URGENT!!!! Pet Food Recalled: CANADA And Usa!
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Sat Mar 17, 2007 1:29 pm

Hi, everyone.
I know that not all of you have pets, but I'm sure that you have friends or family whom do. PLEASE READ, and do the right thing: forward on to others! It IS IMPORTANT ! Even if you're not a "pet person", you could be saving your friends/family members whom do own & love animals a lot of money in vet bills, or the pain of losing their pets forever. I intended to pass this on to two grocery stores near me too.
This is not a joke. I feed Casper Hills Prescription Diet C/D (dry), and was alarmed to see Hill Science Diet on the list. I've checked the Hills website, and indeed, there IS a recall on some particular canned food sold under their Science Diet line: http://www.hillspet.com/menu_foods/Menu_Foods_en_CA.htm .Thankfully, this does not effect Casper. If you feed or your friends/family members might feed their pet(s) any particular brand, they'd be wise to check with the manufacturer's website immediately!

Kate & Casper

STORY FROM: http://www.nbc4.com/news/11274986/detail.html

A major manufacturer of dog and cat food sold under Wal-Mart, Safeway, Kroger, and other store brands re-called 60 million containers of wet pet food Friday after reports of kidney failure and deaths!

An unknown number of cats and dogs suffered kidney failure and about 10 died after eating the affected pet food, Menu Foods said in announcing the North American recall. Product testing has not revealed a link explaining the reported cases of illness and death, the company said.

"We aren't sure what happened," said Paul Henderson, the company's president and chief executive officer. However, the recalled products were made using wheat gluten purchased from a new supplier, which was since dropped for another source, spokeswoman Sarah Tuite said. Wheat gluten is a source of protein.

The re-call covers the company's "cuts and gravy" style food, which consists of chunks of meat in gravy, sold in cans and small foil pouches between Dec. 3 and March 6 throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

Stores operated by the Kroger Company, Safeway Inc., Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and PetSmart Inc., among others, sold the pet food, Henderson said.

Menu Foods did not immediately provide a full list of brand names and lot numbers covered by the recall, saying they would be posted on its web site early Saturday. Consumers with questions can call 866-463-6738.

The company said it manufacturers for 17 of the top 20 North American retailers. It is also a contract manufacturer for the top-branded pet food companies.

Its three U.S. and one Canadian factory produce more than 1 billion containers of wet pet food a year.

The recall covers pet food made at company plants in Emporia, Kan., and Pennsauken, N.J., Henderson said.

Henderson said the company received an undisclosed number of owner complaints of vomiting and kidney failure in dogs and cats after they had been fed its products. It has tested its products but not found a cause for the sickness.

"To date, the tests have not indicated any problems with the product," Henderson said.

The company alerted the Food and Drug Administration, which already has inspectors in one of the two plants, Henderson said.

The FDA was working to nail down brand names covered by the recall, agency spokesman Mike Herndon said.

Menu Foods is majority owned by the Menu Foods Income Fund, based in Ontario, Canada.

Henderson said the recall would cost the company the Canadian equivalent of $26 million to $34 million.

PetSmart sent out a list shortly before 8:30 p.m. Friday stating that the following wet food brands would be taken off their shelves due to the recall:

Sophisticat
Authority
O-ward
Great Choice
Iams
Eukanuba
Neutro
Science cat
Mighty Dog
Mixables

OTHER BRANDS INVOLVED IN THE RECALL ARE:

Americas Choice, Preferred Pets
Authority
Award
Best Choice
Big Bet
Big Red
Bloom
Bruiser
Cadillac
Companion
Demoulas Market Basket
Fine Feline Cat, Shep Dog
Food Lion
Giant Companion
Great Choice
Hannaford
Hill Country Fare
Hy-Vee
Key Food
Laura Lynn
Loving Meals
Main Choice
Mixables
Nutriplan
Nutro Max
Nutro Natural Choice
Nutro
Ol'Roy
Paws
Pet Essentials
Pet Pride
Presidents Choice
Price Chopper
Priority
Publix
Roche Bros
Save-A-Lot
Schnucks
Springsfield Pride
Sprout
Stater Bros
Total Pet, My True Friend
Western Family
White Rose
Winn Dixie
Your Pet

If you give your dog or cat any of the above, click http://www.menufoods.com/recall/product_dog.html

free skin care · Sat Mar 17, 2007 2:22 pm

thank you caspersmum, i was just about to post this.

free skin care · Sat Mar 17, 2007 3:27 pm

Ok I am a bit confused, I feed "the brat" nutro natural "dry"...nutro is listed but by looking it up I think its all wet type food? Am I right?

Oh AND THANK YOU FOR POSTING THIS!!!

free skin care · Sat Mar 17, 2007 3:45 pm

Thanks for making this a sticky!

I posted about this yesterday...in this thread is a link to the MSNBC article:

http://www.essentialdayspa.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=21871

free skin care · Sat Mar 17, 2007 10:26 pm

Yikes! We feed our kitties Nutro Natural Choice Shock

Thanks so much for posting this!

free skin care · Sun Mar 18, 2007 8:12 am

I went to Ralph's market yesterday, and they had only pulled Iams. I asked them about this, and they said that they'd only received an email telling them to pull iams. My suggestion that she (the manager) look into it was met with a smile and the same ...we received an email saying to pull the iams. With my fur ruffled up, I gave her a lecture on personal responsibility and resisted kicking her in the shins....

free skin care · Sun Mar 18, 2007 10:23 am

I was just in Ekerds here in NYC and they still had the iams can food on the shelves and it was on sale !!!

I informed the manager and he said he didn't know anything (Can u imagine !) n kind of shugged.

I told him i write for the local papers ( I don't write for any paper but had to lie in this case )n would report this store as one of them who are not taking the recalls off the shelves n have the nerve to put it on sale .

I don't know about u but when a good brand is on sale I buy it for my Dog so u know people are buying it..it's a shame !!

I will be calling the main office Monday to let them know .I also have the managers name . They have to wear name tags so i jotted it down .

Anyone sees this going on please report them to the main office .Mention if any animals get sick or die u will be a witness when the lawsuit comes out that ignored the recalls n you brought it up.That should make them think.

Blue

free skin care · Sun Mar 18, 2007 10:44 am

Just so everyone knows they've now added more brands to the list. It appears all of these companies use the same manufacturer for their "wet food". Odd huh, makes me laugh at the price difference between brands, when IT APPEARS ITS ALL THE SAME! YIKES...So to be safe, I would not feed my dog, cat, any bought wet food, if it needs to be wet food for your pet to eat, cook something, till this is over, animals are dying of kidney failure!

free skin care · Sun Mar 18, 2007 4:26 pm

Holy cow, that's quite the list.

Thank goodness my dogs' food isn't on the list.

free skin care · Mon Mar 19, 2007 10:44 am

puglove wrote:

Holy cow, that's quite the list.

Thank goodness my dogs' food isn't on the list.

Hi Puglove. I'm another lover of pugs! Just had to say hello. Coleen

free skin care · Mon Mar 19, 2007 3:53 pm

I'm livid !! This company "Menu Foods " is testing the food on Live animals and so far 7 have died during testing.

They tested on 30-40 animals and who knows what the animals are feeling that didn't die. I'm sure they will slaughter them when testing is done.

This was just on NBC world news.

I'll make sure I never buy any of thier food ever .

Blue

free skin care · Mon Mar 19, 2007 6:20 pm

Blue,

I was also very angry that they subjected more animals to this bad food. I don't understand how pet food companies can tell their customers to pamper their pets, then turn around and torture other animals.

I am now looking to a PETA-approved pet food company, so I know they don't torture animals.

free skin care · Mon Mar 19, 2007 9:13 pm

I don't ever give my dogs wet food. For some reasons I just feel it's not healthy. I just give them dry food. Well, I am also lazy to open the cans. LOL

free skin care · Tue Mar 20, 2007 12:25 pm

Y'all should read this article. They tested the bad food AFTER reports of kidney failure and 1 in 6 animals died http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17650075/ Please think about this when you buy your dog food!

free skin care · Tue Mar 20, 2007 2:20 pm

world~of~mirth wrote:

Y'all should read this article. They tested the bad food AFTER reports of kidney failure and 1 in 6 animals died http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17650075/ Please think about this when you buy your dog food!

WHAT???? That makes me furious. I feed my cat the Nutro Natural Choice as an evening treat. Luckily none of the pouches I had were affected, but I'll be discontinuing that regardless after reading this article. Surely there have to be other ways to test and see what the problem is than to feed it to more animals and see how many die!

free skin care · Tue Mar 20, 2007 2:29 pm

hlg22 wrote:

world~of~mirth wrote:

Y'all should read this article. They tested the bad food AFTER reports of kidney failure and 1 in 6 animals died http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17650075/ Please think about this when you buy your dog food!

WHAT???? That makes me furious. I feed my cat the Nutro Natural Choice as an evening treat. Luckily none of the pouches I had were affected, but I'll be discontinuing that regardless after reading this article. Surely there have to be other ways to test and see what the problem is than to feed it to more animals and see how many die!

It's an outrage that each one of these tested animals was considered expendable! There is little to no reverence or respect for life on this planet.

Ari

free skin care · Tue Mar 20, 2007 5:32 pm

Please email Menu Foods and let them know u will never buy thier food again unless they stop killing animals while testing these batches of bad food on animals!!

http://www.menufoods.com/recall/product_dog.html

Also email Peta the link regarding Menufoods killing these animals .Here's the link

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17650075/
and the story..
Owners frantic over pet-food scare
As FDA searches for source of contamination, first lawsuit is filed
NBC VIDEO

• Which foods are safe for your pets?
March 20: Dr. Kevin T. Fitzgerald talks with TODAY host Matt Lauer about the recent Menu Foods Inc. pet food recall.
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MSNBC News Services
Updated: 1 hour, 16 minutes ago
WASHINGTON - A massive pet food recall has touched a nerve with pet-loving Americans, many of whom see their pets as family members.

The recalled products — 60 million cans and pouches of wet dog and cat food manufactured by Menu Foods of Ontario, Canada — account for 1 percent of pet food sold in the United States, the Food and Drug Administration has said. But in a country where more than half the people in a 2004 survey said they would risk their lives for their pets, the thought that food could kill their animals sent fearful consumers scrambling for information about affected products.

Since the recall was announced last Friday, stories about the recall have been among the most e-mailed stories on MSNBC.com and The New York Times Web site. The recall covers dog food sold throughout North America under 51 brands and cat food sold under 40 brands, including Iams, Nutro and Eukanuba. The food was sold under both store and major brand labels at Wal-Mart, Kroger, Safeway and other large retailers.

Story continues below ↓
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The pet food recall has in many ways affected more people than some of the biggest recent food scares for humans such as a peanut butter recall and concerns over spinach and lettuce.

Veterinarians said they have been flooded with calls from pet owners since the recall began on March 16, including one Boston woman who wondered if her cat that died unexpectedly a month ago could be exhumed for a post-mortem.

“These are our furry babies,” said Jan Rasmusen, author of the book “Scared Poopless: The Straight Scoop on Dog Care,” in which she makes a case for a switch to natural, nonprocessed foods for pets.

Rasmusen said previous pet food scares turned her off most canned brands.

“I get more scared for the animals because I can just avoid spinach, but if you don’t know about pet nutrition, you can’t just avoid pet food,” she said.

The FDA said during a media conference call on Tuesday it was investigating the deaths of 13 cats and 1 dog related to the recall, and had sent inspectors to Menu Foods plants in New Jersey and Kansas. Most complaints stem from products made at the latter factory, though both received shipments of wheat gluten, identified as a likely source of contamination, from the same supplier. The ingredient is a protein source used to thicken the pet food gravy. The FDA is screening pet food samples for substances known to be toxic to the kidneys, like toxins produced by molds. Agency investigators are looking at other ingredients as well.

Guide Pet nutrition

Dogs Cats
• Weight
• Weight

• Food tips
• Food tips

Like humans, cats and dogs need to eat right to stay healthy. Follow this guide to help keep your pet's weight under control.

Source: National Research Council • Print this

Menu Foods told the FDA it received the first complaints of kidney failure and deaths among cats and dogs from pet owners on Feb. 20. It began tests on Feb. 27.

During those tests, the company fed its product to 40 to 50 dogs and cats and seven animals — the mix of species was not immediately known — died, government health officials said. The contamination appeared more deadly to cats than to dogs, he said.

First lawsuit filed

Also on Tuesday, a Chicago woman sued Menu Foods, alleging the pet food manufacturer delayed announcing a recall of 60 million containers of dog and cat food despite knowing its products were contaminated and potentially deadly.

“I want my vet bills and I want some compensation for what they did to my kids — and for the company’s neglect,” said Dawn Majerczyk, who's orange tabby, Phoenix, fell sick last week just two days after he ate a single package of Special Kitty, one of the brands covered by the recall.

The company said it had not seen the suit and had no comment. The FDA had no comment on the company’s delay in announcing the recall. FREE VIDEO

• Man says dog killed by bad food
March 19: A Las Vegas pet owner says his dog was a victim of the recalled pet food. KVBC-TV's Jesse Corona reports.
NBC News Channel

As of 2005/2006, 69 million American households owned a pet, including 90.5 million cats and 74 million dogs, according to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association (APPMA).

For companies like Procter & Gamble, which owns the Iams and Eukanuba brands, and Nestle’s Purina, the pet foods business alone will generate $16 billion this year, according to the APPMA. The organization added that spending on pets for everything from food to cremation services is expected to rise to $40.8 billion in 2007.

'Surrogate children'
At the root of it is the deep emotional attachment that people form with pets, said Jake Tedaldi, a veterinarian who makes private house calls in upscale Newton, Mass. For many empty-nest parents, single women or childless couples, pets often become ”surrogate children, or are treated as such.”

“We think of our pets as more helpless versions of ourselves and treat them like human infants,” he said.

According to the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), which did the 2004 survey, four out of five people believed their pets have human-like personality traits, while 56 percent said their pets listened to them more than spouses, friends or family members.

“Pets are a very valuable part of our lives,” said Dr. Kimberly May, a veterinarian with the American Veterinary Medical Association. “The thought of losing a pet is terrifying to many people.”

Lists of affected brands and other recall details are on http://www.menufoods.com/recall/.

http://peta.com/

Blue

free skin care · Tue Mar 20, 2007 7:52 pm

This ticks me off so much. It's just plain evil. We need to have animal rights laws and enforce them!

I will never buy from Menu Foods again. Trouble is, what brand of cat food should I buy?! I don't know who to trust anymore. Does anyone have a brand that they know for a fact has healthy ingredients and doesn't abuse animals?

Bluerain wrote:

I'm livid !! This company "Menu Foods " is testing the food on Live animals and so far 7 have died during testing.

They tested on 30-40 animals and who knows what the animals are feeling that didn't die. I'm sure they will slaughter them when testing is done.

This was just on NBC world news.

I'll make sure I never buy any of thier food ever .

Blue

free skin care · Tue Mar 20, 2007 8:14 pm

Jeannine, try Innova EVO. I've been feeding my cat this. It's a trustworthy brand made with high-quality meats. It's a little more expensive but not too bad. My cat loves it, and his coat is looking nice.

free skin care · Wed Mar 21, 2007 4:49 am

Thanks, Tosca! I'm going to Google Innova right now.

In the meantime, I've been searching the Net, and I've seen Wellness and Nature's Variety recommended by a holistic vet. Does anyone here know about them?

Tosca wrote:

Jeannine, try Innova EVO. I've been feeding my cat this. It's a trustworthy brand made with high-quality meats. It's a little more expensive but not too bad. My cat loves it, and his coat is looking nice.

free skin care · Wed Mar 21, 2007 8:00 am

I think I'm going to buy either Nature's variety, or Canidae for my pets. I'm actually leaning towards Canidae because they use human-grade meats. I personally don't think dogs and cats need the highest quality meats per se (and I don't think that human grade means the highest quality), but I sure don't want my pets to be eating the 4-D meats-- dead, dying, diseased, and disabled, if that means exposing my pets to diseased and unknown products.

I've also looked into both and they both do not conduct cruel lab tests on animals.

free skin care · Wed Mar 21, 2007 8:52 am

Jeannine wrote:

Thanks, Tosca! I'm going to Google Innova right now.

In the meantime, I've been searching the Net, and I've seen Wellness and Nature's Variety recommended by a holistic vet. Does anyone here know about them?

Tosca wrote:

Jeannine, try Innova EVO. I've been feeding my cat this. It's a trustworthy brand made with high-quality meats. It's a little more expensive but not too bad. My cat loves it, and his coat is looking nice.

I feed Wellness 95% to my dogs, It's a pretty good brand. I've never used Nature's Variety, but there's another thread down below somewhere about this same topic. Someone there (I forget who) recommended Nature's Variety.

free skin care · Wed Mar 21, 2007 10:42 am

It makes you wonder what the h*ll they're putting in our pets' food in the first place.

Certainly, over here in the UK, there has been a marked surge in food sensitivity which may well be due to additives in petfood. We've noticed a surprisingly large number of rescued cats who have become unable to tolerate the major brands. Our vets have ordered them to be confined to special diets, but we've also often found organic food with no additives to suit them too. (Not many cats seem to actually enjoy the special diet food sold by vets - not that I can blame them.)

It's all extremely disturbing.

free skin care · Wed Mar 21, 2007 11:38 am

Thanks for posting this. It it so horrible!

free skin care · Wed Mar 21, 2007 2:05 pm

Wysong makes excellent, clean foods for pets and humans. My cat was developing a kidney problem on Innova EVO, so we switched to Wysong "Uretic" and got a clean bill of health last checkup. Vet says "it's a very good line of foods for pets". www.wysong.net
fawnie

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