More than 8,000 deaths of cats and dogs that may be linked to melamine-tainted food have been reported to the FDA in the two months since the pet food recall. The statistics come as the FDA tries to assure Americans that the tainted protein concentrates, also fed to hogs and chickens, aren't a human health threat.
Newly appointed food-safety czar David Acheson declared it "very unlikely that there is a human health effect here.” Despite an expanded recall and an investigation in full force, officials predict the death reports will continue to flow in as the FDA catches up with a backlog of calls on its hotline. (More pets stories.)