Kohl Harrington (producer of the documentary Pet Fooled, recent law school graduate) was emailing with Erin Bubb of Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. The topic of these emails was the vague AAFCO definitions of raw, HPP’d pet foods, and freeze dried (such as a kibble pet food that claims ‘Raw Coated’).
Ms. Bubb should be very familiar with these products and definitions as she is a State Feed Official and she is the Chair of the AAFCO Ingredient Definitions Committee. However, as emails went back and forth – Ms. Bubb could not/would not provide an explanation to why claims like ‘Raw Coated kibble’ are allowed to mislead consumers.
As Kohl Harrington did not give up his questions, the tone of the emails from Ms. Bubb began to change.
Ms. Bubb’s attitude in her emails changed so much so that Kohl addressed the ‘attitude’ by stating: “your tone in earlier responses came across as dismissive and unprofessional – especially toward a member of the public raising a serious concern about product misbrand and food safety.”
And then the AAFCO Ingredient Definitions Committee Chair/Pennsylvania State Feed Official replied with this…
“That was just for you, Kohl Harrington. After all these years, if you haven’t learned yet that we can get more accomplished by working together than offering the rude, pompous, over-inflated version of whatever you think you are, then you’ll never learn.”
Ms. Bubb offered cruel, insulting words that were intentional; “just for you, Kohl Harrington”. She suggested they should work together – but in the same sentence called Kohl a “rude, pompous, over-inflated version of whatever you think you are”.
Can you ever work with someone that calls you a “rude, pompous, over-inflated version of whatever you think you are”?
No – you cannot. Those words were not intended for a future of working together. Those words were intended to put a consumer advocate in their place. Those words were meant to silence.
Over many years of attempting to work with regulatory authorities (FDA and State Feed Officials) – their attitude towards consumer/consumer advocates has been consistently dismissive. ‘We know what is best for you – DON’T question us.’ And if you dare to question them/question regulations – you are greeted with snarky insults or they simply refuse to communicate with you. ‘DON’T question us.’
To my knowledge (and Kohl has shared hundreds of email communications with me over the many years we have been friends), Kohl Harrington has NEVER been rude to a regulatory authority. Kohl has never resorted to verbal abuse even though he has been treated so unfairly.
For me, I have bit my lip on more than one occasion when I was treated poorly by FDA, an AAFCO representative, or a State Feed Official. I have NEVER treated them as they have treated me.
History has shown us that it is impossible to ‘work with’ regulatory. History has proven they have NO intention of working with consumers in the best interest of our pets. For most of them, they are not respectful of consumers, they are not even civil to consumers. History is telling us that we need to take a different approach.
And we will.
We reported Ms. Erin Bubb’s abusive behavior to PA Department of Agriculture and to AAFCO.
Susan Thixton
Pet Food Safety Advocate
Author Buyer Beware, Co-Author Dinner PAWsible
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