Alert!! Pet Food Recall!!!

[janking]

Pet Deaths Prompt Recall of Pet Food
Friday March 16, 11:22 pm ET
By Andrew Bridges, Associated Press Writer
Major Manufacturer of Dog and Cat Food Announces Huge Recall Amid Reports of Pet Deaths


WASHINGTON (AP) -- A major manufacturer of dog and cat food sold under Wal-Mart, Safeway, Kroger and other store brands recalled 60 million containers of wet pet food Friday after reports of kidney failure and deaths


An unknown number of cats and dogs suffered kidney failure and about 10 died after eating the affected pet food, Menu Foods said in announcing the North American recall. Product testing has not revealed a link explaining the reported cases of illness and death, the company said.

"At this juncture, we're not 100 percent sure what's happened," said Paul Henderson, the company's president and chief executive officer. However, the recalled products were made using wheat gluten purchased from a new supplier, since dropped for another source, spokeswoman Sarah Tuite said. Wheat gluten is a source of protein.

The recall covers the company's "cuts and gravy" style food, which consists of chunks of meat in gravy, sold in cans and small foil pouches between Dec. 3 and March 6 throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

The pet food was sold by stores operated by the Kroger Co., Safeway Inc., Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and PetSmart Inc., among others, Henderson said.

Menu Foods did not immediately provide a full list of brand names and lot numbers covered by the recall, saying they would be posted on its Web site -- http://www.menufoods.com/recall -- early Saturday. Consumers with questions can call (866) 463-6738.

Repeated calls to that number over several hours Friday night got only a busy signal. Attempts to reach a company spokeswoman for an explanation were unsuccessful.

The company said it manufacturers for 17 of the top 20 North American retailers. It is also a contract manufacturer for the top branded pet food companies, including Procter & Gamble Co.

P&G announced Friday the recall of specific 3 oz., 5.5 oz., 6 oz. and 13.2 oz. canned and 3 oz. and 5.3 oz. foil pouch cat and dog wet food products made by Menu Foods but sold under the Iams and Eukanuba brands. The recalled products bear the code dates of 6339 through 7073 followed by the plant code 4197, P&G said.

Menu Foods' three U.S. and one Canadian factory produce more than 1 billion containers of wet pet food a year. The recall covers pet food made at company plants in Emporia, Kan., and Pennsauken, N.J., Henderson said.

Henderson said the company received an undisclosed number of owner complaints of vomiting and kidney failure in dogs and cats after they had been fed its products. It has tested its products but not found a cause for the sickness.

"To date, the tests have not indicated any problems with the product," Henderson said.

The company alerted the Food and Drug Administration, which already has inspectors in one of the two plants, Henderson said. The FDA was working to nail down brand names covered by the recall, agency spokesman Mike Herndon said.

Menu Foods is majority owned by the Menu Foods Income Fund, based in Ontario, Canada.

Henderson said the recall would cost the company the Canadian equivalent of $26 million to $34 million.

Food and Drug Administration: http://www.fda.gov/

[Yme2]

You beat me to the punch .This needed to be posted. I'm sure we all want to check out our pet food. I know I have bought food in these stores .So now I'm checking out the coads on the cans To save time here are the affected code numbers 9339 through 7073 followed by code 4197...

[pmacbohlen]

Thanks for the info! I too need to double check what I have.

[KittyTyme]

OMG>. I'm about to have a heart attack.. Pet's Pride is what I feed Molly.. it's just about the only food I can find that doesn't have any soy products in in it.
I thought it was just this brand.. until I tried to by some food from Walmart and they denied the sale!.. Unfortunatly, I threw a fit.. because it was STILL on the shelves.



Mar 17, 2007 10:28 AM



Related Links
Pet Food Recall Link

Dog Food Brands Recalled:




Americas Choice, Preferred Pets

Authority

Award

Best Choice

Big Bet

Big Red

Bloom

Bruiser

Cadillac

Companion

Demoulas Market Basket

Fine Feline Cat, Shep Dog

Food Lion

Giant Companion

Great Choice

Hannaford

Hill Country Fare

Hy-Vee

Key Food

Laura Lynn

Loving Meals

Main Choice

Mixables

Nutriplan

Nutro Max

Nutro Natural Choice

Nutro

Ol'Roy

Paws

Pet Essentials

Pet Pride

Presidents Choice

Price Chopper

Priority

Publix

Roche Bros

Save-A-Lot

Schnucks

Springsfield Pride

Sprout

Stater Bros

Total Pet, My True Friend

Western Family

White Rose

Winn Dixie

Your Pet

Cat Food Brands Recalled:



Americas Choice, Preferred Pets

Authority

Best Choice

Companion

Compliments

Demoulas Market Basket

Fine Feline Cat, Shep Dog

Food Lion

Foodtown

Giant Companion

Good n Meaty

Hannaford

Hill Country Fare

Hy-Vee

Key Food

Laura Lynn

Li'l Red

Loving Meals

Main Choice

Nutriplan

Nutro Max Gourmet Classics

Nutro Natural Choice

Paws

Presidents Choice

Price Chopper

Priority

Save-A-Lot

Schnucks

Sophistacat

Special Kitty

Springfield Pride

Sprout

Total Pet, My True Friend

Wegmans

Western Family

White Rose

Winn Dixie

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Associated Press Update Friday Evening:

WASHINGTON (AP) - A major manufacturer of dog and cat food sold under Wal-Mart, Safeway, Kroger and other store brands recalled 60 (m) million containers today after reports of kidney failure and deaths.

Menu Foods says about ten pets died after eating the affected food. The company says testing has not revealed an explanation.

A spokeswoman says the recalled products were made using wheat gluten purchased from a new supplier, which has since been dropped for another source.

The recall covers the company's "cuts and gravy" style food, sold in cans and small foil pouches between December Third and March Six throughout North America.

The company is also a contract manufacturer for the top branded pet food companies, including Cincinnati-based Procter and Gamble.

(Menu Foods did not immediately provide a full list of brand names and lot numbers covered by the recall, saying they would be posted on its Web site - www.menufoods.com/recall - early Saturday. Consumers with questions can call (866) 463-6738.

P&G announced Friday the recall of specific 3 oz., 5.5 oz., 6 oz. and 13.2 oz. canned and 3 oz. and 5.3 oz. foil pouch cat and dog wet food products made by Menu Foods but sold under the Iams and Eukanuba brands. The recalled products bear the code dates of 6339 through 7073 followed by the plant code 4197.)

[janking]

I am hoping and praying that all of our pets are ok..and Im pissed off too that we have to worry about what food we are feeding out pets now too!! It seems that nothing is safe anymore--not our food or our pets food either!! There need to be higher standards and better inspections for EVERYTHING..this is just plain ridiculous and inexcusable!!!!
And Tammy..I didnt know about the recall until I saw it on the news this morning after I got home from work at Walmart..and i wasnt near the pet dept. last night so I dont know if our store cleared the shelves or not..but I was outraged from what you said about it still being on the shelves at your store down there--why keep it on the shelves and then deny the sale???? Thats just plain crazy!!!!!!!!!!!

[Yme2]

Back to the top of the page very important!!!!!

[Fatkitty]

Thanks for the warning.

[mom2bichons]

I thought this is for wet foods for dogs and cats...I got nervous because I buy hard crunchy dog treats from Walmart a lot. I was told this is strictly for the wet foods.

I am also praying for any animals that have this. We are all trying to be good mommies and this kind of thing is terrible. I wonder what they changed in order for it to cause this much despair and panic.

[janking]

Beth, go back and read the report--it said they got the wheat gluten used in the product from a new supplier--I guess thats where it got contaminated..then they dropped that supplier and found another one.

[mom2bichons]

I read that, call me synical (which has been done before) I think there is more to this than so far being shown.