Comment by Carol V — July 20, 2010 @ 5:00 pm

As a customer, I was contacted weeks ago and today was sent the link by Feline’s Pride.

Comment by Carolyn — July 20, 2010 @ 5:15 pm

This would have been a good opportunity to tell us..that is why I asked…sigh…

You should have started your first comment here with the fact that you’re a distributor. As to posting in your real name, you are posting as “Carolyn.” No last name. The website you use is a link to a blog post about the recall written by the owner of the company. Maybe there is other information there that would identify you to someone, although it’s certainly not clear at a glance, but to act all huffy about how we’re so mean and not interested in dialogue when you have not taken that simple, basic, blogging 101 step to identify yourself is, well… pointless.

You mock us for being “detectives” then say that people should have to click on links and drill down on a website to find out that you distribute the product you’re defending. That does nothing but make that company look bad. You can rail against that until you go hoarse, but it won’t change that’s how people will see it.

When the owner says, to paraphrase, “We didn’t update our site because the tech guy was on vacation, but we did post to a blog and email our customers, and FDA did a press release” well, all I think he’s guilty of is not being a very good business person, because to not have the ability to manage your website when someone goes on vacation is a little last century.

The story you’re flogging reflects far less well on FP and if you care about them, I’d stop, if I were you.

I have never said keep people in the dark. Not once, not ever. What i have said is that I am a distributor and I put my REAL name, email and web links on my sign in and signatures. I do not feel it necessary to start each and every post with the same ‘disclaimer.’

I suppose you can look for evil or deception wherever you go, but, to me, that is not healthy or productive. As I have stated, it would have been easy to post as Bob from Mississippi, but I didn’t. From the beginning I have said my info is on the website, including direct email and phone number. If your goal is dialogue or information, give me a call. I’d be happy to speak with you personally.

Comment by Carolyn — July 22, 2010

Carolyn, you really ought to learn that when you’re in a hole, stop digging. What matters is not that you’re a distributor (as I wrote above) nor does it matter whether or not you profit as a distributor.

The point is that people need and are entitled to ALL the contextual and relevant information that will help them make their informed decisions. You don’t think the degree of your buy-in to this product and the company is important, and that’s just not so. People were owed that information when you first stepped up to defend the company, and you were the one who owed it to them. The fact that it’s not hidden for someone who digs a little is not relevant. A lie of omission is still a lie, and you lied in representing yourself as a customer alone.

In so doing, whether you can see it or not, you have made Feline Pride look worse because we now all know that there is at least one distributor who is just fine with keeping pet-owners in the dark, even if the owner of the company is not. (Since he blamed the delay in posting to the website to technical issues, not avoiding the truth.)

That’s a real shame, and you have only yourself to blame for it.

Now take my advice and stop digging. The hole you have put this little company in all by yourself is deep enough.

Additionally, as I have explained many times,(follow the link above) I do not make money as a distributor. I do not have any financial incentive to participate in this discussion or to hide any facts from anyone. The only motives I have as a distibutor is to secure affordable quality raw food for my kitties and to help others obtain the same. Shipping is expensive to CA, so ordering in bulk and supplying locals at the lower cost saves us all money and allows folks who couldn’t otherwise afford the food to feed it.

Blogs/forums are great for quick dissemination of info, but are a rather limited forum for in-depth discussions. It is very difficult and time consuming to ‘keep up’ with the one-line barbs and jabs and maintain a real discussion.

Finally, folks need to realize that I am a real person, with a real phone # (on distributor page) and they can call if they have REAL questions/comments, not just looking for arguments.

Slightly off topic - Christie, you’ve mentioned feeding a homemade diet in several blogs. Would you be willing to a blog sometime sharing what you feed?

Thank goodness there are people willing to fight this stuff out with the dishonest people, or the truth would be at the discretion of people with personal agendas.

Comment by Carolyn — July 21, 2010

How about that you start with some full disclosure. You are a distributor of this product.

Which, by the way, you are doing a disservice. By defending the lack of information (which even the owner doesn’t, saying that the recall wasn’t posted because of no access to the web developer) and by not being honest and open with us yourself.

Now, if you look at the first post on the initial recall, we in fact noted that the FDA went out of its way to warn about Salmonella in a way that suggested it was a hazard particular to raw food.

We called BS on that. And I’m calling it on you, for not bothering to mention in all your comments here that you are a distributor of this product.

Tell the truth and let the consumer decide. It’s that simple.

By not bothering to think your status as a distributor was important to this discussion, you have destroyed any credibility you brought to this discussion. Not because you ARE a distributor, but because you didn’t disclose that information so readers could evaluate its impact on your opinion of the product.