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Pet Food Maker Can't Explain Deaths
Pet Food Maker Can't Explain Deaths
Menu Foods Looking At Single Ingredient POSTED: 3:45 pm EDT March 21, 2007 UPDATED: 6:26 pm EDT March 21, 2007 The pet food linked to the deaths of 16 animals has shown no signs of contamination, the manufacturer says, and the company cannot explain why the cats and dog developed acute kidney failure and died. In an interview with The Associated Press, Paul Henderson, the chief executive and president of Menu Foods, said Wednesday the company was looking at a single ingredient. He wouldn't identify it, but the Food and Drug Administration has said the investigation was focusing on wheat gluten. "Our hypothesis is that it is that ingredient that in fact represents the highest probability as to the cause," Henderson said. "But we have been unable to prove that through scientific information." The animal deaths have led to the recall of 60 million cans and pouches of pet food sold throughout North America under 95 brand names. "This is a puzzling and troubling experience for everybody within this organization," Henderson said in an interview from company headquarters in Streetsville, Ontario. "It is extremely disheartening that we haven't been able to find the causative agent." There have been tests on 10 cats that died, performed by an outside company for Menu Foods. The results show only that the cats died of acute kidney failure. There have been widespread reports of kidney failure, some fatal, in pets that have eaten the recalled brands. The company has confirmed the overall deaths of 15 cats and one dog. Menu Foods last week recalled "cuts and gravy" style dog and cat food. The recall has sparked concern among pet owners across North America. It includes food sold under store brands carried by Wal-Mart, Kroger, Safeway and other large retailers, as well as private labels like Iams, Nutro and Eukanuba. Call centers hired by the company received 47,000 calls over the weekend, Henderson said. "Our hearts go out to all of the pet owners across Canada, the United States and Mexico for any losses they experience and certainly for the worry this incident may be causing," Henderson said. The FDA has sent investigators to New Jersey and Kansas plants operated by Menu Foods. Wheat gluten is a source of protein and was used to thicken the gravy in the pet food, sold in both cans and pouches, according to the FDA. A complete list of the recalled products along with product codes, descriptions and production dates was available from the Menu Foods Web site. The company also designated two phone numbers that pet owners could call for information - (866) 463-6738 and (866) 895-2708. Menu Foods is majority owned by Menu Foods Income Fund of Streetsville. The company also makes foods for zoo cats, but those products are unaffected by the recall. Henderson said the company delayed announcing the recall until it could confirm that the animals had eaten its product before dying. Two earlier complaints from consumers whose cats had died involved animals that lived outside or had access to a garage, which left open the possibility they had been poisoned by something other than contaminated food, he said. Wheat gluten itself would not cause kidney failure, but the common ingredient could have been contaminated by heavy metals or mold toxins, the FDA said. Woman Sues, Seeks Class-Action Status A Chicago woman sued Menu Foods on Tuesday, alleging the pet food manufacturer delayed announcing a recall of 60 million containers of dog and cat food despite knowing its products were contaminated and potentially deadly. Dawn Majerczyk, 43, said her orange tabby, Phoenix, fell sick last week just two days after he ate a single package of Special Kitty. It is one of 95 cat and dog food brands recalled by Menu Foods of Canada. Friday's recall came two weeks after nine cats died during routine company taste tests of its products, the Food and Drug Administration said. Majerczyk said she took the 9-year-old cat to its first-ever veterinarian visit the day of the recall. The cat had lost six pounds in four days and was lethargic, dehydrated and nearly blind. She returned over the weekend to have him put down after his organs began to fail. Her suit, filed by Chicago attorney Jay Edelson, seeks class-action status. "I want my vet bills and I want some compensation for what they did to my kids -- and for the company's neglect," Majerczyk, a medical assistant in a dermatology office. The company said it had not seen the suit and had no comment. The FDA had no comment on the com http://www.local6.com/news/11320224/...203212007&ts=H |
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Pet Food Maker Can't Explain Deaths
On Mar 21, 7:11 pm, "Matthew" wrote:
Pet Food Maker Can't Explain Deaths Menu Foods Looking At Single Ingredient This is really sad The way they make petfood, I'm surprised something like this hasn't happened sooner. I really hope they get to the bottom of this before more animals get sick or worse. My heart goes out to those whose animals were affected. |
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Pet Food Maker Can't Explain Deaths
"Matthew" wrote in message ... snip Woman Sues, Seeks Class-Action Status A Chicago woman sued Menu Foods on Tuesday, alleging the pet food manufacturer delayed announcing a recall of 60 million containers of dog and cat food despite knowing its products were contaminated and potentially deadly. Dawn Majerczyk, 43, said her orange tabby, Phoenix, fell sick last week just two days after he ate a single package of Special Kitty. It is one of 95 cat and dog food brands recalled by Menu Foods of Canada. Friday's recall came two weeks after nine cats died during routine company taste tests of its products, the Food and Drug Administration said. Majerczyk said she took the 9-year-old cat to its first-ever veterinarian visit the day of the recall. The cat had lost six pounds in four days and was lethargic, dehydrated and nearly blind. She returned over the weekend to have him put down after his organs began to fail. Her suit, filed by Chicago attorney Jay Edelson, seeks class-action status. "I want my vet bills and I want some compensation for what they did to my kids -- and for the company's neglect," Majerczyk, a medical assistant in a dermatology office. The company said it had not seen the suit and had no comment. The FDA had no comment on the com http://www.local6.com/news/11320224/...203212007&ts=H All of us are distressed by the cats and dogs that have been affected by whatever has contaminated their food. However, I was also angry at the woman described in this article. She is suing the pet food manufacturer for neglect, but in my opinion *she* has also been grossly negligent (and she is a medical assistant in a dermatology office, so she should have at least some knowledge of the need for routine health care). According to the article, she took her 9-year-old cat for its *first-ever* veterinarian visit, and the cat had already *lost six pounds in four days* and was *lethargic, dehydrated and nearly blind.* I can't even envision the rage I would feel if one of my furbabies had been affected by defective pet food and I then learned that there had been a delay in issuing a recall, but I also feel anger at a woman who would delay seeking veterinary care in the situation described in this article. MaryL |
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Pet Food Maker Can't Explain Deaths
You can't always believe everything you read. It's entirely possible the
reporter got their facts mixed up. Every story I've seen about this woman and the lawsuit there is no mention of this being the cat's first ever examination. She is also one of many people now filing lawsuits against Menu Foods and I'd say they have a clear cut case. -- Cat Galaxy: All Cats! All The Time! www.catgalaxymedia.com Panther TEK: Staying On Top Of Your Computer Needs! www.panthertekit.com "MaryL" -OUT-THE-LITTER wrote in message ... All of us are distressed by the cats and dogs that have been affected by whatever has contaminated their food. However, I was also angry at the woman described in this article. She is suing the pet food manufacturer for neglect, but in my opinion *she* has also been grossly negligent (and she is a medical assistant in a dermatology office, so she should have at least some knowledge of the need for routine health care). According to the article, she took her 9-year-old cat for its *first-ever* veterinarian visit, and the cat had already *lost six pounds in four days* and was *lethargic, dehydrated and nearly blind.* I can't even envision the rage I would feel if one of my furbabies had been affected by defective pet food and I then learned that there had been a delay in issuing a recall, but I also feel anger at a woman who would delay seeking veterinary care in the situation described in this article. MaryL |
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Pet Food Maker Can't Explain Deaths
On Mar 21, 7:11?pm, "Matthew" wrote:
Pet Food Maker Can't Explain Deaths Menu Foods Looking At Single Ingredient POSTED: 3:45 pm EDT March 21, 2007 UPDATED: 6:26 pm EDT March 21, 2007 The pet food linked to the deaths of 16 animals has shown no signs of contamination, the manufacturer says, and the company cannot explain why the cats and dog developed acute kidney failure and died. Terrorism. What else could it be...? The arabs know right where to hit us. They also know that most people with pets are softies. IOW, they'll never insist on a fight to get even. Just more pain from our friends from the 'religion of peace'. Next it'll be Yankee Stadium, NASCAR or the grand Ole' Opry. Probably not thought, because any one of those would spark a nation-wide movement to put those olive skin *******s in interment camps. And that's right where they belong. Before they can hurt any more precious things uniquly American. Pet owners, you should be behind me on this one... They say that all things are fair in love and war, but to **** with someone's pets...? That's going too far. |
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