Pet food recall: FDA news, and our latest numbers
By Gina Spadafori
March 30, 2007
- If you’re new to the site, please check out our general information page.
- If you have lost a pet, we encourage you to learn about pet-loss resources.
UPDATE: CNN is webcasting the media conference live.
With the concentration of the national media, layoffs at many newspapers and much more bad news on the ability of the media to report as widespread story such as this, it’s encouraging to note that some of the best reporting on the pet-food recall has come out of regional papers, notably the Portland Oregonion, and now, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. The news in the T-R we have independently confirmed, and it’ll be interesting to see what the FDA says this morning.
We hear the FDA may issue a revised estimate of the numbers of pets make sick or killed. It has previously been widely reported the FDA has received 8,000 reports from consumers, with of course will go through their review process.
As of 6 a.m. PT, the PetConnection database: 2,447 deceased pets (1,327 cats and 1080 dogs). As always, remember these are self-reported numbers.
If you have a pet with a recall-related illness, let us remind you to:
- 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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Technorati Tags: pet food recall, dogs, cats,veterinarian, veterinary
I’m still waiting
Comment by Steve — March 30, 2007 @ 7:51 am
What a bunch of crap! CNN stopped the coverage after a few minutes. The head of Cornell University or whoever the hell he was needed to give us the history of Cornell and how wonderful they were.
Menu food is still only stating that 16 animals have died.
They’ve now discovered that it might not be rat poison, but melamine that is causing the damage. MELAMINE? The stuff that you make those plastic dishes and cutlery from.
The wheat gluten does indeed come from China.
There is a dry foot plant that did get some of this particular batch of wheat gluten, however they are not issuing a recall of that food because they have no evidence it went into the food.
Bullshit!!!!! Get the damn food off the market shelves. It’s killing our animals.!!!!!!!!
Comment by Meaghan — March 30, 2007 @ 8:40 am
This gets more disturbing every Friday which is also interesting. Not good. My sincere sympathy to those who have lost their pets.
Comment by jm — March 30, 2007 @ 9:27 am
These people are taking forever to fix this problem with the pet food.
They made me loose my best friend thats always been there for me!!!!!
Comment by Drew — March 30, 2007 @ 6:02 pm
We had to put our cat to sleep on the 6th. To find out it is from rat poison to melamine, whatever, doesnt help me out. I feel like I poisoned my cat, and want someone to pay for this. Does anyone know of anyone in Texas that has filed any lawsuits? I don’t want to do a class action, but something needs to be done. I use to feed the dogs the left overs from the special kitty packs, and so far they seem ok. I can’t loose another pet. I’m so sorry for anyone else that has had to put a loving pet to sleep, because of this BS.
Comment by Dee — March 30, 2007 @ 6:05 pm
I am very sorry about Everyone’s loss..
My belief is that whatever is in the Cat Wet/dry foods has been in this food since the latter part of 2005..My cat is 18 yrs. old and has been very ill from eating this tainted food..
Comment by ac — March 30, 2007 @ 6:16 pm
Comment by ac — March 30, 2007 @ 6:16 pm
My neighbor had the same experience. It’s too coincidental and all needs to be examined.
Comment by Nadine Long — March 30, 2007 @ 6:27 pm
What about the rat poison that they found “in significant quantities?” Seems like once the Veternary group came out saying that the symptoms they were seeing in stricken animals was not consistent with rat poisoning - the “researchers” decided to pick another poison they could claim came from China. So were they lying about the rat poison? Does the food have both toxins? Not in any dry food, now in dry food? The gluten went to a dry food plant, but they can’t tell us which one - might be bad for business!
The FDA is as bad as Menu Foods - both are just trying to get everyone to quiet down about this.
But think, would you ever buy a foil pack of Iams or Special Kitty again? I wouldn’t, no matter who says it’s safe. As bad as all this is, we, as consumers, have the power to close them down. I’ll never buy anything they make - and now I know which brands are involved.
My cat was diagnosed with kidney failure 3/16/07, but after 6 days at the vet on IV came home and is getting better. Still, she’ll probably never be the healthy cat she was before she was poisoned. But I’m grateful she survived, and I feel for everyone who lost their little friends.
Comment by Eileen — March 30, 2007 @ 6:48 pm
America is in for a rude awakining ——- Why can’t we use our own oil ? Why can’t we use our own wheat ? Why did we pay our farmers to not farm ? So we could buy products from China that we can produce ourselves —- America’s priorities are definatily in the wrong place ——- I feel deeply saddened for everyone who has lost a pet or going through having a sick pet due to this recall knowing you could lose the battle. I lost a Great Pyrennes @ age 2 due to epiplisy and now I’m going through severe skin infection in another Pyr —- but for America to actually kill our pets is heartbreaking —- I wonder how soon it is going to show up in our food —- I think we all need to start cooking and eating the basics for ourselves and our fur kids —- God Bless and Good Luck —- I hope everyone finds a good attorney=============================
Comment by Linda — March 30, 2007 @ 8:48 pm
Eileen,
Praise God that your pet made it. Its funny how our “kids” are affected by this also. Our dogs keep looking for kitty, and his death hurt them too. I will never feed a pet soft food again, and I agree, why can’t we use USA stuff to feed our pets?
Comment by Dee — March 31, 2007 @ 2:06 pm
It’s maddening, I agree, that we import so much wheat when we are more than capable of producing it ourselves. Instead, we pay farmers not to farm, and many of those who DO get such poor prices on the wheat that they have to have other jobs to make a living. I know quite a few farmers in just that situation. It’s just not right.
Comment by Marie — March 31, 2007 @ 4:29 pm
All states should follow the example of Oregon. They’re doing a great job. It’s a self-sustaining state.
Comment by Nadine Long — March 31, 2007 @ 4:35 pm
MOCHA RIP
3-30-07
My shih tzu was 8yrs old and healthy….he meant the world to me and my family…someone will pay for this
Comment by douglas greenberg — March 31, 2007 @ 6:39 pm
My Brother had to put his cat to sleep last Sunday after trying everything to keep it alive after it had eaten the contaminated food. It’s been very sad for the family. I was just playing with the cat a week before he got sick. I’ve stopped feeding my animals dry food because I was a little leary and thought that perhaps both wet and dry may have been processed together. Now some companies have recalled some dry. What are we to do? Keep feeding our pets food that might be contaminated and wait to see if they get sick? By that time we’ll be up to our eyeballs in vet bills and/or have dead animals on our hands. Our vets should advise us as to what kind of people food to feed our animals until the FDA finds out what’s going on and perhaps the pet food companies can step up to the plate and begin manufacturing new clean batches of food, independently tested and give it to their customers in the meanwhile. I know this will cost them a huge amount of money, but they can afford to give back some of the billions we gave them!!
Comment by C — April 1, 2007 @ 1:40 pm
I have been wondering about the importation of the wheat gluten myself. Do we not have such a surplus in the US that we are shipping it to other countries? So why not use our own? I guess the pet food companies are trying to save a few cents a bushel. Well, look at the cost. All these innocent animals. The companies will take a big financial hit. GOOD!!! They should be shut down. I had my cats tested, and so far they are OK. How my heart aches for those who have lost their beloved babies and for those whose pets are ill.
Comment by Jean — April 3, 2007 @ 8:25 am