Pet-food recall: Showing some guts in Oregon
By Gina Spadafori
March 26, 2007
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Maybe the State Veterinarian in each of the states will finally be the ones to break the stranglehold on the legitimate reporting on the numbers of pets killed by tainted food. In Oregon, both the State Veterinarian and Portland Oregonian (whose top boss used to be my boss at The Bee, more darned disclaimers, and who was responsible for Pulitzer Prizes at not one but two newspapers, and yes, the man has guts) came out with some numbers:
The number of pets sickened in connection with tainted pet food continues to rise in Oregon, reaching 47 this afternoon, including 13 deaths.
The latest toll includes 31 cats and 15 dogs, said Emilio DeBess, Oregon’s public health veterinarian. He doesn’t yet have the details on the 47th case. The deaths include six dogs and seven cats.
The 47 cases cover pets from ages 6 months old to 17 years and they span the state and breeds, DeBess said.
But there is a difference among the two species: Most of the dogs were younger, with the oldest being 12 years old. Most of the cats, however, were more than 10 years old, DeBess says.
This reminds us to remind you:
- Call the FDA to report your information
- Call your veterinarian and ask him or her to report to your state veterinarian, also for the FDA
- Enter your pet in our database
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Given that Oregon has roughly 1 percent of the population of the USA, that would translate to 1,300 deaths across the country — a number which is in the range of the Pet Connection number. I expect that number to grow SIGNIFICANTLY.
Comment by Ron — March 26, 2007 @ 9:01 pm
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
I am hoping and praying that veterinarian stats may draw some attention. The numbers are not encouraging.
But, this post gives me hope which is something I haven’t felt since this story broke. I have referred multiple folks to howl911 and you - the outrage expressed when they see the reality is fueling a fire in pet owners across the nation.
When the dust settles, maybe itchmo’s petition efforts can turn into a national effort, tangible paper, addresses checked, signatures, the whole nine yards that Congress or whoever cannot ignore. It would be a huge task, but the energy is there now and petitions could be at day care centers, pet stores, rescue groups - the potentials are limitless.
SOMETHING has to happen to prevent and/or institue better damage control in the future.
Part of me is not optimistic after considering NOLA and Katrina. But pet owners can be a force to contend with if it is a national! movement.
Keep us posted about the hopes of that too k?
Thanks for all you do. This has to be brain-frying for you all to endure. Know you are all appreciated so much! If I didn’t have you and howl to keep referring to, I’d be stark raving nuts by now!
Hugs to your FurAngels :) - they have special folks!
Comment by Evy — March 26, 2007 @ 9:58 pm
YES!
Thank you!!!
Hopefully this will catch some attention. I’ve been feeling like someone’s ‘famous’ pet was going to have to be affected before the media paid attention.
I check here frequently and while I don’t post often, know that we think your FurAngels have pretty special folks :)
Comment by Evy Serpa — March 26, 2007 @ 10:02 pm
Not much to report. About the only story popping up and being repeated tonight is “NY lab doing further pet food testing” and nothing else.
Comment by Steve — March 26, 2007 @ 10:29 pm
And of course this.
“Scientists so far have offered no theories on how aminopterin got into the products of Menu Foods, which makes pet food for most of North America’s top retailers.”
Menu? Wall of Silence.
Comment by Steve — March 26, 2007 @ 10:31 pm
10:45 PM Mar 26, 2007
Emporia Employees on Unpaid Leave During Investigation
Emporia’s Menu Foods employees are on unpaid leave as a result of a huge pet food recall.
The plant is closed while the company investigates how rat poison got into wet pet food, killing as many as 16 pets across the country.
A menu spokesperson tells our radio partner, KVOE, that it may take until this Friday to resume operations.
The temporary shut down affects some 280 workers at the Emporia plant.
Meanwhile, the New York lab that identified the poison Friday, has started testing individual components of the tainted pet food.
http://www.wibw.com/news/headlines/6719132.html
Comment by Steve — March 26, 2007 @ 10:34 pm
March 26 (Bloomberg)
Menu Foods Income Fund (MEW-U CN): The company, which recalled 60 million cans of wet pet food in the U.S. last week, asked for all brands involved to be removed, regardless of the date of manufacture, amid concern tainted products are still being sold.
At least 16 cats and dogs have died from eating the contaminated food, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has said. Last week the chief executive officer of the pet food maker said the company will take responsibility for pet owners’ expenses. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said it has had as many as 4,400 phone calls about sick pets. The shares rose C$1.20, or 31 percent, to C$5.10.
Comment by Steve — March 26, 2007 @ 10:36 pm
Thanks for all the info! I was finally able to get hold of Purina and talk to someone there. None of their catfood was listed in the recall but more importantly - is never manufactured by Menu Foods. Purina makes all of their food. When I inquired about the Mightly Dog pouch recall - this was purely precautionary as Menu Foods does not make this food either, but they had used another new manufacturer and weren’t taking any chances. I feel as though Purina Pro-Plan wet catfood is a viable option for desperate pet owners. By the way, I asked for that in writing and they agreed to send it to me, no problem. Hope this helps!
Comment by Pamela Stene — March 26, 2007 @ 10:38 pm
Somebody else gets it right:
http://www.latimes.com/la-fi-p.....d-homepage
Comment by Gwen — March 26, 2007 @ 11:58 pm
From the link Gwen posted:
Ontario, Canada-based Menu Foods, which owns two U.S. manufacturing plants, said last week that it had received 200,000 calls from pet owners.
In Los Angeles County, health officials reported 10 confirmed pet deaths — five cats and five dogs — from kidney failure in recent days and 15 additional cases of very sick animals with similar symptoms. The department said it was checking 86 other cases related to the recalled food.
Comment by Sarah — March 27, 2007 @ 12:20 am
Thank you Oregon!!
Everyone email your local TV news channels and give them the facts, the links to websites, everything they need to get the stories to be more accurate and updated, and most importantly, to keep the story alive. Don’t let them kill the story. If it were thousands of people dying from rat poison in the food supply, you know it would lead the news every night.
Comment by Sarah — March 27, 2007 @ 12:22 am
We made the Dallas news too!
http://www.dallasnews.com/shar.....d899a.html
Comment by Amy Boda — March 27, 2007 @ 12:36 am
Nice to see the VIN’s numbers out in the world!
Sadly, the SPCA continues to fumble:
http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.....26009/1003
Monday, March 26, 2007
DCSPCA urges pet owners to check food
Society releases “safe” products list
By Sarah Bradshaw
Poughkeepsie Journal
The Dutchess County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals advised pet owners to visit http://www.menufoods.com and check their pet food products against the list of products Menu Foods voluntarily recalled.
…
Also, the society released a list of pet food companies that are not affiliated with Menu Foods, including Animal Food Services, Diamond Pet Food, Holistic Blend, Mars Petcare, Nature’s Variety, Newman’s Own Organics, Old Mother Hubbard and Pedigree.
…
NV, NOO, and OMH (Wellness) must be thrilled.
http://www.dcspca.org
Comment by Becca — March 27, 2007 @ 1:05 am
im not a person that cries wolf, but this whole thing should’ve been handled like it was a terrorist attack. in every sense of the word failure, the government, homeland security, menu foods, the news, and ppl that still don’t realize that rat poison just doesn’t get in there by accident, if thats all thats in there; which isn’t a certainty.
it’s a madhouse.
Comment by nullnor — March 27, 2007 @ 2:45 am
They have recalled 60 million items of food and trying to pass off there only being 16 animals affected! I didn’t smell the RAT poison in my DOG’S food, but a I sure smell the rat in this cover up!! Sadly, it is too late for my little Hee Hee. My aunt’s cat is dying at this moment. Thank God I feed all my other pets Purina Dry- I only used the wet for Hee Hee because she was so small the dry food was hard on her little teeth. How can we spread the news that there are 100 times more animals affected than what they are ‘projecting’ (read lying about here)
Comment by Andrea — March 27, 2007 @ 2:55 am
Could this problem be more widespread than the government or manufacturer suspects - could it include at least some dry dog food? I have four dogs, none of which eats either the cans or pouches involved in the recall. They have only been provided dry dog food their entire adult lives (under several of the major brand names in the recall). That said, two of them have had renal problems within the last two years. The first was treated as if he had an infection, but after two courses of antibiotics, there was still blood and “casts” in his urine. It was suggested that a pet food lower in animal protein might help ease the burden on his kidneys. We put him on a vegetarian food and the problem has cleared up. Dog #2 started showing blood in his urine about a month ago, so we switched him to the vegetarian food. Now there is no visible blood like there was before. Both male dogs are elderly (the terri-poo was born in 1994, the mini poodle in 1995) and they are not related to each other. We have extremely hard water here in Arizona, so my first suspicion was kidney stones. Now I’m wondering if it was the food all along…?
Comment by Nina Lehman — March 27, 2007 @ 3:09 am
Pamela, Thanks for posting that. My cats have been eating Pro Plan for several years, and my recent attempts to get them to accept Merrick as a substitute have been less than successful (you can just hear them thinking “Ewwww!”). Too bad you can’t explain to them “This is WAY more expensive, and made with better ingredients!” I was unable to get hold of anyone at Purina, so I appreciate your finding a way to talk to a real human being there.
Comment by CatLady — March 27, 2007 @ 4:52 am
Independent Reporting Dwarfs FDA Pet-Poisoning Numbers
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
By Abigail Goldman
Los Angeles Times
Hundreds of veterinarians have reported cases of sick and dead dogs and cats related to rat-poison-tainted pet food, a veterinarians’ group said Monday — far more than reported by the Food and Drug Administration.
Veterinarians Information Network, a Web site of 30,000 veterinarians and veterinary students, said members had reported 471 cases of kidney failure in the 10 days since Canada-based Menu Foods Income Fund announced its recall.
“The 16 the FDA confirms is barely the tip of the iceberg,” said the network’s co-founder, veterinarian Paul Pion. “There will be much more than this.”
The recall included 60 million “cuts and gravy”-style canned and pouch foods from 88 brands, including Proctor & Gamble’s Iams and Eukenuba lines as well as many retailers’ private brands.
Of the cases reported on the veterinarians’ Web site, 292 included outcomes: 104 deaths — including at least 11 dogs and 88 cats, with some reports not indicating species.
The vets reported 59 pets that survived the illnesses and 129 animals still under treatment
cont’d at
http://www.cantonrep.com/index.....ategory=23
Comment by Mike — March 27, 2007 @ 5:12 am
CA class action lawsuit initiated:
http://www.prweb.com/releases/.....514391.htm
http://www.theglobeandmail.com.....y/Business
The recall has crippled Menu Foods: An analyst yesterday said “time is of the essence” when it comes to the company’s survival as units fell a further 15.7 per cent.
Effects on animals will be seen for years to come:
http://www.nypost.com/seven/03....._burke.htm
Recall handled poorly
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/.....977666.htm
Yesterday I started calling grocery stores to make sure they understood that the company was “withdrawing” all affected products regardless of dates. Publix guy said, yes we pulled all right away as we usually do in these situations. Since I was in the store late yesterday I looked at the pet food aisle. They had 12 packs of Iams cat food pouches. I got the store mgr and she checked and said that their info from Publix was after pulling they could restock 2 days later when new stuff came in. I told her they were just starting to test the individual ingredients and begged her to pull them until she looked at the MenuFoods website. I hope they consult with lawyers and understand that the terminology of “withdrawal” leaves it up to the individual store, unhooks the obligation of MenuFoods to pay for any damages incurred in a “withdrawal” and leaves them on the front line for lawsuits. I’ll go back to day to see the day manager.
Comment by Cathy — March 27, 2007 @ 5:39 am
cathy,i was in publix sunday and they still had iams recalled food on shelves and i told 4 workers it needs to be taken off,these fools this looked at me stupid and i bet it;s still on the shelves. on GMA this morning abc news said the pet death toll is over 10,000 there is a web site that vets. only use VIN. menu food needs to shut down ASAP !!!!!!
Comment by ci — March 27, 2007 @ 6:12 am
To Nina: My dogs only eat dry food also, my 7 year old cockapoo sadly died on March 15, only 8 days after becoming sick. The minute we walked into the vets office, he said rat poison, we were shocked. My kairn terrier has had the excessive thirst and frequent urination associated with the rat poisioning also, she is currently being tested. Don’t believe that only the wet food is involved, I suspect it is also dry food and the moist dog treats. I bought a lot of the Ol’ roy Wal-mart brand dog food and treats, so much for trying to save a buck. I’ll never shop at Wal-mart again for anything, but that will never bring my baby back.
Comment by Tammy — March 27, 2007 @ 6:26 am
ci,
You have to talk to the store manager. Take along a copy of the latest MenuFoods press release. Make sure they understand the LEGAL implications of continuing to stock food that the authorities are still investigating for toxicants and that MenuFoods has “withdrawn”. Ask them to please call their headquarters for absolute confirmation that they should stock this food. And ask them to run it by the corporate lawyers.
The problem is that they are still not sure the aminopterin is the end of it. When Diamond had aflatoxin contamination it was easy. They knew what it was and tested every bag of food before it left the factory. This is not a simple situation. And if you ask me it leaves grocery stores and others who sell this food right in line for lawsuits. Oh, yes mention that also - the number of lawsuits that have been filed.
Comment by Cathy — March 27, 2007 @ 7:31 am
I really, really feel terrible about this whole situation - for those who unknowingly lost pets before the recall, and for those dealing with illness and loss now that word about the recall has spread.
But what saddens me the most, and this is not meant to offend, is the faith that so many have put into the marketing ploys of big business pet food manufacturers.
One thing I spend a lot of time doing is trying to educate people on what the ingredients on a pet food bag really mean. Just because it has pretty pictures of vegetables and chicken legs and pretty dogs on the packaging doesn’t mean that the stuff inside it is worth the cost of the bag (or can) that it’s in.
Does it surprise me that the vast majority of brands affected are cheap, store-brand labels? No. Not at all. What does surprise me is how many people believe, hook, line & sinker, that Iams, Science Diet and Pedigree are “premium” brands.
Holy moly, Batman! Have we really been so brainwashed by advertising that we’ve believed these companies had our pets’ welfare in mind when they use inferior ingredients, 4-D meats, and lots of slick advertising?
Well, folks, I’m here to tell you that their bottom line is the almighty dollar, and if that means cutting costs by using cardboard and peanut shells (i.e. some sort of “fiber” is how it would be listed on the ingredient label), roadkill (i.e. “meat meal” or what we in the holistic mindset lovingly call “mystery meat”) and rat poison-laced wheat hulls (i.e. wheat gluten), then so be it. Doesn’t matter to them that their feeding your pets foods that are nutritionally devoid of anything but artificial nutrients because, hey, you know we put those all back in after we render the batches. So it’s in there (just not in a form your pet may be able to use).
I hope this is a HUGE wakeup call for the pet-owning public to learn to READ LABELS! Know what’s in the foods your feeding. Don’t feed wheat or corn products - your pets can’t always digest them! Do find a food that lists at least 2, preferably 3, meat ingredients as the first 5 ingredients on the label.
I highly suggest everyone read the book - “Food Pets Die For” by Anne Martin - this is a real wakeup call as to what really goes into the food you so lovingly feed your pets. Also understand that by “saving a buck” on pet food, you’re most likely adding a FEW bucks on vet care. The better the food, the healthier your dog or cat can be!
You wouldn’t feed your kids on a diet of Cheerios for 3 meals a day, 7 days a week … forever. Would you? Don’t do the same to your pets! Use this horrible incident as a way to do better, and a lesson for pet food companies that we won’t tolerate their use of byproducts, rejected foods, and garbage!
Comment by Tammy K. — March 27, 2007 @ 7:39 am
Amen, Tammy K.
Great, informative post. Sadly, I posted something very similar to what you said on a dog nutrition forum when the recall first came out, and I was chastised for being “rude, arrogant, accusatory” and I was also called another name I won’t mention here. At any rate, it is sad that it takes something like this to make people take a second look at what they are feeding their dogs and cats. Like someone else said, “so much for trying to save a buck”. It’s just so sad. Many people really don’t know better! But it doesn’t mean those that know what is in these commercial foods can’t try to make a difference!
My hearts and prayers go out to everyone who has lost a loved one to this tragedy. Shame on the media for taking so long to notice. This is just the beginning…I hope not, but I think there is a lot more bad news to come.
Be strong everyone. Thank you for keeping this website going!
Comment by Jaycee — March 27, 2007 @ 4:33 pm
Tammy K. and Jaycee-
This is the first time I’ve seen this website and I’m so thankful it led me to your posts. I have fed Purina One to my dogs their whole lives. They’ve gotten daily bites of fruit, vegs, cheese, but I had no idea what I was feeding my girls. I had tried Wellness 2 years ago but my border collie had a number of strange behavioral changes and the store owner told me it was probably due to the higher and better protein and perhaps I should switch back.
As soon as the recall was announced, I immediately started reading everything I could and realized in horror and shock what I had been giving my pets. I then tried some samples of raw diet food and some new dry and canned samples (Canidae, Merrick, Chicken Soup, Innova).
I really want foods that not only don’t contain by-products, corn, etc., but that don’t contain the meat “meal” either. I have looked at no less than 30 websites and I have only found one dry food that fits that criteria-Pet Promise recommended by Dr. Weil. Unfortunately I brought some home yesterday and my dogs all turned up their noses and won’t eat it. I also want to try Pet Guard vegetarian but I’d have to mix it with something containing meat. You mentioned their are dog foods containing multiple meat sources and NO meat meal. Could you give me a list? I am definitely going to be cooking for them more often and made chicken, rice and vegs last nite and they were thrilled. I did put garlic powder in though and now I’ve read you can only use the type that has “alum” removed from it.
Thanks for any help you can give me!
Comment by Kaye — March 27, 2007 @ 9:13 pm
I fed the Iams beef and gravy to my dogs. I called Iams returned the cans. The cans in my cabinet were not from the batch but no one knows numbers from cans we used in Dec thru recent date of recall. I had my dogs tested right away everything was fine. I also checked many websites for dry food no one wants to tell me the rendering co. etc. I called the FDA to complain about the pet food industry I also called Pet food institute they did not reply. Right now Im cooking for my dogs and still seaching for a dry food.
Comment by Kathy DeRay — March 28, 2007 @ 7:02 am
Try this place:
http://www.dogaware.com/dogfeeding.html
This should give you plenty of information on ingredients, which ones use human-grade or whole foods, and foods with fewer (or no) grains.
I’d post results from Whole Dog Journal’s top foods lists, but they usually have a fit if anyone posts anything from their articles anywhere on the web, even if it’s just sharing information and not taking articles word for word. So if you want that list, you’ll have to purchase the article directly from Whole Dog Journal.
It’s not as difficult as one might think to find super premium, high quality foods without so much junk, artificial flavors, colors, chemicals and fragmented foods in them - you just have to know where to look - and know that they actually exist.
Tammy K.
Comment by Tammy K. — March 28, 2007 @ 10:49 am
I lost my 13 yr old dog Bro on 1/5/07 and then learned from the news about the food recall. I checked the cans that I had left and learned that Nutro Max Puppy food was on the list and it is what I fed her for 13 years! She ate mostly the dry formula, but lost her teeth with age, so I gave her the wet stuff, which of course killed her. She had all the symptoms of renal failure which are also old age symptoms. I have filed a class action suit against Menu Foods, and I now know lots of other sad and now enraged pet owners across the country and in Canada have done the same. It will take years to resolve the issue; I still have my cat and am making her food myself. I am not buying pet food ever again!
Comment by Carol Brown — April 5, 2007 @ 12:43 am
I have a 12 year old cat and he did eat some Iam’s canned catfood during the first wave of the poisoning. If the companies cannot insure their ingredients, then they deserve to be put out of business. What is the FDA doing about all of this anyway and Homeland Security???? They had better get busy and find the culprits whether they are in another country or not and issue punishment. The Fair Trade Agreements be damned for taking industry and jobs away from us in the U.S. We never used to have these problems before. I am for some companies being formed in the U.S. and producing all of the ingredients and packaging for pet food and human food with tight security.
Comment by Deborah J. Wilmoth — April 5, 2007 @ 9:45 am