Though contaminated pet food killed an unknown number of cats and dogs in the United States recently, at least one Chinese business is shrugging its shoulders over the uproar, because apparently, adding the chemical melamine to animal food is routine. One feed company manager explained that it's standard practice to add small amounts of melamine to their products because it raises nitrogen levels, which makes the feed appear to have higher levels of protein. The higher protein levels are appealing to customers, and the manager said that products laced with melamine are very safe.

I'm sure that hundreds of pet owners would argue him that fact today. In addition, some of the recalled pet food made it's way to hog and poultry farms across the nation, and it's likely that animals who ate the feed have already been slaughtered for meat. The FDA has decided not to place a recall on those products, because they say there's little risk to the humans who eat them.

Like the FDA, I doubt that anyone will be imminently affected by the melamine in those animals, I'm alarmed nonetheless. Because we sit at the top of the food chain, I would like to see us put a little more care into what the animals we dine on eat for dinner. Chemicals used to make plastic ware? I don't want to see it on my dinner plate.