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Friday-night dump-and-run recalls — it’s the American Way!
By Gina Spadafori
July 3, 2010
As we’ve often written here, recalls themselves aren’t a bad thing. Food is a perishable item, after all. And even in the best of companies with top protocols, things can sometimes go wrong. A prompt recall widely disseminated with honesty and concern is good corporate behavior, and a sign that the food-safety system is working as it should be.
That’s not, however, what I’m writing about this morning.
Two companies — Merrick, which is well known, and UPG, known pretty much only for an earlier recall (and poor corporate behavior that time, too) — did the Friday night dump-and-run recall news shame one better — they dumped and ran on a Friday night before a major three-day holiday.
I’d already gone to bed, but sharp-eyed Therese Kopiwoda of PetSitUSA and ThePetfoodList.com apparently never sleeps.
Here’s Merrick, via ThePetFoodList.com:
Yesterday the FDA sent a letter to Garth Merrick, owner of Tejas Industries about the recall of Merrick Beef Filet Squares Dog Treats back in January. The FDA wants to know why Merrick didn’t let customers know they’d recalled the dog treats due to salmonella contamination. Instead, they said it was from improper processing.
Just now I found a new notice for a recall for Merrick Beef Filet Squares Dog Treats, dated today, for the very same dog treats but with a different lot number. The treats recalled in January had the lot number of 9323. The ones recalled today have the lot number of 10084TL7. This is a new recall.
Let me say this: I would never, ever buy anything ever again from a company that did this.
I would rather buy from P&G/Iams, which has always been outstanding in its recalls, going so far as to not only issue a release well-coordinated with the FDA during business hours, but also to contact news media and bloggers directly, as well as send their social media team onto Twitter and Facebook to spread the word. Not to mention, it was Iams who triggered the 2007 pet food recall, by telling Menu Foods that they were going to act now or get the hell out of the way because Iams would let pet-owners know.
And I would rather buy from Nature’s Variety, a company that made the recall notice the entire front page of its website, with a letter from the president of the company explaining what happened, and what steps were being taken to ensure it would never happen again.
As for Merrick, their behavior is simply not acceptable. I suggest you find them on Twitter and let them know, especially since there’s nothing on their Website homepage or their Twitter stream about the recall.
Major hat tip to Therese, who apparently never sleeps.
Now go spread the word.
We now resume our holiday blogging vacation … shoulda known someone would try to slip something by us.
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Sleep?
Comment by Therese — July 3, 2010 @ 7:02 am
Thank you for this information. I’ve forwarded it to all my clients who feed Merrick.
Comment by Amy Suggars — July 3, 2010 @ 7:05 am
Shameful corporate behavior by Merrick. Thanks for the heads up on this, Gina. I’d ask that the readers here who have your own bullhorns elsewhere on The Interwebs spread the word. Merrick should know that their sleazy behavior carries consequences.
Comment by David S. Greene — July 3, 2010 @ 7:10 am
Natural Balance Sweet Potato and Chicken Dry Dog Food, also.
Comment by Lis — July 3, 2010 @ 7:41 am
Left a Twitter reply to one of their posts asking what “your favorite treat” is. I said the ones that aren’t a holiday weekend dump and run recall. And that I would never, ever buy anything from them again. Wonder how long that tweet will last.
Comment by Susan Fox — July 3, 2010 @ 7:41 am
Thanks Therese and PetConnection! Is anyone else wondering why the UPG recall due to salmonella includes a cleaner as well as supplements? Its vewy stwange….
Comment by Sandi K — July 3, 2010 @ 7:54 am
Go Susan!
Comment by David S. Greene — July 3, 2010 @ 7:54 am
And can I say, Susan, I luv your tweet, you go girl!
Comment by Sandi K — July 3, 2010 @ 7:55 am
Merrick just tweeted their recall about four minutes ago. I’m sure it’s coincidence, and they meant to do it all along.
Merrick’s fancy canned meals were one of the last things my old retriever Heather would eat before she died. Now I’ll make the “shepherd’s pie” and “cowboy cookout” myself if need be.
Merrick’s poor corporate behavior has put them on my “no buy” list.
And it’s still not on their home page. Path: Homepage>About Us>News&Info>http://www.merrickpetcare.com/.....hp?tid=430
Comment by Gina Spadafori — July 3, 2010 @ 8:05 am
Crummy companies for doing this. Wish they would spend more on their public relations and less on their fancy booths at the major trade shows.
Comment by ericka — July 3, 2010 @ 8:15 am
Merrick’s response, via Twitter for iPhone: “We became aware of the issue Friday morning, July 2nd and only received FDA approval on the press release at 4:30pm same day.”
Here’s the problem: If this wasn’t a pattern in the industry, and if the problems with dump-and-run recalls weren’t ongoing, there’d be a lot more tendency to believe a statement of this kind.
Not to mention: Where was Merrick’s concern and urgency last January?
Comment by Gina Spadafori — July 3, 2010 @ 9:16 am
Gina, that recall from January isn’t even on their website. They did manage to do a couple posts dated Jan. 7 letting people know they’d donated pet food to a couple rescue groups, but nothing about the January recall.
http://www.merrickpetcare.com/about_us/news.php
Comment by Therese — July 3, 2010 @ 10:03 am
Some companies seem to forget that not only are a lot of us trained, working journalists, a lot of us have also worked in corporate communications and PR, not to mention public information for a gov’t agency. There’s me, for example, with the hat trick — I’ve done all three.
That means my BS meter is pretty sensitive. Past behavior isn’t 100 percent reliable indicator of future behavior … but it ain’t a bad one, as these things go.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — July 3, 2010 @ 10:14 am
What scares me is we all thought the Tylenol approach was industry standard for recalls. Now Tylenol has gone after the Menu Foods approach to recalls. Friday dump and run. Drag it out for three months. Sheesh.
Gina you’ve a GREAT BS meter!
Comment by PamJJ — July 3, 2010 @ 10:50 am
I use Merrick’s cat food, and they are very good products. I attribute the wonderful condition of my 15 year old Persian to eating their food. They don’t line their cans with plastic, and the food looks like meat, carrots, etc., not something mushed up with who knows what added, that you can’t tell what it is!
To have them pull something like this is not acceptable though, and I will be complaining to them, as a customer.
But to use some of these other brands just because of the way they handled a recall doesn’t make sense to me. While they should be commended for the way they handled it, it doesn’t make their product nutrition any better.
My opinion is that Merrick should be come down on hard by their consumers for not handling this in the way they should have. They make good products, and it would be a shame to lose them.
Comment by Marcy — July 3, 2010 @ 10:59 am
Marcy, the problem is, the same corporate culture — attitude towards things like quality control and monitoring, respect for customers, concern for animals — will inevitably affect things like choice of ingredients, strictness of adherence to recipes, transparency in sourcing. You can’t separate them into “how they handle a recall,” ie, their ethics, and “nutritional value.” It’s a false distinction.
Comment by Christie Keith — July 3, 2010 @ 11:08 am
Well, Christie…I have tried and tried other brands, only to have my animals get sick from them, or to show poor condition. Another well known brand has never been affected by recalls…but my cats get sick every time I feed it to them…and throw up, and throw up, and throw up. People might say that this company has a good reputation because of never being caught in the recalls, might they? Just saying.
Merrick’s brand is the only one…and I’m being truthful in this…that has shown any difference in my Persian’s condition for the better. People can’t believe her age when they see her.
I’m not saying that what they did is right…as a matter of fact they have already received a strong email from me, as their customer. However, I am a firm believer in not throwing out the baby with the bath water.
Comment by Marcy — July 3, 2010 @ 11:22 am
Direct message to the PetConnection on Twitter from Merrick PetCare:
“We hate this more than anyone. To put in context it is a total of 86 cases that “may” have traces salmonella. This is a preventative measure.”
The point is: You dropped your recall when you thought no one was looking, after you’d already been called out by the FDA for not letting customers know at all on a previous occasion.
You went to Twitter after you were called out. And you still haven’t put the notice on your homepage.
I can get a notice on OUR homepage in five seconds flat. It ain’t that hard.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — July 3, 2010 @ 11:34 am
Well, one of the many, many reasons I don’t feed commercial foods is so that I don’t have to sell my soul to the devil to keep my animals in good condition.
Comment by Christie Keith — July 3, 2010 @ 11:43 am
Christie…some of us have a disability, and work full 40 hour weeks, making our contribution to society…and don’t have the time or energy to cook up specialized foods for our pets. So we look for the best we can find for our babies.
I’m not being snippy with you…just saying that everyone’s situation is different. Saying this in response to what the Pet Connection staff have always said, everyone should have the right to feed their pets manufactured food (such as that elderly person with a pet)…and it shouldn’t kill them.
I’m happy for you that you are able to not use commercial foods, but the way things are going in our food chain…people food has the potential to harm or kill our pets also (and us). We humans are not immune to recalls either…salmonella and e-coli are found in our foods too now.
Comment by Marcy — July 3, 2010 @ 12:10 pm
Marcy, you’ve just constructed a box with no exits. This is my point: We vote with our money to support business practices. You can vote to support good businesses or bad ones. You can find an ethical pet food company, or you can buy your own ingredients from ethical farmers and re-sellers. That is a separate issue from the one you just brought up, “People food is contaminated too.”
Of course I think people should make their own minds up. That doesn’t mean I don’t have an opinion on the process by which they do that, the assumptions they make in doing so — including challenging facts that I don’t think are accurate.
It’s impossible that this one food is the only thing all your pets can eat without getting sick. It really is simply not possible. If this is the food you want to feed, then feed it, but it doesn’t change that you’re giving money to an unethical business.
Something, by the way, that I do every time I put gas in my car, since there are no ethical oil companies. This is the reality of our world. I am not suggesting otherwise. I just don’t think it’s the reality of the pet food industry, so I’m challenging that assumption.
Comment by Christie Keith — July 3, 2010 @ 12:56 pm
@Sandi K, on the UPG recall, they’re all either powders or tablets, so I reckon the problem is with the base - the matrix for the supplements, cleaners, etc. Which I find worrisome as I believe product manufacturers purchase these bases pre-made, and who knows where the contaminated element(s) may have gone?
Comment by Eucritta — July 3, 2010 @ 1:07 pm
I think I have that right too, Christie, to express my opinion and to do what I think is right.
I personally don’t believe that Merrick is being unethical. I read their tweets on Twitter also, and as I kind of thought, they sent out the notice on the recall the earliest they could…which happened to be on a Friday. I can’t fault them for that. You can if you want to. I encourage everyone to check that out for themselves on Twitter.
Yes, they have not said anything on their website as yet. I must say though (as the webmaster of two websites that are visited from all over the world) that their website has a lot of high tech on the homepage, and might not be as easy to change as the Pet Connection site or my websites. Give them a break…hopefully they will have something up soon.
If you go back and read what I said, I didn’t say that every food makes my cats “sick” (it’s just one, which has never been recalled). What I did say is that I have not noticed a change for the better in my cat’s condition with any other foods…except for Merricks.
I think that what bothered me in your post was this:
I don’t have to sell my soul to the devil to keep my animals in good condition.
I haven’t sold my soul to the devil in feeding what I feed. My animals are doing great. I hope that yours are doing well also on what you have chosen to feed. The bottom line for me is how my babies are doing on what they eat. If you look at some of the ingredients in one of the pet foods that was given high marks in this particular blog for their handling of the recalls (I used it years ago), you will see that it’s just no good. My pet food retailer won’t sell that brand anymore, just because of this…it’s junk…even though it continues to be widely available, they have made the choice not to sell it.
I think that I have raised some valid questions, and hope that they are being considered for what they’re worth.
That’s why we’re all here right? To learn from each other, and sort out what’s right? No ill feelings intended, and I will leave it at this, as I need to get on with life this weekend. :)
Comment by Marcy — July 3, 2010 @ 1:22 pm
as I kind of thought, they sent out the notice on the recall the earliest they could…which happened to be on a Friday.
Comment by Marcy — July 3, 2010
I’m sure they’ll be absolutely delighted to know that you believe that.
I feed commercial, AND I feed home-prepared. In both instances I deal with manufacturers/farmers/ranchers who show the highest regard and respect for their customers, food animals, the animals they’re feeding and the environment.
Christie’s right: We’re over a barrel, metaphorically speaking, when it comes to oil companies at this time. Even if you can do without a car entirely, we are still dependent on oil to get products to us, run our public transportation, etc.
But there ARE choices when it comes to feeding yourself and your pets. There are companies that make good foods and practice good business ethics. With the Internet, it’s never been easier to get the information you need to make better decisions.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — July 3, 2010 @ 1:25 pm
Well, one of the many, many reasons I don’t feed commercial foods is so that I don’t have to sell my soul to the devil to keep my animals in good condition.
Comment by Christie Keith — July 3, 2010 @ 11:43 am
This may well be perceived as offensive by those of us that feed commercial foods for many reasons.
I think points of view can be better construed and debated.
Comment by 2ittybittykitties — July 3, 2010 @ 1:48 pm
You have your opinion Gina, and I have mine.
Have a great Independence Day weekend!
Comment by Marcy — July 3, 2010 @ 2:06 pm
Marcy, that’s really the critical point here, and precisely where I must beg to differ. I don’t believe for a minute “the earliest they could…which happened to be a Friday”. It is a time-honored tradition of organizations who are forced to go public with bad news to do it as late as possible on a Friday, in the hope that it’ll gain as little notice as possible. In some places it’s called “take out the trash day”. To believe that the first chance they had to publicize this recall was the beginning of a holiday weekend is naive as to the workings of recalls. I will bet folding money that if the truth ever comes out as to the earliest Merrick COULD have made this announcement, it won’t have been the Friday of a July 4 weekend.
Recalls happen, but the way Merrick announced this was thoroughly sleazy. It is our duty here at Pet Connection to tell our readership when a pet-related business is acting in a sleazy manner, just as we’re the first to crow when someone does something well (even when it is related to a recall, as you’ll see from that link).
Comment by David S. Greene — July 3, 2010 @ 2:53 pm
David S. Greene - I don’t believe for a minute “the earliest they could…which happened to be a Friday”.
Then David…if that’s what you believe so strongly to be the truth, prove it! Until then, you are accusing them without evidence, and it’s one opinion against another.
Frankly, I’m getting a little bit weary of being ganged up on, because I have a different opinion than some of the staff here. I wanted to lay this to rest, and then someone else starts putting wood on the fire!
Look, I’m not their advocate, but I have my own opinion on what happened, and should be entitled to that. Are not your readers entitled to their opinions?
Comment by Marcy — July 3, 2010 @ 3:57 pm
Marcy, if you want to feel good about this company so you can keep feeding it, knock yourself out.
We’ve been covering this stuff for years, and we’ve seen it and seen it and seen it and seen it.
Enough.
Friday night and holiday releases of bad news are such standard operating procedure of companies hoping to hide something that they actually teach it in public relations seminars and classes. Or used to, anyway, because frankly, you’d be smart not to pull that crap now with people watching. It makes you look really, really bad when you’re called out. Like now, when instead of being simply a note among many posts on a normal day, this is going to be at the top of this blog until Tuesday morning. And commented on all weekend, instead of simply noted and forgotten.
But you know, some people are slow to adapt to changing market conditions.
Here’s a funny thing:
A longtime PR pro with a good reputation who isn’t affiliated with the company or with any of its competitors sent me a private note also saying this smells pretty fishy.
Your opinion is yours, and you’re entitled to it. Sorry if the fact that those of us who spend a lot of time covering this industry all disagree with your opinion. You’ll just have to live with that, I’m afraid.
As far as Merrick, I have purchased it in the past, but it’s now off my list of acceptable foods for my pets after their corporate behavior this year.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — July 3, 2010 @ 4:41 pm
What an unfortunate thing to have happen! I hope people who are feeding Merrick are able to come up with an alternative over the weekend. Personally, I fed Merrick to my dog until she started getting diarrhea every time she ate it. I think it is hard for companies who want to produce quality pet food to do it on such a large scale, but it can be done. Nature’s Variety is a great example. You will excuse me, however, if I don’t say the same for Iams. They may report their recalls ethically, but the positive points end there, in my opinion.
I feed raw, mostly sourced locally, and a can here and there. I have never worried about recalls.
(Marcy - have you ever tried Weruva cat food? It’s chunky like Merrick and the ingredients look even more real, in my opinion.)
Companies have a responsibility to let their customers know asap when there is a danger. I also think it is unlikely that they only just discovered the problem. The bigger issue here is how things are run on a day to day basis. This shouldn’t happen at all. Merrick is supposed to be human grade, so, technically, we are talking about the human food supply.
It’s one of the reasons I feel so much more comfortable shopping/sourcing locally.
http://www.cordeliathedog.wordpress.com
Comment by Joani Schofield — July 3, 2010 @ 5:46 pm
Not trying to gang up on Marcy or anyone else. But after all the recalls & unrecalled problem food of the past few years, as well as the fact that all but a few were done on Friday nights I don’t do business with companies that act this way. No matter what they make. I do feed mostly homecooked or locally sourced raw. However I also keep some canned & dry in the rotation for emergencies.If a pfc or any company takes this attitude to informing customers about a safety issue, they will cut corners elsewhere. I don’t want those products being used by my family,2 or 4 legged.As for finding cat cans with real food, Weruva as mentioned above & Tiki are worth looking at.
Comment by Leslie K — July 3, 2010 @ 8:24 pm
Thanks Joani for the suggestion on Weruva…tried that. They don’t like it. As I said, my kitties are doing great…shiny and beautiful coats, and lots of energy. Have not had that with anything else we’ve tried. And I agree with you on the IAMS.
I went on the FDA site, and there is no mention of this recall…why?
Comment by Marcy — July 3, 2010 @ 8:36 pm
Merrick has posted the information on their News and Info page on their website, dated 7/02/10:
http://www.merrickpetcare.com/about_us/news.php
Comment by Marcy — July 3, 2010 @ 8:57 pm
Marcy … Nothing that you’ve posted, from their Twitter statements to the recall notice buried on their website, has not been previously noted and linked to above.
And the news is still not on their home page.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — July 4, 2010 @ 12:24 am
Why doesn’t the FDA have anything about this June 2 recall on THEIR website? Same with January…FDA had the samples tested in early December, why no announcement from the FDA until halfway through January?
Comment by Joy — July 4, 2010 @ 4:36 am
Friday-night recall releases from companies have often not been posted by the FDA until after the weekend. In this case, that will be Tuesday.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — July 4, 2010 @ 6:05 am
Darn! I wonder if it is going to include their tendons bully sticks. My dogs chew them daily while I am on my treadmill. Thanks to Therese and Gina!
Comment by Elisabeth — July 4, 2010 @ 7:01 am
Marcy - why don’t you just thank the Lord that your cats are thriving on Merrick food and that nothing will ever happen to contaminate the food and let it go at that. I’m happy for you that you’ve found something your pets can eat and thrive. Zeech!
Comment by VJ — July 4, 2010 @ 8:18 am
Marcy -
I too think it is great your cats are doing well on canned food. I much prefer it to kibble for cats. It’s too bad the Weruva didn’t work too. The only reason I suggested finding another food they like is that it can make your life super difficult if there is only one thing you can feed them. For instance, if the food suddenly becomes hard to find (like after a recall) or if your cat gets sick and goes off it (happens more often than you’d think).
Anyhow, I don’t want to give you any unsolicited advice, just want to help! :) If you are interested in any suggestions of ways to introduce new food to a cat successfully, feel free to comment to me on my blog: http://cordeliathedog.wordpress.com, or on here of course!
Comment by Joani Schofield — July 4, 2010 @ 10:06 am
VJ - you have no idea how much I thank the Lord…and I will let it go at that, as you say. Thanks, I appreciate your caring. :)
I actually regret ever posting to this now, as I didn’t know that I would get attacked so much. I thought we were all here to help one another? Hmmmmm…
Joani - actually, my kitties eat both the Merrick canned food, and the BG (Before Grain) kibble. They love them both. I know that if anything ever happened to these foods, I would have to start searching again…if so, then so be it. It’s not that they won’t eat anything else, I just have noticed a change for the better in their condition. They were not in bad condition before, but now are in “optimal” condition. I’m a stickler on that. I don’t want to see them just live, but to thrive!
I don’t cut corners when it comes to them. They get groomed every morning (no shaved kitties here in the Summer), we play together every night with their toys, they get bottled water, and have medical insurance. I truly appreciate your kind words.
Comment by Marcy — July 4, 2010 @ 11:57 am
You have not been “attacked.” You’ve been “disagreed with.”
We are not here to agree with you or make you feel good about your decisions no matter what they are. We are here to report what you and other pet-lovers need to know to make your own decisions. Including some things that a few in the pet-care industry would rather you not know.
Your opinions and decisions are always your own. But we are not of the opinion that ignorance is bliss, and if we ever were, the thousands of pets who died in 2007 would have changed our view.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — July 4, 2010 @ 12:03 pm
“Friday-night recall releases from companies have often not been posted by the FDA until after the weekend. In this case, that will be Tuesday.”
My understanding is that the FDA also has some liability here as far as public announcements. When a company initiates a recall they do so by calling or otherwise alerting their FDA recall district representative. From there, the FDA does a public announcement and website update immediately - or at worse, within 24 hours.
It’s been nearly 48 hours since WE know of Merrick’s recall….why doesn’t that reflect on the FDA website?
Comment by Joy — July 4, 2010 @ 12:38 pm
You’ve all inspired me… to order another box of Honest Kitchen. ;)
Comment by John — July 4, 2010 @ 3:45 pm
Not entirely unrelated: Meat recall: Nationwide meat recall due to E coli concerns update
Bison marketed under various brand names, produced in May, with sell or freeze dates in June.
Comment by Lis — July 4, 2010 @ 5:42 pm
I use Merrick’s cat food, and they are very good products.Thank you very much
Comment by Lucy — July 5, 2010 @ 12:22 am
What if a company actually DOES learn about a problem with their product on a Friday afternoon?
Comment by Joy — July 5, 2010 @ 6:24 am
I know first hand what some of the corporate thinking is on issues like this - they still operate on the ‘ignore it and it will go away’ school of thought.
They see ‘us’ (the on line, educated, alert pet food consumers) as a minority - and they feel that they can afford to piss off the minority by ignoring situations like this, if it means that the majority remain ignorant and brand loyal.
I can’t say that this is Merricks’s thinking on the issue, but I can say that this is how some other pet food companies feel and think.
It will be up to the afore mentioned ‘us’ to convince them that we are rapidly becoming the majority, instead of the minority.
Comment by FrogDogz — July 5, 2010 @ 8:15 am
I have to say Im a bit baffled at some of the comments Im seeing. I dont profess to know everyone’s personal circumstance but I can safely say, after 2007, I can never imagine the day I would defend the company of the food we use. If I found they werent doing everything possible to notify me and others that they are having a recall, I would dump them in a heartbeat. I would assume they dont want to keep me as a customer and that risking the health of my pet is of no concern to them. I know from experience, I would be able to find another food to use if need be. It may not be easy but it can be done.
Ever since 2007, we have wanted FDA to do more on the issue of pet food safety. I personally am glad to see at least some sort of testing being done by FDA. Granted, there is still a long way to go but there have been steps towards some improvement.
Its just that Ive seen alot of comments in internet land lately, regarding recalls such as Natural Balance, Merrick, Felines Pride. They dont believe anything could ever happen to ‘their’ pet food company & they go as far as saying FDA is unfairly targeting that company. Or I see someone commenting that its terrible XXX brand didnt notify us of a recall but for a different brand, that also didnt notify anyone, its no big deal & its FDA targeting them. It just seems to be a pattern Im seeing lately.
Comment by Sandi K — July 5, 2010 @ 9:15 am
I would like to add, that last year, I caught wind through a store owner that the company of the food we were using had what they called a “voluntary call-back” on one type of their food. It was never announced publically by FDA or the company. It wasnt the exact food we use but the same brand. I contacted the company and was told it wouldnt make my pet sick, they were just doing it as a precaution and more than likely my pet would just refuse the food. Our cat has health issues and if I didnt know about a “call-back” how would I know if she refusing the food because her health issues were acting up or if it was a problem with the food? I did stop using that brand of food and wont ever go back to it.
Comment by Sandi K — July 5, 2010 @ 9:52 am
Companies spend a lot of money to build brand loyalty. I figure finding out something bad about a brand you really like is like finding out your spouse is cheating on you.
The first reaction: Intense denial. The second: Blame the messenger. The third: Blame someone else (that hussy, or the FDA).
And so on …
Comment by Gina Spadafori — July 5, 2010 @ 10:10 am
Crap, I just started Figaro on a rotation including Before Grain. Thank you for posting about this.
Comment by thetroubleis — July 5, 2010 @ 11:21 am
Gina said:
We are not here to agree with you or make you feel good about your decisions no matter what they are. We are here to report what you and other pet-lovers need to know to make your own decisions. Including some things that a few in the pet-care industry would rather you not know.
Your opinions and decisions are always your own. But we are not of the opinion that ignorance is bliss, and if we ever were, the thousands of pets who died in 2007 would have changed our view.
My reply:
Gina, and neither am I here to make you feel good about what you do. I am here to voice my opinion, and if I feel that what you are doing may be wrong, then I feel that I should say that. I am not loyal to this brand…and neither has any money they spent “bought” me as a customer. As I have stated, the condition of my animals has spoken everything that I need to know as far as being loyal to their brand.
As for what you have accused this company of, if I were you, I would want to know that I had my facts straight, and had proof before doing that. I have learned personally not to accuse anyone of something, before I had proof. Just saying…
I respect what Pet Connection does, as far as notifying us of recalls, etc. You are performing a wonderful service to pet owners. But my opinion is that there has to be a line drawn somewhere, before you consider yourself as the “pet food police.” If this turns out that Merrick knew way before this, and waited until Friday to announce it…then silly me…I was wrong, and I will admit it and will be angry with them. But if they only had the chance on Friday to announce it, then what would you want them to do? Wait until today or tomorrow to tell pet owners? I know that you think that they waited, and you are entitled to your opinion…but like said, I would be careful in accusing without proof.
Comment by Marcy — July 5, 2010 @ 12:44 pm
Okay, question then re: Friday night recalls. The FDA announces recalls on lots of Friday nights. Kellogg’s had a recall on 6/25 that I got at night. Same same on all the companies? No more Kellogg’s cereal then forever? How do you make the distinction between who’s being up front and who isn’t? With the amount of recalled foods over the years there would be nothing left I’m afraid.
Comment by 2ittybittykitties — July 5, 2010 @ 1:07 pm
Oh, and just a side note:
Gina said:
And it’s still not on their home page. Path: Homepage>About Us>News&Info>http://www.merrickpetcare.com/…..hp?tid=430
My reply:
And it’s not on Pet Connection’s homepage either. The only way that visitors to this site will know about it, is if they visit the blog.
Comment by Marcy — July 5, 2010 @ 1:25 pm
Oh sorry…I apologize, I did find it at the bottom of the homepage.
Comment by Marcy — July 5, 2010 @ 1:30 pm
And I just checked, and it is up on Merrick’s homepage now too!
It’s on the “flash” element on the page…you click on it, and it sends you to the announcement on their news page.
Comment by Marcy — July 5, 2010 @ 1:35 pm
Marcy … you’re done on this topic. You’re not advancing the discussion, just repeating your same points with the sad and predictable repetitiveness of another Friday night dump-and-run recall.
I hope your cats stay well, no matter what you choose to feed them.
Now: Move on or move out. You’re trolling now, and we don’t feed the trolls here.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — July 5, 2010 @ 2:07 pm
And I wish you all the best too.
Comment by Marcy — July 5, 2010 @ 2:52 pm
I never fed Merrick - they have two rendering plants.
You all can complain to one another and that’s not going to solve anything. I wrote to the FDA today and you’re free to write to them as well @ AskCVM@fda.hhs.gov
“FDA calls January recall of Merrick Beef Filet Squares ‘ineffective’
Release Date: Tuesday, July 06, 2010
The 2010 January recall of Merrick Pet Care’s Beef Filet Squares for dogs was “ineffective,” according to the Food and Drug Administration.
Tejas Industries Inc. manufactures the brand and was given a warning letter on June 1, 2010, stating an FDA analysis showed that the dog treats tested positive for Salmonella meleagridis. The company was given 15 business days to respond to FDA claims that the company delayed alerting consumers, gave incorrect lot codes and failed to alert pet owners that the recall was for Salmonella contamination. Tejas Industries originally said the recall was for improper processing.”
There is no reason a pet food company should fail to notify pet parents. I approached many pet food companies regarding the way they should handle recalls and alerts.
I propose to you the following that can help keep all pets safe should a company have a potential problem or recall with their pet food brands.
I ask that all pet food company’s website initiate an “Alerts & Recalls” email list for their customers to subscribe to such as: http://www.wysong.net/registry.php
This can be accomplished with a simple auto-responder email program such as Get-Response or Constant Contact. This list will be used to inform consumers if any product is pulled from store shelves and/or believed to be a potential health risk. For pet parents that are not on-line, they can develop a voice mail program to notify their consumers that have registered for this alert service through their Customer Service Department.
All registered pet parents should be alerted within 24 hours of the company’s product pull or within 24 hours of the company’s knowledge of a pet food problem. Consumers want to see a “warning” on their main page of the website to alert us of the lot #’s being recalled in bold letters that can be easily seen by all.
I would also encourage Big Box/Mom & Pops to let their customers know they can sign up at their pet food brand for this notification. It doesn’t get any easier than this.
I had written to Joey Herrick, Pres. of Natural Balance when they recalled their Sweet Potato & Chicken Dry Dog Food with my plan that I mentioned above. I have switched to their food from Natura and am concerned since their manufacturer has had recalls in the past. Since NB has a “Buy With Confidence” program, I felt a little more comfortable knowing they are doing the testing. Apparently, spending $900,000 on their own lab failed.
Mr. Herrick responded saying Club NB members received a letter from him about the recall even before the wire services were able to put it up. Club NB was started to be able to inform their customers immediately of something going on. It is on the front page of their website. All I would need to do is just type in my email address, and I’ll be automatically entered into their Club.
The website states:
“Members are the first to hear about new products and new website features.”
I’m not interested in hearing about new products, only interested in “Alerts & Recalls” which they make no mention of. If they can spend $900,000 on a lab, I’m sure they can make this simple request a reality to make sure all their customers will be informed. I don’t wish to receive their new product info nor do I care about their new website features. I try to keep the amount of emails I receive at bay . I’m sure other consumers feel the same way I do and haven’t signed up to Club NB. Therefore, we have to depend on forums or FDA. Many pet parents probably never signed up with FDA. It seems I receive the notices much later than everyone else for some reason.
My plan is simple and I feel if the FDA makes it mandatory for ALL PET FOOD COMPANIES (commercial & holistic) to notify their customers by this method, we’ll be saving more pets from getting sick or dying. FDA has the authority to make it happen.
Please look into my plan. If I can help in any way, I’m there for FDA. Thanks for stepping up to the plate and keep after these companies. 15 days seems a long time for the company to respond. Many pets or humans could have been affected in that time period. The way pet food companies do business has to stop! We have to protect our furry kids from harm.
Thanks a bunch!
Comment by Sandra — July 6, 2010 @ 11:11 pm
Merrick sent their recall alert and press release to the FDA on Friday July 2nd.
Comment by Joy — July 7, 2010 @ 2:28 am
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm218039.htm
snippet:
“FDA collected a surveillance sample of “Merrick Beef Filet Squares for Dogs” (lot #10084TL7) which were purchased from a retail store. The sample tested positive for Salmonella.”
Comment by Carol V — July 7, 2010 @ 4:17 am
According to a similar letter from the FDA to Merrick, the FDA collected and tested retail samples of Merrick treats on December 2nd,, 2009 but didn’t issue the salmonella FDA Health Alert until January 14, 2010.
Comment by Joy — July 7, 2010 @ 4:43 am
I’m not sure how notifying “pet parents” helps things.
Pip’s mom is dead, and her dad doesn’t seem to have email. I haven’t let Pip herself have an account since that eBay incident about which the less said the better, so Moe and Rosie are SOL unless their old man has his own, which I don’t think he does. Don’t even know for sure who Cole’s parents are. Gollum and Smeagol’s mom lives in a barn, and their dad is out tomcatting somewhere.
It’s a really inefficient information network by 21st century standards. No thumbs.
Now, if feed companies would be so gracious as to ensure that animal owners got the information, then we might be getting somewhere.
Comment by H. Houlahan — July 7, 2010 @ 6:37 am
The hot weather may be making Ms. Houlahan a tad more literal and grumpy than usual, I think.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — July 7, 2010 @ 7:07 am
To quote a great curmudgeon, “I don’t boff dogs.”
Comment by H. Houlahan — July 7, 2010 @ 7:25 am
TMI, Heather.
Comment by David S. Greene — July 7, 2010 @ 7:33 am
Please take the time to email the FDA and tell your friends either by twitter, facebook, etc. to get involved. If you have a contact name @ FDA, please let me know.
AskCVM@fda.hhs.gov
You can use this info and expand upon it. Please put your energy into an organization that can make a change.
RE: “FDA calls January recall of Merrick Beef Filet Squares ‘ineffective’
There is no reason a pet food company should fail to notify pet parents.
I propose to you the following that can help keep all pets safe should a pet food company have a potential problem or recall with their pet food brands.
I ask that all pet food company’s website initiate an “Alerts & Recalls” email list for their customers to subscribe to such as: http://www.wysong.net/registry.php
It should be easily seen on their main website page that states “Alerts & Recalls.”
This can be accomplished with a simple auto-responder email program such as Get-Response or Constant Contact. This list will be used to inform consumers if any product is pulled from store shelves and/or believed to be a potential health risk. For pet parents that are not on-line, they can develop a voice mail program to notify their consumers that have registered for this alert service through their Customer Service Department.
All registered pet parents should be alerted within 24 hours of the company’s product pull or within 24 hours of the company’s knowledge of a pet food problem. Consumers want to see a “warning” on their main page of the website to alert us of the lot #’s being recalled in bold letters that can be easily seen by all.
I feel if the FDA makes it mandatory for ALL PET FOOD COMPANIES (commercial & holistic) to notify their customers by this method, we’ll be saving more pets from getting sick or dying. FDA has the authority to make it happen!
Please look into this plan. Thanks for stepping up to the plate and keep after these companies. 15 days is too long a period for a company to respond. Many pets or humans could have been affected in that time period. The way pet food companies do business has to stop! We have to protect our furry kids from harm.
We all have the right to know ASAP when there is a problem.
Thanking you in advance to help initiate this simple solution.
Comment by Sandra — July 7, 2010 @ 8:11 am
hey guys, this is just total BS. I spent the better half of my day on the phone with both Merrick and the FDA. BOTH have documentation that Merrick first learned of the salmonella issue at 9:41am Friday June 2nd. Not before.
Comment by Joy — July 7, 2010 @ 11:16 am
You know we are always happy to show off documentation. Send it to me, and we’ll post it.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — July 7, 2010 @ 11:47 am
Joy, what do you plan to do with this information? Who at FDA did you speak with and did you pitch the “Recalls & Alerts” idea???? I contacted someone at FDA and she was going to forward my email to their Compliance Dept. IMO, nothing is being accomplished by posting your complaints and doing nothing about it.
Comment by Sandra — July 7, 2010 @ 12:34 pm
The documentation is there. If you care, you will call and get it.
Comment by Joy — July 7, 2010 @ 12:56 pm
Sandra I spoke to the recall coordinator
Comment by Joy — July 7, 2010 @ 12:57 pm
Thank you for your suggestion. :)
Comment by Gina Spadafori — July 7, 2010 @ 1:02 pm
Duh, Gina, I can’t believe I didn’t think of this before. Can you get in touch with Dr. Becker and get him involved? He’s got the influence and means to the media. Knowing Oprah can’t hurt our cause. I’m sure she’ll run with this.
Comment by Sandra — July 7, 2010 @ 1:36 pm
Dr. Becker is off the grid, on a family vacation. Not sure what else needs to be done here, anyway.
The recall is reported. After I see the documentation, I’ll edit the post if that’s warranted. I have liked and used this company’s products, and if they’re truly making a good-faith effort to let customers know, then I’m happy to say so. But note they did not alert on Twitter until the next morning after the bloggers asked them why they hadn’t, and didn’t change their home page for least 48 hours.
I expect better of good companies than doing the least that’s required of them. Especially when they are already using Twitter and already have a website, both of which are already being used to market products.
The only things that matter at this point are: 1) Getting the recalled product off the shelves; and 2) Seeing an explanation as to how the problem happened and what will change to help ensure it’s less likely to happen again.
And that the next company does the best job it can of trying to inform its customers.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — July 7, 2010 @ 1:59 pm
Who here has made a single call for verification of information from Merrick or the FDA?
Apparently, no one.
I’m sorry. Always been a fan of this blog but … s e r i o u s l y …..at some point you become fanatics regurgitating OPINIONS and pretending they’re facts.
I tried over and over the past few days to call the Pet Connection contact line to give info - and eventually documentation- of my contacts to Merrick and FDA. No Answer.
Comment by Joy — July 7, 2010 @ 3:20 pm
Joy, the following is from our contact page:
…..a little further down, it says:
If you’ve got documentation, we’d be happy to see it, but it’s best communicated via a visual method such as email.
Comment by David S. Greene — July 7, 2010 @ 3:39 pm
Not only has that contact information been on our website for at least three years — e-mail preferred, and offered pretty constantly — my phone has been out of service for more than a week. I’m stuck in some kind of freaky limbo tug-of-war between AT&T and Comcast over whose customer I am. Not that it’s any of your business.
And in fact, when I’m writing I frequently turn off the phone ringer, anyway, which is WHY e-mail is preferred, and why it’s noted that way. I don’t answer the phone when I’m on deadline. Period.
That’s my call. And it’s not as if I’m hard to find, after all. Use Teh Googles.
If Merrick discovered the problem last Friday, they didn’t make much of an effort to spread the news beyond the minimum required, especially considering their website and twitter accounts were in place and were not used in a timely manner.
And the FDA made even less effort.
I do expect better of good companies — and of the FDA. And we’ve seen better from others. Joy, I know how much you dislike P&G, but the fact is they put everything into their recent recall — the stuff you have to do, plus all their social media, plus direct contact with media and bloggers to make sure the news wasn’t overlooked. I was standing in a Target — the pet aisles, in fact — when I was notified by a Iams rep by e-mail, which came through on my iPhone in like three seconds.
That’s the gold standard for recalls, and other companies need to make note.
Now get off my case. You’re shooting the messenger, and I’m tired of it.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — July 7, 2010 @ 4:04 pm
The hot weather may be making Ms. Houlahan a tad more literal and grumpy than usual, I think.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — July 7, 2010 @ 7:07 am
Anyone dealing with this current heat wave is entitled, I think. Also, she made me laugh. :D
hey guys, this is just total BS. I spent the better half of my day on the phone with both Merrick and the FDA. BOTH have documentation that Merrick first learned of the salmonella issue at 9:41am Friday June 2nd. Not before.
Comment by Joy — July 7, 2010 @ 11:16 am
Joy, have you actually seen this documentation yet? Or have you just been told about it over the phone?
I’m sorry. Always been a fan of this blog but … s e r i o u s l y …..at some point you become fanatics regurgitating OPINIONS and pretending they’re facts.
Here’s a fact: Merrick didn’t tweet about the recall until pet bloggers were making a public issue of the fact that they hadn’t.
Here’s another fact: It took them more than an additional day to put the information on the front page of their website.
Comment by Lis — July 7, 2010 @ 4:22 pm
I know recalls can happen, etc, but another fact, important to me, is they have had 2 recalls for salmonella, in the same treat, within the past 6 months. For me, I would tend to gravitate (or run) away from that food, no matter what the brand is, until I received information as to what they were doing to prevent this from happening again. Quality control anyone?
Comment by Sandi K — July 7, 2010 @ 5:15 pm
Gina - Thanks for the info about Dr. Becker. Hope he and his family have a super vacation. I can wait until he returns.
What needs to be done is to get ALL PFC’s to notify all their customers via direct email and/or voice mail ASAP. Not everyone is on facebook, twitter, etc. In fact, I’m probably the only one in this group that’s not into any of the above including a cell phone. I do have one that I hardly use. After watching the news yesterday, they confirmed radiation coming from cell phones can cause brain tumors. My memory cells are few as it is LOL.
We need to target everyone. There are only a select few that are on forums/blogs compared to the total number of pet ownership. How many Seniors with pets even have a computer? They would need to be notified via voice mail. Your average pet parent doesn’t read dog food labels or know what’s really in their pet food, let alone know groups such as your exist. If the recall is announced on t.v. or in the paper and someone didn’t watch tv that day or read the paper, how will they know not to feed their pet the recalled food?
I’m open to suggestions. I truly feel Dr. Becker can have a huge impact in getting involved with this important issue. Thanks!
Comment by Sandra — July 7, 2010 @ 5:35 pm
I don’t mean to prolong this argument, but I have to agree with SandiK. To have 2 reacalls in 6 months for the same problem in the same product tells me there is a bigger problem with this company. Why on earth would anyone try to defend them or continue to use their foods ?! Does this remind anyone of Mars or Menu ? I don’t use Iams/Eukanuba. I don’t think they are good foods, but at least this company gets it. They notify people by any & all means available & try to stop people from using a problem food as quickly as possible. NV also has a good record for this. Unfortunately no others come to mind. And no I don’t use NV either.If a pfc or any other company tries to hide problems or make it hard to find out about them or get help, they will do it again. Why would anyone want to take a chance on their products ? Especially for pets who can’t tell you if something is wrong. Don’t shop at Wally world, don’t buy Mars &/or anyone else who falls into that same category by past behavior.Leopards don’t change their spots & neither do companies hiding problems. The only way to force a change is with your pocket book. Withhold your $ from them & maybe they will improve.Or be the next person complaining on consumer affairs that you lost your pet after spending hundreds or thousands to try & save them.
Comment by Leslie K — July 7, 2010 @ 7:05 pm
Back in 2007, P&G/Iams made their melamine recall announcement on a Friday afternoon.
Comment by Joy — July 7, 2010 @ 8:05 pm
Joy, in 2007, P&G/Iams was the company that forced Menu to announce a recall at all. Menu had known since Jan. 2007, at least, that they had a problem, and told no one. Iams figured it out from the complaints they were getting from customers, and told Menu that if Menu didn’t announce the recall, Iams would.
Comment by Lis — July 7, 2010 @ 8:24 pm
Kudos to P&G for being responsible. Now if they stopped animal testing…..
Comment by Sandra — July 8, 2010 @ 6:04 am
FDA responded. I’ll devote more time to this once I finish my project that I’ve been working on for over a month. Must finish that first.
Thank you for contacting the Center for Veterinary Medicine regarding your ideas on mechanisms for pet food companies to notify the public when they recall one of their products. As you know, FDA posts press releases and other notices of recalls and market withdrawals from the firms involved as a service to consumers, the media, and other interested parties. FDA does not endorse either the product or the company. For further information on pet food and recalls please visit: http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeter.....UCM2006475
Additional methods to get information out are also a good idea, therefore you may want to contact the Pet Food Institute http://www.petfoodinstitute.org/ and/or the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) at http://www.aafco.org/
Thanks again for sharing your thought with us.
Sincerely,
CVM Executive Secretariat
Comment by Sandra — July 8, 2010 @ 12:02 pm
“Additional methods to get information out are also a good idea, therefore you may want to contact the Pet Food Institute http://www.petfoodinstitute.org/ and/or the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) at http://www.aafco.org/”
—
Fox, meet hen house.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — July 8, 2010 @ 12:18 pm
Merrick’s food is awesome!My dogs and cats thrive on their foods.I don’t use the treats.They were wrong in the way they handled the recall.But that doesn’t change their ingredient list which is top notch!!!
Comment by Michelle — July 8, 2010 @ 4:44 pm
What everyone seems to be missing is that a bigger a company gets, the more likely they are to outsource their ingredient list. If they bought X from 5 US and Canadian growers, and now their market has expanded, they can buy X far cheaper from China or another Asian country, charge the same for the finished product and pocket the difference. Given the laxity of the Asians’ ability to deliver safe food stuffs, is this what you want to be feeding your beloved pet?
I do not want to spend my money on buying a product from a company who can’t deal with me honestly and upfront. It’s called customer relations. It used to be an integral part of our nation’s business model. Once upon a time, the customer was an important part of the business plan. No longer. I have ceased to respect and therefore buy from any company I perceive as trying to pull the wool over my eyes, no matter how good their product WAS, unless that company is up front from the beginning about their failure to deliver what they have promised. I think that’s called being proactive. There are lots of competitors out there with a different business model, one that values their customer base. They get my business. My dogs health is not worth the risk just because of misplaced brand loyalty when the company has done little to earn it.
Comment by Deb — July 8, 2010 @ 8:40 pm
I work with Merrick Pet Care and I just wanted to give an update on the recall and also answer a few of the questions having to do with Merrick and how they handled it.
First - 72% of the highlighted lot has been recovered. Merrick thanks their retail and distributor partners for their assistance. Merrick also thanks the blogging community for helping to get the word out over the holiday weekend.
Second - Merrick released the information to the AP as soon as the FDA gave it’s approval of the release. The fact that it was on a Friday (and a holiday weekend) was a very unfortunate coincidence and actually not a help to Merrick at all. Transparency is very important and if you would like me to put you in touch with some of the Merrick folks, I would be happy to do so. They are happy to answer any questions about the recall.
Comment by Jeanne — July 12, 2010 @ 9:59 am
Jeanne, the fact that it was a Friday and a holiday weekend is not what prevented you from tweeting about the recall, or updating the front page of your website, or sending the press release to anyone but AP, on the same day. It’s not what prevented you from telling the truth to consumers about the recall in January.
What prevented you from doing those things is that Merrick as a company simply does not care about our pets the way it claims to, or anything except the bottom line. You’re targeting a different market niche than some larger companies, but your basic motivation is exactly the same—money, with our pets just a means to an end.
And if you want people to believe differently, Merrick is going to have to walk the walk, and not just talk the talk.
Comment by Lis — July 12, 2010 @ 1:38 pm
Here’s a challenge: Find me a pet food company willing or able to provide certified documentation of the exact date and time they discovered a problem with their food and the exact date and time they announced the subsequent recall.
Comment by Joy — July 12, 2010 @ 1:48 pm
Well, I can find it for Menu Foods and for P&G, in the congressional record…
Joy, does your store sell Merrick foods? Is that why you’re so riled up over this?
Comment by Christie Keith — July 12, 2010 @ 3:36 pm
I find no excuse for any company that uses social media for marketing to not use it for a recall, call-back or whatever the term is being used at the time…as far as I can tell Twitter and Facebook and websites are open 24/7…if your “tweets” are telling me to buy it…then they darned well better tell me to stop feeding it when there is a potential problem!
Comment by Carol V — July 12, 2010 @ 3:58 pm
Comment by Joy — July 12, 2010 @ 1:48 pm
For me, its pretty simple. Many petowners, myself included, dont feel Merrick did the best they could do to notify people of their recalls, in January and now and perhaps they even tried to bury a recall. I cant speak for others but I know your arguments arent changing how I feel. The party that can change how people feel is Merrick…if they have a recall in the future, step up and do the right thing. Its a little late for the January and July recalls.
Comment by Sandi K — July 12, 2010 @ 4:17 pm
Comment by Jeanne — July 12, 2010 @ 9:59 am Hope you are able to recover the other 28%, maybe better advertising of the recall would have helped with that. Seeing how you used that “transparency” word, maybe Merrick can tell us what you will be doing to prevent this from happening more…afterall there have been two recalls for salmonella within 6 months.
Comment by Sandi K — July 12, 2010 @ 4:29 pm
re: my comment about its a little late for the Jan and July recalls…its not. If Merrick hasnt yet tweeted the recall or facebook’d it, or blast it thru whatever communication avenues that are available, its never too late to do what ever they can to try to recover the missing 28% of the recalled food…if they are so inclined.
Comment by Sandi K — July 12, 2010 @ 4:49 pm
Expansion to prior recall
http://www.google.com/hostedne.....QD9HCAFG00
Associated Press August 3, 2010
“Merrick Pet Care Inc. has expanded its recall of dog treats that may be contaminated with salmonella. Salmonella can affect animals, and people who handle contaminated pet food can become infected with salmonella, especially if they haven’t thoroughly washed their hands. No illnesses have been reported in people or pets, according to the Amarillo, Texas, company. The newly recalled Beef Filet Squares, also sold as Texas Hold ‘Ems, were sold in 10-ounce plastic bags marked with the best by date of May 6, 2012, and the lot number 10127.”
Comment by Carol V — August 4, 2010 @ 4:35 am
Oh good grief, thanks for the info Carol.
Comment by Sandi K — August 4, 2010 @ 7:59 am
http://www.merrickpetcare.com/.....hp?tid=436
expanded even more “all lots” …it is friday nite afta all…pfffft
Comment by Carol V — August 13, 2010 @ 6:21 pm
Comment 99. again.
And NO EXCUSE. Shame.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — August 13, 2010 @ 6:30 pm