pet connection

From the AP, which apparently has finally (!!) embraced the idea that thousands of pets died:

Thousands of pet owners whose dogs and cats died last year after eating contaminated pet food traced to China could be close to a $32 million settlement.

A federal judge in Camden was to hear oral arguments on the final proposal Tuesday. The court also will consider any filed objections.

The settlement allows pet owners to apply for expenses associated with deaths and illnesses, including the costs of veterinarians, time missed from work to care for sick animals, replacement pets, burial expenses and even property damaged because animals got sick.

In addition to the $8 million they had already agreed to pay owners of sickened pets, the pet food companies would put up $24 million for the settlement.

The case began in March 2007, when companies that make or sell pet food — including Menu Foods Income Fund, which makes dog and cat food under about 90 brand names from its base in Streetsville, Ontario — agreed to settle lawsuits with pet owners.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration later found that the food contained melamine, a chemical used to make plastics. The chemical was traced to contaminated wheat gluten imported from China.

In April, lawyers for representing plaintiffs and dozens of companies announced they had struck a deal for pet owners in the United States and Canada.

Under the terms, even those who did not keep any receipts for either the pet food or the costs of the pets’ illness and death could get up to $900 per animal.

A positive development, to be sure. But wouldn’t it be better if our government (and others) were working harder to keep China from poisoning us with more melamine? Nice that China has finally decided to test all milk products for the stuff, but too little too late and it wasn’t just in milk before.

Update, with details:

A federal judge Tuesday approved a $24 million settlement for owners of dogs and cats who were sickened or died after eating pet food contaminated with an industrial chemical.

The ruling by U.S. District Judge Noel Hillman clears the way for U.S. pet owners with claims to start receiving checks next year. A Canadian judge has scheduled a hearing for Nov. 3 to determine whether the settlement can also apply in that nation.

Under the deal, pet owners have until Nov. 24 to file claims.

The settlement is to compensate owners for many expenses, including: the cost of the food, medical and burial expenses for their animals, the value of the animals or the cost of replacement pets, checkups for animals who ate the food but did not get sick, replacing carpets ruined by sick pets, and time the owners took off work to seek treatment for their animals.

Here for the rest.

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