Snappy newsletters. Simple Facebook sharing. Spirited comments. Sweet features are waiting… GET THEM NOW!

Hot on Facebook
Uproar After NC State Agent 'Fixes' Girl's Lunch Preschooler has to eat chicken nuggets instead of mom's meal »

Melamine Kills 1,500 Chinese Dogs

Fears sparked about widespread tainting

By Ambreen Ali,  Newser User

Posted Oct 21, 2008 12:53 PM CDT

(Newser) – About 1,500 Chinese raccoon dogs, bred specially for their fur, have died after eating tainted food over the last two months, the AP reports, raising fears of rampant misuse of the chemical melamine. The discovery comes as melamine-tainted milk has sickened thousands of babies with kidney stones and been tied to four deaths.

"First, we found melamine in the dogs' feed, and second, I found that 25% of the stones in the dogs' kidneys were made up of melamine," said a vet who performed necropsies on the animals. China had vowed to increase enforcement of the pet food industry last year after dozens of American dogs and cats died from eating tainted pet food.

A Chinese worker checks ingredients in milk products last week.
A Chinese worker checks ingredients in milk products last week.   (AP Photo/Alexander F. Yuan)
Raccoon dogs, bred for their fur and used in clothing, are native to East Asia.
Raccoon dogs, bred for their fur and used in clothing, are native to East Asia.   (©djflowerz)
Chinese workers clean the floor in a milk station in north China's Inner Mongolia region. Tens of thousands of babies have kidney stones because of tainted milk powder.
Chinese workers clean the floor in a milk station in north China's Inner Mongolia region. Tens of thousands of babies have kidney stones because of tainted milk powder.   (AP Photo/Alexander F. Yuan)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
To report an error on this story, notify our editors.
A snapshot of the day's best news stories.
 
COMMENTS
Be the first to comment on this story.

More Newser Stories

China: Rotten Feed Causing Cancerous Milk

China Cancels Annual Dog Meat Festival

Dog Nurses Rare Liger Cubs

Poisoned Milk Kills 3 Kids in China

Shanghai Unleashing 'One Dog Policy'


NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS
Other Sites We Like:   24/7 Wall St.   |   Betty Confidential   |   BuzzFeed   |   Cracked   |   Fark   |   Timelines   |   The Frisky   |   Geek Sugar   |   NewsOne