-
Mar 18, 2007 7:40 pm US/Pacific
-
Digg |
Facebook |
E-mail
|
Print
More Questions Than Answers In Pet Food Recall
(BCN)
The pet food manufacturer Menu Foods, Inc. on Sunday still had not identified what reportedly caused nine cats and one dog to die of kidney failure after eating wet food manufactured by the Ontario-based company, an employee with the company's corporate headquarters said.
Sarah Tuite said Sunday that the company had not compiled updated information yet on other possible reports of animals becoming sick or dying after eating contaminated food, but the company is continuing to recall all wet foods manufactured between December 3 and March 6.
Menu Foods, Inc. reported Saturday that it was recalling 40 cat food products and 48 dog food products manufactured under a variety of brand names. Information about the specific brands being recalled can be found online at www.menufoods.com/recall.
The recalled products are marketed throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico by many pet food retailers, including Ahold USA, Inc. Kroger Company, Safeway, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., PetSmart, Inc. and Pet Valu, Inc., according to the Food and Drug Administration.
Pet Food Express, a Bay Area pet food retailer, has pulled all potentially contaminated products off their shelves and are only selling three brands of wet pet food, since those are the only brands the company has confirmed to be safe, the company announced Saturday.
The recall was first announced Friday evening and pet owners across the country were warned to check the manufacture date on their pet food and to take their pets to the veterinarian if they had eaten recalled products and showed signs of kidney failure, such as loss of appetite, lethargy and vomiting.
Although Menu Foods still has not identified what caused the animals to fall ill, the company has reported that the timing associated with the animal fatalities coincides with the introduction of an ingredient from a new supplier, according to a company statement.
The company also was not releasing any information on where the animals that died had lived and which food they ate, Tuite said.
The company has estimated that the recall is costing it between $30 million and $40 million.
The FDA said it is conducting an investigation into the matter and is working with Menu Foods, Inc. to distribute information about the recall.
(© CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Bay City News contributed to this report.)