutPetFood.com emails and voice mail messages to FDA requesting information to resolve of Evangers Operating Permit; no reply.
September 2009
Evangers employee alerts ComEd of (alleged) tapping of electricity.
January 2010
TruthaboutPetFood.com email and phone call to FDA requesting information to resolve of Evangers Operating Permit; no reply.
March 2010
Cook County State Attorney’s Office announces that Evangers Pet Food owners have been arrested and accused of stealing gas and electric and money laundering.
Every request to the FDA regarding information about the resolve to the Evangers Operating Permit being re-instated went unanswered. It continued to be very suspicious to me; the FDA has always answered any of my other questions regardless how difficult the questions. Why did they never respond to my questions regarding Evangers?
Do we know why now? Did criminal investigators – the Cook County State Attorney’s Office perhaps – ask the FDA to let Evangers continue to manufacture and ship pet food so that they could collect evidence against the company? Without Evangers in full operation, the criminal investigation would have stalled or collapsed. Did the criminal investigation take precedence over the safety of Evangers Pet Foods? Did the FDA knowingly allow Evangers to continue to manufacture canned pet foods that could be contaminated with botulism just so evidence could be gathered for a criminal investigation?
I am certain these are questions we will never have answers to. Although all of the above is speculation, it remains very suspicious to me. Furthermore, it proves to me once again that just about everyone (excluding pet owners) puts the safety of pet food last.
To read more about the criminal charges against Evangers Pet Food visit http://www.truthaboutpetfood.com/articles/evangers-pet-food-owners-accused-of-stealing-2m-in-electric-and-gas.html
And http://www.truthaboutpetfood.com/articles/two-videos-regarding-evangers-pet-food-company-trouble.html
To read a statement from Evangers Pet Food visit http://evangersdogfood.com/about/March10_statement.pdf
Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,
Susan Thixton
Pet Food Safety Advocate
Author, Buyer Beware
Co-Author Dinner PAWsible
TruthaboutPetFood.com
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