Humane Society of Morgan County
Contact: Susan Kemenyas, Board Secretary For Immediate release
Humane Society of Morgan County
Phone: 304-258-7841 TIME
SENSITIVE
Email: Susan_Kemenyas@yahoo.com Critical
Public Announcement
HUMANE SOCIETY ALERTS PUBLIC TO PET FOOD RECALLS
The Humane Society of Morgan County is deeply concerned that the local community be made aware of a pet food recall. 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, March 16 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. 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. The pet food was
sold by stores operated by the Kroger Company, Safeway
Inc., Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and PetSmart Inc., among others.
Menu Foods did not immediately provide a full list of brand
names and lot numbers covered by the recall. Consumers
with questions can call (800) 551-7392.
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.
Its 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,
Kansas, and Pennsauken, New Jersey. 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," said
a Menu Foods representative.
