Pet-food recall: More recalls from Chenango Valley, including ferret food
By Gina Spadafori
May 18, 2007
- If you have a sick pet or a question on your pet’s health, call your veterinarian.
- If you’re new to the site, please check out our general information page (includes information on recalled foods).
Related to last night’s recalls, the manufacturer (through the FDA) put out a single release with all their recalled products, including, for the first time I remember seeing, a food for an animal other than a dog or cat:
Chenango Valley Pet Foods previously recalled dry pet foods manufactured with a shipment of rice protein concentrate supplied by Wilbur-Ellis that possibly contained melamine contamination. Chenango Valley Pet Foods is now expanding the recall action to include those pet foods that do not contain rice protein concentrate but were manufactured during periods when rice protein concentrate formulas were processed. The recall of these products is precautionary due to the possibility of cross-contamination.
The following dry pet foods are involved in this recall action:
* DOCTORS FOSTER & SMITH LAMB & BROWN RICE FORMULA ADULT DOG FOOD, NET WT. 6 LBS. (UPC 25141 28244), 15 LBS. (25141 30074), and 30 LBS. (UPC 25141 06043); Date Codes: Best By Feb 09 09 and Best By Feb 26 09;
* SHOP RITE REDI-MIXT DOG FOOD FOR DOGS, NET WT. 25 LB. (UPC 41190 00555), Date Code: Code C7107;
* LICK YOUR CHOPS KITTEN & CAT FOOD, NET WEIGHT 4 LBS. (UPC 32976 25915), and 18 LBS. (UPC 32976 25925); Date Code: Best Used By April 29 08;
* SHEP chunk style dog food, NET WT. 20 LBS. (UPC 41498 14142); Date Code: Best By March 14 08;
* 8 in 1 Ferret ULTRA-BLEND ADVANCED NUTRITION DIET, NET WT. 20 LBS, UPC 26851 00413, Code: C7072;
* Bulk Lamb & Brown Rice Formula Dog Food, Date Code: Feb 09, 08, sold to one consignee SmartPak.
* Health Diet Cat Food Chicken & Rice Dinner NET WT. 1.81 kg/4 LB (UPC 78198 01594), 4 kg/8.8 LB (UPC 78198 01599), and 8 kg/17.6 LB (UPC 78198 01585); Code C7072;
* EVOLVE KITTEN FORMULA, NET WT. 3 LBS. (UPC 73657 00250) and 7 LBS. (UPC 73657 00251); Date Code: Best Used By Sept 13 08. Evolve has recovered 99.5% of the product from its distributors and is working with dealers to recover the remaining inventory.No illnesses or injuries related to these products have been reported to date.
Pet owners who have purchased the pet foods listed above should immediately discontinue using the products and return them to the place of purchase for full refund. Pet owners should consult with a veterinarian if they have any health concerns with their pet. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1-610-821-0608.
Here’s the full release, on the FDA site.
Commentary from Christie: FDA posted this to their website within hours of a media briefing at which they said not one word about this pending recall.
Reminder: If your post doesn’t appear, please don’t post it again (and again and again). It probably just got snagged by the spam filter by accident. We’ll see it and release it, so be patient.
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I don’t know what other PF Chenango makes but I’ve read twice this morn that there is the possibility of more recalls…..oh boy. I just pulled out my zillion printed pages on the recall & see only four: Back to Basics, Dr Foster & Smith, Lick your Chops & SmartPak. Could be more, don’t know for sure. I would assume that Evolve is another.
Just sick that this is still going on. If these PF companies had their act together, this stuff should’ve been tested…..or pulled….the second they suspected it could’ve been “cross contaminated”, not two months later.
I hope more animals didn’t get sick because of this.
Comment by JanC — May 18, 2007 @ 6:47 am
Those little Ferrets look so sad - they don’t like eating poisoned food and who could blame them, neither do we.
Comment by Linda — May 18, 2007 @ 6:58 am
And they wonder why we’re “off the charts”……
Comment by JanC — May 18, 2007 @ 7:03 am
Quote:
And they wonder why we’re “off the charts”……
Comment by JanC — May 18, 2007 @ 7:03 am
Off the charts? Considering what is going on and how it is played by the industry as well as our officials, I find the reaction of the people of the US for the most part extremely peaceful, considerate and polite.
I honestly do believe that in other countries we would have an out-and-out uprising on our hands: poisoning the food supply with the blessing (silence, protection) of the government…. wow
off the charts …. (snortle)
Comment by MaKo — May 18, 2007 @ 7:10 am
And this was on the FDA website within hours of their media briefing, at which they said NOT A WORD.
Comment by Christie Keith — May 18, 2007 @ 7:17 am
I still wanna know why we haven’t heard anything about the turkeys.
Comment by Tammy — May 18, 2007 @ 7:21 am
FDA said not a word though I found an article written about the Tele-Farce, right after it ended, that had a blurb at the bottom about Chenango Valley Pet Foods issuing a recall, with no other info except company phone #. They knew, what’s new?
Comment by Aunt Granny — May 18, 2007 @ 7:41 am
Why ‘o why are we still having recalls at this late date???
Comment by Peggy (AKA: Big Fat Momma Cat) — May 18, 2007 @ 7:59 am
63 days have passed since March 16 and the first announcement of a recall.
The FDA does NOT have a “grasp” of this crisis. Nor are they giving any evidence they have a plan of action. Like a ship with no sail in rough seas.
They have been able to control public interest by not recognizing how many pets have actually died - whether confirmed or not. The general public does not recognize the magnitude of this story and where it’s heading.
Other agencies have also fallen short of fulfilling their mission of protecting the US food supply - USDA, Customs/Border; FSIS, etc. And where is Homeland Security in all this???
The media briefings for the most part are fluff and then they are followed by announcements that should have been made by someone in the briefing with enough integrity and ethics to deliver needed information.
The USDA approves/releases livestock that were fed contaminated feed, but they are not willing to name companies.
Officials are crafting “memos of understanding” — I think it is about time the public speaks as an organized voice to say our “understanding” is
- the right to be protected, including our food supply
- the right to do business with countries who share our concerns for safety - or NOT do business at all
- the right to know where food ingredients originate
- the right to know where those chickens and pigs are being sold
- the right to make choices to best protect our families, including the four-legged members.
Don’t write an article talking about me humanizing my pet — oh so my business and not yours. Do your job, provide a safe product, advise origin of ingredients and let me make the choice. That’s my understanding, no memo necessary.
Comment by Donna — May 18, 2007 @ 8:07 am
Comment by Christie Keith — May 18, 2007 @ 7:17 am
OK, this is scary. Did Christie just wake up, or is the night shift just clocking out? 7:17 a.m.?
Comment by Gina Spadafori — May 18, 2007 @ 8:13 am
I just sent an email to Drs. Foster and Smith asking them why their site no longer had recall info AND the fda link to yesterday’s newly added foods.
I am a very good customer of theirs and now I’m not so sure I will be anymore.
Comment by PegH — May 18, 2007 @ 8:28 am
I still wanna know why we haven’t heard anything about the turkeys.
Comment by Tammy — May 18, 2007 @ 7:21 am
********************
I want to hear, too. I’ll bet the turkeys eat the same feed as chickens. Oh, Butterball… please check in!
Comment by petlover — May 18, 2007 @ 8:33 am
PegH, I found recall info at Foster & Smith, but man, is it ever buried. I think I found it listed as a drop down menu link under certain types of food. This greatly upsets me. I’ve been buying various products from them for almost 14 years. Up until now, I’ve always been impressed with their customer service. But shame on them for not listing a clear link on their home page. It’s time they heard from us before they lose too many customers.
Foster & Smith definitely need to hire a new PR dept.
(if they even have one?)
Comment by Ally — May 18, 2007 @ 8:33 am
I’m surprised Duane the Brain & his band of merry men didn’t once again tell us how safe the pet food is…..you eat it & then tell us it’s safe. What do you feed your pets?
Comment by JanC — May 18, 2007 @ 8:35 am
this is what I found on the Foster & Smith website after looking around. Their recall page use to be on the front page, now you really have to look….. anyway here’s what it says
For Immediate Release: 05/16/07
Drs. Foster & Smith Press Release
FINAL FDA TESTS PENDING
Preliminary test results for melamine contamination have been NEGATIVE.
Final test results from the FDA are pending and expected within two weeks. An update notice will be posted
Comment by Terri — May 18, 2007 @ 8:36 am
Ally,
Foster & Smith USE to have a direct link to the petfood recall on their front page. It went missing sometime this week…… I think tuesday , I posted about it here. Now you have to search for it.
Comment by Terri — May 18, 2007 @ 8:41 am
I think companies want to distance their brand name from the recall as much as possible — you know, “Out of sight; out of mind.” And back to business as usual.
This is not just a blip on the radar screen for me! I’m like an elephant — I have a longgggggggg memory!
Comment by petlover — May 18, 2007 @ 8:49 am
Comment by Terri — May 18, 2007 @ 8:41 am
Terri - Yes, I know. I even called and told them they should get the link on their front page (back then) much more visible - as in bold, red and in a large font pitch. At the time, it was in buried in their left hand side menu, in the same font, pitch & coloring as everything else. In other words, you really had to look for it. Now it’s buried even further where you have to go through several submenus to even see it.
This is not acceptable.
Comment by Ally — May 18, 2007 @ 8:59 am
comment by Donna**********63 days have passed since March 16 and the first announcement of a recall.
The FDA does NOT have a “grasp” of this crisis. Nor are they giving any evidence they have a plan of action. Like a ship with no sail in rough seas. ******
I agree - dh has heard me railing about the continuing recalls from the FDA. This thing has not ended yet. In fact, the only reason we are not having more needed recalls is that the FDA has a plan - they refuse to look at other potentially tainted pet or human foods. And then tell us there is no “evidence” of a problem - how first grade is that? No evidence because you closed your eyes, put your fingers in your ears, and went “lalalalalala” like a little kid.
I agree with the need for addressing the rest of the issues in your post. It has to be done. I am, however, not at all optimistic that we americans will get results that will ensure our food safety and relieve us of the individual obligation to trust only what we can verify re the food supply going into our homes.
If we are smart, we will demand more from the govt, might make our job a bit easier, but never give them a blank check with trust re food.
Comment by TC — May 18, 2007 @ 9:23 am
Someone over at Itchmo’s (e wem) suggested testing the reaction of melamine & cyanuric acid in human urine. What about pigs & poultry too? I emailed some folks, but to what avail I have no clue.
Does anybody know if they even tested this aspect since the compounds”synergy” just seems to have dawned on the FDA?
Comment by Ann H — May 18, 2007 @ 9:30 am
Drs. Foster and Smith just bought The Ferret Store it was announced a few days ago. Guess they aren’t offering the ferret shelters as good a deal on bulk food etc.
I did receive an answer from Butterball about their turkey. We use lots of ground turkey here for both the animals and people.
Here’s the e mail I received from Butterball.
May 3, 2007
Dear xxxxxxx xxxxxxxx,
Thank you for your interest in Butterball products.
As you are aware, a nationwide recall is being conducted on pet food containing wheat gluten imported from China. The wheat gluten is contaminated with the chemical melamine and has been associated with the death of several cats and dogs.
The nutritionists at Butterball formulate feed specifically for our birds, taking into account bird age, the location of the farm and the time of year the bird is being fed. We have conducted a thorough review of the feed ingredients and suppliers and determined that no grains or protein-based ingredients used in the blending of feed for growing Butterball turkeys has been imported from China. In fact, Butterball, LLC does not formulate feed using wheat, rice or corn gluten ingredients.
I hope this helps. Should you have any further question please feel free to call us at 1-800-Butterball (288-8372).
Sincerely,
Mary Rodriguez
Consumer Response Representative
Comment by Maureen (Lilly and Lucy's mom) — May 18, 2007 @ 10:09 am
Butterball: “…has been associated with the death of several cats and dogs.”
I believe they left out the word “thousand,” as in “several THOUSAND cats and dogs.”
Comment by Gina Spadafori — May 18, 2007 @ 10:29 am
Comment by Gina Spadafori — May 18, 2007 @ 10:29 am
i feel like we need a form letter (similar to the ones that go to congress) that we can just drop an email addy on and send to anyone who doesn’t use the word thousands when mentioning the pet deaths . . .
Comment by straybaby — May 18, 2007 @ 10:58 am
There is concern in
**Loudon County Virginia**
over mysterious pet deaths, what is killing them is unknown. It is affecting Dogs, cats, horses too. Fear too in that area is that whatever is killing them could affect children since the source is unknown.
“In the last few weeks almost 10 animals, cats, dogs and at least one horse, have mysteriously died in a Purcellville neighborhood.”
Anyone in that area, here is a link to one of a few articles I’ve seen on it:
http://www.wusa9.com/news/news.....ryid=58750
Comment by shelly — May 18, 2007 @ 11:01 am
It does not make sense. FDA knew the recall was coming. There was a perfect opportunity with the press present to alert the public. They didn’t even need to name the company,just tell the press new recalls had just been added to their site and go look!
Politicians and Bureaocrats!
Katie
Comment by Katie — May 18, 2007 @ 11:05 am
Summary of the types of foods Chenango Valley manufactures:
Chenango Valley Pet Food:
Do you manufacture dog food? Yes
Do you manufacture cat food? Yes
Do you manufacture bird food? Yes
Do you manufacture rodent food? Yes
Do you manufacture other pet food? Yes
What other type of pet food do you manufacture? Fish
http://www.umassd.edu/
Comment by shelly — May 18, 2007 @ 11:12 am
Comment by straybaby — May 18, 2007 @ 10:58 am
stray - Great idea if it would work.
Unfortunately, several activist friends of mine have learned emails rarely work nearly as well as snail mail and even better, phone calls. Email is just too dadgum easy to delete or sift to a junk folder without ever having even been read. It’s a bummer, but if we all have an honest moment, just how much email do any of us read if we don’t recognize the sender or don’t take a cotton to the subject header?
*shakes head*
I dunno. Maybe if we all sent live strip tease-o-grams to their doors to deliver our outraged messages, we’d have better luck?
Comment by Ally — May 18, 2007 @ 11:12 am
It’s a classic case of “denial” - these people don’t want to face the truth - it’s just much easier to think small numbers - because if it’s a lot, and if our entire food supply is in question, well then what would that mean? Leaving our warm little cozy world of all is well.
Comment by Linda — May 18, 2007 @ 11:15 am
Comment by Ally — May 18, 2007 @ 11:12 am
i’m aware of that issue also, but i have seen a couple of stats where it looks like for/against are tallied. i’m doing email/phone calls.
i was just thinking if a reporter got 20 or so emails with a heading that said something like “NOT 16 Pet Deaths, THOUSANDS of Pet Deaths”
they might notice ;)
Comment by straybaby — May 18, 2007 @ 11:43 am
stray - point taken. I’m not saying not to email, just to supplement with other forms of contact as well. The more the merrier, eh? The strip tease idea could work - ya never know. I have a feeling many of these mucky mucks have very boring jobs, lol. ;)
Comment by Ally — May 18, 2007 @ 11:48 am
I just put this on the kitten food part of the recall since it was asked over there, but it should probably be here too:
CHENANGO VALLEY PET FOODS manufactures:
Back to Basics
Drs. Foster & Smith Products
Evolve
8 in 1 Ferret
Shep
SmartPak
Lick Your Chops
Comment by shelly — May 18, 2007 @ 12:30 pm
Comment by Maureen (Lilly & Lucy’s mom) 10:09am
Gosh that letter from Butterball reads like the same form letter others on here have received from other companies they have written to. Looks like they all subscribe to the same company to provide them with forms where they just fill in the necessary information. Sucks
Comment by VJ — May 18, 2007 @ 12:46 pm
At lunch I wanted to buy a protein bar - usually I buy the Promax bars at Trader Joes. But today I read the labels - manufactured for and made for using Whey Protein Concentrate (Ummm Whey you say?). Promax has high protein levels - so I looked at the “Organic Health Bars” and these were made in the USA with 8 grams of protein. Sigh…..I left without buying any.
Comment by Linda — May 18, 2007 @ 1:05 pm
I don’t know why these pet food guys think we are ruining their reputations. Seems to me they are doing a BANG-UP JOB of it all by themselves.
LMAO
Comment by Kathi — May 18, 2007 @ 2:50 pm
I was just checking my local news website to see if they have anything posted about the new recalls…….. nothing so far and I’ve sent it to them. Anyway when looking to see when the last time they posted any of the recalls I get this after I clicked on the link
Article Not Available
The article that you are trying to view is no longer available through this Web site. The content is copyrighted by the Associated Press, which requires NBC5.com to delete its stories two weeks after they are originally posted.
So in other terms if a person were to go looking on their news website for any info. at all they better do it with in two weeks or it will be gone !
Comment by Terri — May 18, 2007 @ 3:11 pm
AP) WASHINGTON About 80,000 chickens that were fed contaminated pet food scraps can be released for processing because testing showed meat from the birds is safe to eat, the Agriculture Department said Friday.
The chickens, bred to lay eggs hatched for chicks, had been held on Indiana farms after eating feed that included an industrial chemical blamed in the deaths of cats and dogs.
Their feed was supplemented with pet food scraps containing melamine and related compounds. Testing showed that melamine does not accumulate in birds and is eliminated by their bodies quickly, the USDA said.
Previously, the department cleared thousands of pigs given feed also made using pet food scraps.
Melamine contamination has been blamed for the deaths of an unknown number of dogs and cats, resulting in the recall of more than 100 brands of pet food.
While the dog and cat food was lethal to some pets, the diluted use of pet food scraps in animal feed apparently did not sicken any farm animals. Nor, in turn, do any of those animals pose a health risk to humans if eaten, according to the USDA and Food and Drug Administration.
Comment by Terri — May 18, 2007 @ 3:15 pm
The chickens, bred to lay eggs hatched for chicks, had been held on Indiana farms after eating feed that included an industrial chemical blamed in the deaths of cats and dogs.
Comment by Terri…..
Oh boy, so now we know they excrete the excess melamine (into their eggs?)…..does this mean we will now have melachicks running around? And then they’ll grow into more melachickens……oh, nevermind, I forgot the dilution factor.
Kiss my dilution factor…..
Comment by JanC — May 18, 2007 @ 3:55 pm
When melamine was a byproduct of cyromazine tests were developed to find them in chicken livers, eggs, lettuce. EPA removed melamine as a concern. They used to check for it along with the cyromazine.
http://www.epa.gov/oppbead1/methods/ramcl.htm#Cl
After I listened to Lou Dobbs tonite and saw that several states (not mine) had enacted COOL, I promptly fired off letters to my state dept of agriculture, governor& task force for a new georgia.
Dear Sir:
With all due respect to the Federal Government, I am at a loss as to the reason individual states do not immediately step up and :
1) Establish Country of Origin Labelling
2) Establish Food & Feed Safety Laws that fill the gap left by our impotent FDA & USDA.
3) Prohibit adulterated meats, vegetables, food ingredients into our grocery stores & into products manufactured in Georgia.
4) Require pet foods to be labelled and nutrition certificates verified. AAFCO on the label could not be used unless the company/brand was certified before being sold in Georgia and periodic testing be implemented.
5) Promote renewable agriculture
6) Promote organic farmers and programs
7) Let Georgians choose products made here and using ingredients approved here.
The Federal Government weighs too many earmarks that are not for the benefit of our state. Your department can fill in the gap and truly make a new, healthy Georgia.
Not only would this benefit the local economy, but would help consumers make choices to improve their health and provide a sense that our state cares about us. Right now, there’s an enormous number of people across the United States feeling disenfranchised because of pork barrel politics and business running our governments. Citizens are risk assessment numbers and the CDC is alerted to look for spikes in kidney failure & disease because they released adulterated food animals into the human food chain.
Please, at the very earliest opportunity implement a program to Help the citizens of Georgia, the companion animals, the livestock, our farmers, and our retailers improve our quality of life and our ability to make choices.
Comment by Ann H — May 18, 2007 @ 4:44 pm
http://www.fox21.com/Global/story.asp?S=6537952
Turnip greens being recalled, because of diesel fuel being in the cans. How does that happen.
Comment by shelly — May 18, 2007 @ 7:34 pm
This whole recall thing continues to be absolutely ridiculous!
Doesn’t the government work for us? Silly me…I thought that they did!
After the first couple of recalls on Drs. Foster and Smith, I decided, “ok, that’s it…no more.” Didn’t like the way the food digested either, with my kitties. Glad I made that choice now.
Comment by Marcy — May 18, 2007 @ 8:36 pm
anybody been to
Howl911
lately?
*SMILES*
“May 18, 2007: The updating of this website will commence tomorrow, May 19, 2007. In the meantime, thank you to everyone who sent messages of support and to all our visitors for their infinite patience during our temporary down-time.”
Comment by shelly — May 18, 2007 @ 9:08 pm
We can’t impeach Bush. Imagine the alternative that would leave us with. (Think “VP” . . . . . . . . . .)
Comment by The OTHER Pat — May 19, 2007 @ 6:39 am
In case anyone wants to see an example of the disdain the Pet Food Industry holds us in, go here:
http://www.petfoodindustry-dig.....?u1=friend
find “Pages” and select Page 50 for an Opinion piece by the Editor-in-Chief of “Petfood Industry” magazine.
Here’s an example of the “high esteem” in which she holds us:
“Anyone could read these blog postings and think they all make sense, especially if he or she has limited knowledge of animal nutrition, petfood or the recalls, or has a lot of emotion invested. (That might be an apt description of many pet owners.)”
Ah yes - the “uninformed hysterical pet owner” thing again. But they’re sure happy to take our money, aren’t they? Sigh . . . . . . .
Comment by The OTHER Pat — May 19, 2007 @ 6:46 am
I sometime wonder if it will all ever end. This started in March and cat food is still being recalled. Now Menu Foods is trying to settle with the human companions of sick and dead cats to save themselves money. In “Menu Foods Expects To Oppose Class Action Certification; Offers To Settle Individually,” The Cat Gergiev explains how Menu Foods is trying to sucker the human companions of cats into settling so that Menu Foods can avoid punitive damages.
Comment by Pierre - A Cat From France — May 21, 2007 @ 6:51 pm