The food? Or just the labels?
By Gina Spadafori
August 24, 2007
Thanks to everyone who sent us links to the story from Alabama about new UPC scan codes being put over codes that read as recalled pet foods. Christie and I looked at the piece when it first came out, and it seemed to our reading of the original story that Menu Foods and Wal-Mart weren’t selling recalled food but rather putting new UPC scan codes over pre-recall labels. Seems reasonable, since the labels on the recalled product get flagged at the check-out stand.
But before we could get this posted, the TV station updated with a very different story, that seems to bear out our suspicions:
[Menu Foods] spokesman Randall Copeland says that “in an effort to get back in business and provide a safe product to its customers, the menu foods put a sticker with a new product code over the original product code. Copeland went on to say, ”many will have a UPC attached ove the old UPC to deliniate that this is a new product.”
The company confirmed the old code is on the recall list, but says the food inside is safe. There are a couple of ways to check. First, look at the production date. Plus, all of the food manufactured after the recall has “QA OK” – meaning quality assured okay - on the pouch.
[...]
Special Kitty Cat Food is not the only pet food with the laminated labels over the old label. There are several brands of pet food, including some dog food – that have the new labels. Menu Foods has a list of the recalled items with the production dates and product code numbers listed on its website.
Here’s the new article. The old one I cannot find on the WTSA site. I’m guessing some lawyers called the newsroom at WTSA in Montgomery and had a few words.
Look, Wal-Mart did not get to be the biggest retailer in the world by being stupid. They’re not going to knowingly re-label and sell melamine-laced pet food. Menu? Well, on their collective corporate intelligence the jury is still out.
“Buyers beware!”
Comment by Marcy — August 24, 2007 @ 5:19 pm
I still hope someone sends it in for testing.
Comment by The OTHER Pat — August 24, 2007 @ 5:21 pm
i still think it was stupid to use the old packaging when trying to inspire confidence in the brand again. especially because the info wasn’t readily available to the customer. nice way to give someone a panic attack.
Comment by straybaby — August 24, 2007 @ 5:27 pm
Someones cat died…Dauh! Was it faulty packaging…I don’t think so. My cats have never died at the sight of faulty packaging. Or was it the industries attempt at resale of poisoned food? We have seen nothing but evidence that this compromised food is being put back into the food chain. Have we seen any evidence that this stuff is being put in landfills? Have we seen where the left hand is putting the food, where the right hand is trying to trick us? Where in the hell is this poisoned food going…period! We need to know that it is not being put back into the food chain. Not assurances. Facts.
Comment by Concha Castaneda — August 24, 2007 @ 5:48 pm
Maybe we should be buying up all this recalled food…keeping the receipts, making sure no one eats it. We should destroy it ourselves. We can’t trust them to do the right thing. We could buy the food and then get the money back, register complaints, gather evidence. Something???I am smarter than the stupid people that continue to shop Walmart. I should just go and buy all the tainted food I can: zerox the evidence and get my refund. Every one of you should do this if you can afford to. I will find a sponsor. I invite you all to do the same. I do not expect my government to do the right thing! What are we waiting for?
Comment by Concha Castaneda — August 24, 2007 @ 5:56 pm
Oh let’s just make things a little TOUGHER for folks trying to feed their pets.
If they are stupid enough to trust us after the thousands we just killed or maimed for life, and we got away with that just fine, why not do it AGAIN?
Gee, why wouldn’t anyone be happy to take their word? After all, these folks produce poison by the metric ton, delay recalls, harrass grieving pet owners and insult them daily for months. Geez, the vets sure seem to prefer hanging out with the PFI guys compared to, oh, the people who footed the bills for the last 5 months and cared for the ill and dying pets and really NEED more crap like this to put the cherry on the parfait!
I wish that MenuFoods would just say “The 16 “official ” deaths so often misquoted in the media are actually lab animals that we killed during feeding tests. Since thousands and thousands of people are suing the breeches off us you would think a reasonable person could have figured out that the FOOD killed between 250 and a half million pets and maimed god knows how many more , for life, but no, it appears the American public and the press are just_that_dumb.
The symptoms of the poisoning are drinking too much and peeing too much. Just HEARING about the toxins and compounds we spread across America and the entire food chain made the FDA pee themselves and start drinking heavily, so you can imagine what it did to the pets. Get your pets to the vet, who will charge you a lot of money, tell you homecooking will kill your pet and prescribe an expensive food they just happen to sell, which will contain new toxins. They are an integral part of our system of “pet care” and all you need to worry your pretty head about is signing this credit card slip. Walmart and P&G matter more than you or your kids or your pets and they always will, go away, you bother me.”
Or words to that effect.
And then the peasants attack with torches and pitchforks.
I dream about it.
But I dream about an end to this and that aint happening either.
Comment by E. Hamilton — August 24, 2007 @ 6:01 pm
They(Menu Foods) probably had a lot of unused packaging material left in their inventory and did not want to throw it out.
Anyway ,this little incident proofs that Wal-Mart is still doing business with Menu Foods.
They are not the large customer that cancelled their orders with Menu Foods. I will never ever buy the Special Kitty pouches again. Or any of those type of pouches since I believe all are made by Menu Foods regardless of brand. It was their forte product type. They invested much money in the equipment for manufacturing those pouches. Not many, if any , other petfood manufacturers in the USA had that type of equipment.
The canned Special Kitty stuff is still made by Del Monte as far as I know. Just dial the number on the cans and you get Del Monte.
Comment by Serijna — August 24, 2007 @ 6:58 pm
E, you know how much we’ve valued your comments from the beginning, but …
I really think you’re being unfair to veterinarians. And I’m not just saying that because my writing partner IS a veterinarian (Dr. Marty Becker) nor because I’ve written books with two other veterinarians (Dr. Paul Pion and Dr. Brian Speer).
For the Pet Connection bloggers, the pet-food recall story started when VETERINARIANS let us know that there was something going on with the nation’s pet-food supply. We were the first to break this open and push it into the national consciousness, but we wouldn’t have known how widespread and serious the situation was if the nation’s VETERINARIANS hadn’t tipped us that this wasn’t some little bitty problem with the food.
Once we were deep into the coverage, Dr. Marty Becker supported us in our reporting. And I’ll never forget my friend and co-author Dr. Paul Pion of the Veterinarian Information Network who fearlessly stepped up and confirmed for all that this was more than “16 dead pets.” Mind you, this was the SECOND time Dr. Pion stepped up in his career. As the veterinary researcher who in the ’80s made the definitive link between taurine deficiency and dilated cardiomyopathy in cats, he is credited with preventing the deaths of tens of thousands of cats every year.
Who knows how many more lives his Veterinary Information Network saved this time.
Show a little respect for those veterinarians who fought for our pets. I won’t claim that all veterinarians are wonderful (any more than I would claim that all journalists are wonderful!), but I do have a great deal of respect for the profession, and even more respect for those individual veterinarians who have shown great courage on behalf of our pets.
OK, off my soapbox. I just had to say that.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — August 24, 2007 @ 7:03 pm
NFL Suspends Michael Vick Indefinitely
“It is fitting that the NFL has suspended him,” said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States. “He’s now a role model for something terrible, and it’s not appropriate that he suit up in an NFL uniform.”
He’s now a role model for something terrible?
http://apnews.myway.com//artic.....O0MG0.html
yep thats true Xuzhou Anying Biologic Technology Development that Killed all our fury friends has Hired Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick as pitchman Billy wiseman
Xuzhou Anying Biologic Technology Development Hired Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick
For What..they killed my dog and they are hireing people like they have money :+{ Yes im TICKED…billy
August 9, 2007
Dog Eat Dog
Chinese pet food company hires Vick as pitchman
His lucrative Nike endorsement contract is history, his NFL career is in limbo, and his reputation is in tatters after accusations of running a brutal dog-fighting ring. But Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick still has one business willing to employ him as a pitchman: Xuzhou Anying Biologic Technology Development, the Chinese firm accused of peddling tainted ingredients to pet food companies.
The deal was brokered by Simone Amorral, founder of Nashville’s Amorral Public Relations. Amorral has made representing “radioactive” clients her specialty. Several years ago, she was hired by a pack of West Nashville coyotes distressed at the relentless negative news coverage of their cat-eating habits. She also briefly represented Don Sundquist.
Amorral even has experience with NFL players-last year she was hired by the Titans’ Albert Haynesworth to spearhead an image cleanup following his on-field stomping of Cowboys player Andre Gurode. She arranged, among other publicity stunts, for him to stomp his own grapes for his signature brand of wine, and to perform as a guest in a touring company of the stage show Stomp.
“Whatever works,” the P.R. veteran says with a shrug.
She says her ongoing relationship with the Chinese firm, which retained her as soon as dogs and cats started dropping dead from its products last spring, inspired her to pick up the phone and pitch her services to Vick.”When I saw that Michael was losing all his endorsement deals and just being barbecued by the press for his alleged dog-fighting operation, I knew he would be a good fit for Xuzhou Anying Biologic Technology Development, or, as I affectionately call them, XABTD,” Amorral adds.
“Both of them are accused of killing dogs, which is a lose-lose, but I think putting them together in this deal can be a win-win.”
Vick’s first commercials touting the benefits of XABTD could air as early as next month, Amorral says.
http://www.nashvillescene.com/.....g_Eat_Dog/
Comment by Billy wiseman — August 24, 2007 @ 7:33 pm
Um, Billy … that story’s a spoof.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — August 24, 2007 @ 7:44 pm
>> Look, Wal-Mart did not get to be the biggest retailer in the world by being stupid
Ummmm … with all due respect, using packaging containing original UPC labels of recalled products in the face of severely damaged consumer confidence qualifies as being pretty stupiud. What do they expect people to think when their pets get sick and they check the pet food container and find … surprise! A new label covering the original label. Which just oh so happens to be on the recall list. Yeah that’s a heck of a way to regain confidence.
Comment by Tamar — August 24, 2007 @ 7:59 pm
How cheap can you get to use those old cans in their inventory? Like the food that was intended to fill them, they are tainted. Send them to the recycler and make some money off them that way. In addition to checking ingredients and country of origin, I will now be checking the packages too. How sad this has become and how smart we are getting. Thank goodness for the internet as this was not on any news I saw.
Comment by Sindy — August 24, 2007 @ 8:11 pm
I agree with Gina. While not all vets are good and/or honest people, not all vets are the evil monsters being portrayed. It’s unfair to group all of them into one category based on a bad experience.
I’ve said it before, our vet has been and is absolutely wonderful. She still today is in this fight against Menu Foods and the FDA. When Maks was recovering she did not recommend the food carried by her hospital and, these days, she and I research food together to find something she can be confident in recommending.
She’s become very close to my entire family during the last several months and I have the upmost respect for her and her co-workers at the hospital.
Thanks you again, Gina.
Karen Goodhart
Comment by Karen Goodhart — August 24, 2007 @ 8:21 pm
Um, Billy … that story’s a spoof.
spoof?? i dont think its very funny!!!
Comment by Billy wiseman — August 24, 2007 @ 8:57 pm
Gina,
The vets, as a group, both did and did NOT do things that have cost them respect.
And not just in my eyes.
The pictures and transcripts from the conference put the last nail in that coffin.
And not just for me.
I appreciate you and the site and Christie and even Dr. Becker, though I have to confess, until I found this site I had never heard of him and still haven’t watched him on TV and would not know him if he bit me on the butt.
The vets are gonna have to take the licks for what they did, and did NOT do.
And not just from me.
Harder things than I have EVER written here are said about those actions and inactions by numbers of people that are growing.
The big difference here is that I say them to a persons or a professions face, fool that I am, I like to give people, and professions, a chance to make amends. Others prefer to say things behind the back. Make no mistake, front or back, it IS being said and thought and fumed over.
Comment by E. Hamilton — August 24, 2007 @ 9:12 pm
My Mom is getting up there in years, and we see many doctors. I just wish anyone of them treated her as well as any of the vets we have dealt with (and I have seen many of them too.) The vets are all much better about taking the time to listen and explain. They seem to listen with their hearts as well as their ears(perhaps it’s because their patients can’t talk?) There isn’t a one of them that I wouldn’t rather see then the doctors at the clinic my insurance pays for…
That said however, I was stunned and saddened by the lack of knowledge about nutrition in the veterinary community. Any of the vets I have talked to seemed (before this mess)to believe anything they were told by pet food makers. A healthy diet (other than for weight control) was never anything that we talked about when we talked about keeping the gang healthy… My vet friends are scrambling now to get up to speed so they can advise their clients who want to homecook or feed raw, or to help choose the best food for a given animal and about time too.
I have really mixed feelings about the sale of pet food in the vets office. It cannot help but be a conflict when Hills is paying a good share of the rent, but, I don’t relish the higher vet bills that come with making up lost revenue either.
Sigh.
Comment by Schnauzer — August 24, 2007 @ 9:30 pm
We all may know some very special ones, but not all veterinarians are lily white here. I think they could, as a group, have been more forthcoming during the crisis, or for that matter, now.
Because of their potential liability and being an obvious act of admission, it may be that many - or most - veterinarians feared coming forward, or becoming too involved, or saying too much, affirming that the prescribed food was the cause of the deaths and illness. As recently as last week I have read on the Internet serious discussions as to whether or not the veterinarians should be sued along with Menu Foods, et al, in class action lawsuits.
Comment by Nadine — August 24, 2007 @ 9:46 pm
I have knowingly bought 4 items from China since Iams and Menu foods killed my beloved Scoutie, an Australian cattle dog, on February 25. I feel shame everytime that I wear those stupid croc flip flops. It will be 6 months tomorrow. I am still not right. I have been treated for Metabolic disorder since her death. All dog and cat lovers and anyone that cares about quality products, should immediately begin their boycott of China. The Olympics are just around the corner. The prestige of being awarded that honor has catapulted their greed and corruption to levels not seen since America’s industrial age. But, there is no excuse now. We know how not to contaminate water, food ,clothing, toys, and pet food. We have to demand that COOL be passed. WE have to demand quality products, preferably produced in the Great USA. We need to buy locally. We need to know that the government agencies are not going to look out for us, our children, our pets.
I did not contribute much when the blogging was hot and heavy during the scandal. I was so depressed. I could just barely read all the posts. I felt support and understanding when I could come here and feel that there was a huge community out there that was supporting what I knew to be true. We need to now demand what every American deserves. We should shut every Wal-mart down. Plastics no more!!!
My precious Scoutie. Mama misses you so much.
Comment by Allison — August 24, 2007 @ 10:25 pm
Comment by Allison — August 24, 2007 @ 10:25 pm
Hang in there Allison, wish I could hug you.
And you are entirely correct, we HAVE to do it.
To save our pets, our kids, our country and because the post above breaks my heart and there HAS to be an end to this!
There cannot be the healing and ending that this disaster requires until there are apologies, acknowledgment, amends, changes.
Soon, perhaps already for some, even that will not bring peace.
6 months tomorrow for Allison.
Sigh.
Comment by E. Hamilton — August 24, 2007 @ 10:47 pm
Thanks E
Comment by Allison — August 24, 2007 @ 10:58 pm
I agree with the mixed feelings about vets these days — especially as these seems to be some real lack of understanding about nutrition.
I’ve got to my own vet hospital for about 20 years. The vets there are caring and have done their best for my pets. However, they are older and based on the reading I’ve done here, don’t seem to be on top of many issues.
Lindsey (cat) has had some issues since he was sickened during the pet food recall. The vets suggested Hill’s c/d which actually gave him serious constipation. Then they wanted to put him on drugs.
By reading through the Itchmo forums and surfing the Net and finding a paper on kitty constipation given by a Canadian vet at the CA professional conference, I made some changes in Lindsey’s diet that really seem to be working (grain-free wet food, pumpkin, milk in the evening).
I discussed this all with one of my vets and she wanted me to add one of the Iams wet food fish flavors to the mix.
I have known this woman for years and I really do respect her, but I totally freaked out. Iams Whitefish and Salmon flavors are what put Lindsey at the Emergency Vet where it cost me $1000 to save his life (he’s worth it!). Iams never even refunded the purchase price of the food we bought, let along touched his vet bills. And his digestive system has been struggling ever since, so the price tag is probably much higher.
There seems to be a disconnect on how upset many of us really are about how this pet food recall affected our lives. Our dog park ended up sponsoring a local expert on raw feeding to come and give a seminar. But some of the vets, while caring, just aren’t admiting — or realizing — that there is a gap in their own knowledge and their best clients these days are really, really jumpy — and they need to do their part to restore confidence.
I’ll give another local example — for those of us with pets, it’s like Lyme Disease came to town and the local doctors didn’t bother to really research what it was and how to treat it (and unfortunately, that happens a lot here in the Northeast also.)
Comment by Dorene — August 25, 2007 @ 5:12 am
Allison, my sympathy is with you. I haven’t had a day pass that in some way I wasn’t reminded of my dear little Skeeter - and every day since March I’ve been coping with trying to bring my Tycho back to a stable state of health and energy. It’s been a long sad time.
And Gina, I understand your position, and certainly there are so many good and dedicated vets. But truly, I did and do feel as though my pups and I were let down by the profession. If I, living in a remote community with limited resources, could know more about what was going on with the whole food/poison situation, why were the vets not able to be the guardians we want them to be? Why were my immediate concerns waved away - because “only 16 animals” were involved? I KNEW BETTER. No bulletins, no flash emergency messages went out from any professional source to the vet community. No advice, no warnings went out to pet owners.
Anger for the Chinese scammers, anger for the cheap, lying pet food manufacturers, anger for our gormless government,anger for the retailers, and something - sadness tinged with anger for the vets. And still they don’t get it. Rub it in. PFI indeed.
Losing a dog hurts. At 77, I didn’t need to have my dogs poisoned and killed.
Comment by Nancy Nielsen — August 25, 2007 @ 5:30 am
Thanks for letting us know what was going on with the covered up labels.
I really doubted even Menu Foods would be stupid enough to put the contaminated food back on shelves. More then likely Wal-Mart didn’t even notice the new label had been placed over the old label until a customer brought it to their attention.
It’s still really scary though, especially since the ladies 4 cats got sick. I am no longer feeding my cats canned or pouched catfood as that seems to be where the problem is.
I also want to add the all the veterinarians I know are terrific people who really love animals and did their best to help with the pet food recall.
Comment by Alasandra — August 25, 2007 @ 5:34 am
Allison, i’m so very sorry. We all know what’s it like to loose a pets[s]. What is metabolic disorder? Just wondering, because since all this i am going for tests all the time, and no one can figure out what’s wrong with Me. thanks,
Comment by Trudy Jackson — August 25, 2007 @ 8:14 am
Allison, I am very sorry for your loss.
Gina, I understand what you are saying. But, I live in a very populated area with a vet school, many specialty care vets and large practices. When my dog showed those symptoms in late Feb., her specialty vet said panic attacks! I even mentioned suspicion of perhaps a food sensitivity?? In my vets defense, I realize the PFI/ or FDA were very slow to share info. with the vet community.
Yesterday, my dog was seen by her vet for “the runs”. Big difference yesterday; my vet worked with me to rework the homecooked diet and did not even suggest I/D canned or dry food. That is a 360 change. From the dog food crisis I’ve learned the importance of being my animals advocate. Questions, Internet, research are helping me now ask pointed questions. My vet is learning to accept that and I think learning to appreciate my in depth concern for my pets health. Is that true across the county - I hope so.
Does that take the vet community off the hook - no. They need to become more active and outspoken as a group and quit cozing up to the PFI.
Katie
PS: My USA made dinnerware is arriving today, and I can’t wait to smash the Made in China dishes into smitherens.
Comment by Katie — August 25, 2007 @ 10:27 am
Katie,
Please tell us where you can find U.S. made dinnerware? I checked all my coffee cups this morning, and found all but 2 were made in China.
Comment by Elaine Smith — August 25, 2007 @ 10:46 am
OK, this has sent me over the edge. Head exploded last night with the thought of this nightmare starting over again. Unfortunately some people shop at Wal-mart and they have their reasons. I don’t and have the resources to shop elsewhere. In any case, it’s about the pets who need someone to speak for them. I just emailed CNN and our local and national News with links to petconnection and Itchmo regarding Wal-mart’s actions. Note: this is breaking on the weekend again and doesn’t it sound like the Friday afternoon recall habit?
Send emails to the news stations in your area. Maybe somewhere this will break out and people can learn more about changing UPC codes, Wal-mart, and our dear problem maker in all of this - Menu Foods.
Put the word out. Do it for our furchildren who are still here and for those who have left us. If everyone sent even one email, that is more than is out there right now.
Comment by Sindy — August 25, 2007 @ 10:52 am
We do trust companies and our government to protect us from the tainted foods that have been recalled, and they have been doing that year after year with no incidents that I can remember (could have missed something, I admit). Take a look at the FDA.gov site and you will see many foods/products recalled over the last 60 days. Look at the archives and you will see a long list of products that have been recalled (or warnings issued, etc.) for some reason during 2006 and other years. I do not think that we have to go out and buy up all the carrots, green beans, or smoked fish to ensure that the government and the manufacturers take it off the market.
The problem is at the FRONT-END of the situation — how do consumers, companies and the gov’t find out which products are dangerous to eat or use? I would love for all products to be tested before anyone ate/used them, but that is impossible in this huge population. Earlier communication of problems found is the best we can honestly hope for, and making it better for a company to come forward speedily with their own recall rather than hoping to hide their problem. Pet owners have affected the marketplace, I believe, by the change in our buying habits, and these websites that continue to carry on the questioning about our food supply helps keep pressure on the companies and our government to improve the system. We do need to do more, and I’m not certain what that something else is that needs to be done.
Like other posters, I wish I could have my vet for my personal physician. He’s not perfect, though - neither my personal physician nor my vet get much training in nutrition. My vet didn’t know that some of the foods sold in his office would turn up on the recall list UNTIL they were recalled. I told my vet some of the info I found here when the recalls were going hot and heavy, and he was trying to keep up with the daily changes just like we were. He had only a few potentially affected animals under his care the last I heard, and I trust him to help them as much as possible. My personal physician doesn’t ever tell me about recalled food on the FDA list, but I don’t blame her for not warning me — my vet does always ask about the foods I use, although they’ve been more interested in whether the foods were causing some allergic reactions etc. rather than being actually poisonous.
I remember when people tried to avoid products “made in Japan” because they were cheaply made (many decades ago). China certainly has to take major steps to improve their inspections, and we have every right to question their products until they prove their safety. This will happen over time, and our question is how to protect ourselves in the meanwhile.
Comment by shadepuppy — August 25, 2007 @ 11:14 am
thank you i thought it was True and i was throwing a fit as my dog has passed and i saw that and about had a stroke,mabey i will think its funny when my court case is over thanks for taking the time writing me back and letting me know, Billy wiseman
———— Original Message ————
Subject: RE: [NASHVILLESCENE.COM] Email from a reader
From: “Liz Murray Garrigan”
Date: Sat, August 25, 2007 6:28 am
To:
It’s fake. It’s a weekly satire column called The Fabricator.
Um, Billy … that story’s a spoof.
spoof?? i dont think its very funny
Comment by Billy wiseman — August 25, 2007 @ 11:29 am
Elaine,
I went to the madeinusa.com website and than also researched where companies make their product.
My “Clay Art” is made in China. It does not state on the dish - lead free and couldn’t find any info. on the web. It has some chips where the clay is exposed. With all that is going on about lead..I deceided now is the time to “pitch them”. I bought several pieces of Fiestaware, made in the USA - lead free. I learned that Oneida is made here and Corelle. My Corelle specifically says Made in USA and company verified it. Not sure if that covers their whole line. Also helpful, on some of the dept. store sites like JC Penny,Kohl’s and Macy’s they specifically tell you what is made here and what is lead free. I was surprised that Pfazlgraff(sorry for the spelling)on the JC Penny site only showed a few sets made in the USA. I had assumed they were a totally made in USA company.
Katie
Comment by Katie — August 25, 2007 @ 12:21 pm
for Pfazlgraff, you can can get usa made stuff off ebay. i just bought some to go with my pasta set. all pieces are marked made in the usa.
Comment by straybaby — August 25, 2007 @ 12:37 pm
Trudy,
Metabolic disorder is high blood pressure, high blood sugar and high cholesterol. I had always been fine—a little overweight- but blood pressure and sugar were good. Cholesterol was borderline. In April I went to the doctor and everything was elevated. I am now practically a vegetarian, drink a little coffee in the morning, and a little Jack and coke on Friday nights. I walk 3 miles and have lost 30 pounds. My numbers are much better. My heart is still sick. I miss my Scout tremendously.
Comment by Allison — August 25, 2007 @ 4:13 pm
It is absolutely ridiculous and inexcusable that this fiasco is still going on!
This just reinforces what we have learned about what the retail industry thinks about its customers…they just don’t give a darn. All they care about is money.
What they don’t seem to realize is that we’re not stupid. If I get “burned” once, I sure am not going to return for another.
My supermarket is no longer my source for pet food now (and has not been, since I lost my cat JuJu in April from being poisoned by her food). In fact, you should see my supermarket. The pet food aisle is deserted. Terrific sales on pet food…but no one buying.
I think that Walmart has committed a big blunder in doing what they did. I have sent the information to everyone I know, on them trying to resell the tainted food…and encourage others to do the same.
They have proven that we just can’t trust them anymore.
Comment by Marcy — August 25, 2007 @ 6:15 pm
Shadepuppy - Yes, you missed a lot. But most of us did until 3/16. Since the FDA checks less than 1% and has no authority to issue recalls until notified of a problem by someone in the source chain (usually days or weeks after a problem is found), a lot of issues, especially local and state, go under the radar.
I didn’t realize until all this began unfolding, how pure greed and politics, had corrupted those things, like food safety, I had always taken for granted.
After reading and viewing so much information -thanks to Petconnection and Itchmo and their links - over the past 5 mos, I’m aware of our USDA/ranching and GM/ag issues even in the good old USA, our overwhelmed, underfunded and understaffed FDA, and the unbelievable conditions and issues in China. And the means to communicate my desire for change.
My motto has become: Ask a lot of questions and question a lot of answers.
As far as vets - they are human like all of us. Although I changed vets in the midst of this turmoil and got a correct diagnosis, I lost my beloved Maltese of 15 yrs to a mouth cancer. She loved pigs ears and smoked hooves. Questions anyone?
Comment by MaineMom — August 25, 2007 @ 6:24 pm
My motto has become: Ask a lot of questions and question a lot of answers. — MaineMom
—
Amen to that!
Comment by Gina Spadafori — August 25, 2007 @ 6:33 pm
“Please tell us where you can find U.S. made dinnerware?”
Fiestaware! Made in the USA by the Homer Laughlin Company - comes in fabulous colors and is amazingly indestructible. I’ve been using it for years and you can stick it in the oven, microwave, dishwasher, etc. No I don’t work for this company but I am a huge fan of their product :)
Comment by Susan — August 25, 2007 @ 7:30 pm
“My motto has become: Ask a lot of questions and question a lot of answers.—MaineMom”
Thank you! That really is the solution, I think. If you’re not getting the feedback you want, ask for it. Believe it or not (I’m always shocked), most vets are used to working with people who really don’t want that much info.
As for blaming vets for not being nutritionists… umm, how many of you have doctors with nutritional expertise? Few, I’d guess.
Well, you do the math:
Doctors learn to treat 1 species over 6-7 years
Vets learn 9+ species in 4-5 years
Between physiology, oncology, neurology, etc. for all of the above, there isn’t a lot of time in the curriculum for nutrition. And it doesn’t help that most vets believe that the issue of good nutrition has already been resolved. Whether that’s true, who knows. But empirically, quality food is much easier to come by now than 30 years ago - and that’s the main reason there’s so little attention paid to it in vet school.
In the interest of full disclosure, my partner’s a vet. And I can tell you that the continuing education stuff coming to the house these days has a WHOLE LOT more nutrition education in it than it used to. Some folks are paying attention to this.
I can also tell you that I know a whole lot of vets, good, bad, and indifferent. Not ONE would recommend or sell a food they thought was less than adequate or harmful. That would just be bad business - and in a competitive marketplace, just stupid.
And I have to add that I don’t know one vet who home-cooks. (Not that that’s good or bad, and maybe we’d all be better served if a few did.) But my point is that vets, who love their pets every bit as much as you, are also feeding their pets the same stuff they’re selling you - because they believe, right or wrong, that it’s good food.
Sure, we can all question the food quality, not to mention the prices, which range from the eye-popping to the outrageous. But no one I know is trying to sell their clients food they don’t believe is good and safe. Our two dogs and three cats eat food off the same shelf where my partner’s clients buy theirs. If she or I believed for one second there was something wrong with it, that would all change. (And during the recall, it did.)
So thanks to Gina and all those who’ve defended vets. Yes, some are bad. Yes, some charge too much. If you don’t like the one you’ve got, then change. But don’t tar them all with the same brush.
:)
Comment by Laura — August 25, 2007 @ 9:52 pm
Keep in mind that in general, what little “nutritional education” exists in vet school comes in the form of seminars put on and paid for by - guess who? Why, Hill’s! Hills funds a lot of veterinary scholarships, too.
And what kind of food can you find for sale in virtually every veterinary office you go two? (Anyone who misses this answer has to stay after and clean the blackboards!)
Comment by The OTHER Pat — August 26, 2007 @ 5:12 am
So glad you mentioned Homer Laughlin Dinnerware made in USA Fiestaware. I have been collecting and selling it on Ebay for a year. The company started right here in Ohio and then moved across the River to West Virginia. It has a great history. I have been to the Factory in Newell several times and the old buildings are still there. I think in the 40’s Homer Laughlin appealed to the US government to stop importing China from China. They were basically denied this request and went out of business for several years. They recovered and came back from that and continue today in spite of the continuous competition from China. I am finding lots of Fiesta people love and have beloved pets.
Comment by Concha Castaneda — August 26, 2007 @ 9:48 am
Thank you all for the tip to FiestaWare. I’m in need of new casual China, and will now order from this company. Not only is it American, it’s also beautiful stuff!
OK, now … how about linens?
Comment by Gina Spadafori — August 26, 2007 @ 10:42 am
90% of pet owners are NOT gonna print out a page of recalled food or read on the internet about stickers over UPC codes.
And while your individual vet may be a peach I HAVE done the research for EXACTLY how easy it would have been , at any time in the last 5 months, for a vet, ANY vet, to get public service TV time , to get the news about the symptoms of the poison out.
All ANY one of them had to do was ask, that is it.
Just ask.
That easy.
What hundreds, if not thousands, of grieving pet parents begged and pleaded to get for month after month was right there for the taking to a vet, at every and any TV station in this country. In fact, many TV stations say that the entire story would have gotten a lot more coverage if vets has asked for it.
But, hey, people get what they are willing to put up with. The next time something like this poisoning happens, you will know what to expect.
Comment by E. Hamilton — August 26, 2007 @ 11:40 am
Where is Senator Durbin in all this? Where is help?
Comment by Jill — August 26, 2007 @ 1:46 pm
I will ask everyone a BIG Question WHY are the stores relabeling the pet food to make it look as if the food is OK when it is NOT OK. WHY?
Are they that stupid.
Comment by Jill — August 26, 2007 @ 2:21 pm
It has been since March and it is still going on what is WRONG?
Comment by Jill — August 26, 2007 @ 2:22 pm
Hi everyone. I was just reading this thread and I do agree that there are a lot of good vets out there - some bad and some indifferent. Did you know that approx. 25% of a vets office income comes from food? I just discovered that recently. That’s a big percentage. Now in the interest of disclosure, I sell a holistic food called Pet Chef Express. As a matter of fact, we are the Ohio distributor for it. Since IAMS is made in Ohio, we take on the battle every day. It upsets me that even their “Natural” line contains by products in it. Yep, even after the recall, they have “Chicken by product meal” as the second ingredient and corn as the fourth. Regardless of the ingredients, IAMS (at least here in Ohio) has this contract with all the major pet organizations (Vets, Humane Societies, Shelters), that they supply food and MONEY (lots of it) to them. IAMS might as well buy these organizations because that’s what they have done with this contract. We found out the Humane Society here in Dayton have two kittens they are trying to adopt out together. Since I know adopting out two is harder than one, I called the tv station (since I saw them on there) and offered to feed the kittens for six months once they are adopted (and even am before that) so they people would not have to worry about the added expense of food. I called today and agreed to supply the cat litter and treats too. TV station (big pet advocates) were thrilled, so was their foster mom (who works at the tv station and volunteers for the humane society). The tv station (FOX) asked me to come in and do the donation on air with the kittens present so the kittens get more exposure. The second in command at the HS was thrilled, even after I warned them to check their contract with IAMS. Regardless of how I feel about IAMS, I do not want to risk the Humane Society losing money to help care for the animals by all means. The director said “no” because of “Contractual agreements” with IAMS. Most vets won’t speak out against them because of the kick backs they get from them. And I am sure it’s the same with different parts of the country with other manufactorers. Humane Society employees won’t buy the food, but the HS itself can’t agree to carry other foods or tell people about it. In fact, the animal shelter here in Dayton had a truck full of Pedigree donated to them, but they can’t do ANYTHING with it other than give it away. They can’t even announce it.
Comment by Marianne — August 26, 2007 @ 3:21 pm
Marianne, thanks for the information. I’m sure it’s the same story here in California and everywhere else. 25% - explains why some sole-practice vets can stay in business though, and why I now go to a large multi-vet clinic that doesn’t rely on pet food income.
Comment by MaineMom — August 26, 2007 @ 8:19 pm
E. Hamilton - when the recall was in the beginning stages, I took printouts to two local vet’s offices in the hope they would make copies and provide them to clients. In both offices (which I then patronized) I got a funny look and a “thanks” before they roundfilled them. I am sure both of these clinics depend on food sales to offset expenses.
I’ve been extremly impressed and happy with the new multi-vet clinic (one of the largest in Northern CA) I switched to several months ago.
But this is why a lot of very good doctors have gone to work at places like Kaiser in the last few years. They would rather treat patients than deal with the nuts and bolts of an office practice.
Comment by MaineMom — August 26, 2007 @ 8:38 pm
Why would they think that anyone would trust a new sticker over an old label? We aren’t that stupid.
Comment by Pamela J. Betz-Baron — August 27, 2007 @ 8:39 pm
I tested my dogs ceramic water bowls for lead content and they were fine. However my dishes Apple Casuals made by China Pearl in China tested positive for lead content. I used one of those lead testing kits from Home Depot. I threw the dishes out. these are what they look like.
http://www.replacements.com/webquote/CHPAPP.htm
What about all the dog toys made in China almost every tag says made in China. How can we trust them in our dogs mouths?
Comment by Barb — August 29, 2007 @ 11:53 pm