24 Million for Pet Food Recall Deaths
From: Dr Andrew Jones
Author: Veterinary Secrets Revealed
Website: https://shop.veterinarysecrets.com
Re: 24 Million for Pet Food Recall Deaths
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Good morning and a Happy Memorial Day to our U.S. readers!
Unfortunately here in Canada, today is a regular work day-
but Summer is close, so getting through Monday is a little
easier.
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What should I feed Doc?
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Aaaaah..the Food Question.
Would you believe that I get asked this question EVERY single
day?
And it’s a great one.
The SINGLE biggest affect on your Dog and Cat’s health is
in the food they eat.
You can PREVENT many diseases with proper diet.
On the other hand you can CAUSE DISEASE with the
WRONG diet.
The quick answer:
The Special Pet Food Report:
As I was considering the Answer to that BIG question, I
came across a very interesting article about the Pet Food
Recall:
Pet Food Makers Agree to $24 Million Settlement
By Lisa Wade McCormick
ConsumerAffairs.com
May 24, 2008
Parties involved in the litigation surrounding the largest pet
food recall in U.S. history — blamed for the deaths and illnesses
of thousands of dogs and cats in North America — have agreed to
settle the case for $24 million.
The proposed settlement — triggered by last year’s recall of
60 million containers of melamine-tainted dog and cat food —
was filed last Thursday in the U.S. District Court of New Jersey.
A hearing to approve the settlement is set for May 30.
The tainted pet food debacle started last March when Menu Foods
of Canada recalled millions of containers of dog and cat food.
The company — which manufacturers dog and cat food under nearly
100 brand names — took that action after pets across the country
that ate its food suffered kidney problems and became ill or died.
“The Settlement Agreement will create a Settlement Fund of $24
million that will allow a potential recovery of up to 100% of all
economic damages related to the pet food recall that were incurred
by pet owners and persons who purchased recalled pet food in the
United States and in Canada, subject to several limitations,” Menu
Foods wrote in a press release.
Under the proposed settlement, pet owners can file claims for medical
expenses and reimbursement of burial or cremation costs. Pet owners
who do not have documentation for these expenses can receive up to
$900 each.
According to The Kansas City Star, the settlement sets aside $250,000
for reimbursement of recalled products, $400,000 for pet owners who
paid to have their dogs and cats screened for health problems, and
the remainder will cover all other economic damages, including those
related to the death or injury of a pet.
Jeniphr Breckenridge, one of the plaintiffs’ attorneys in the case,
told the newspaper she is pleased with the settlement. “But at the
same time, we recognize that there is no legal settlement that can
compensate pet owners for losing a pet,” she said.
Menu Foods initially blamed the contamination on a chemical called
Aminopterin, which is used as a rat poison and to treat cancer.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) later discovered an ingredient
used to make the pet food — wheat gluten imported from China — was
tainted with the chemical melamine.
Melamine is used to make plastics.
Under the proposed settlement, pet food makers must continue testing
ingredients imported from China.
In December, veterinarians blamed the dogs’ and cats’ deaths on the
combination of two chemicals FDA officials found in the tainted pet
food: melamine and cyanuric acid, which is used to chlorinate pools.
Neither chemical is approved in pet food.
Veterinarians said those two chemicals can combine and form crystals
in the dogs’ and cats’ bodies. And those crystals can impair the
animals’ kidney function.
“Either one of those chemicals alone wouldn’t cause these (deaths),”
Dr. Barbara Powers, immediate past president of the American
Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians (AAVLD) and
director of Colorado State University’s Veterinary Diagnostic
Laboratory, told ConsumerAffairs.com. “It has to be the combination
of the two.
“So it’s not melamine alone.”
Pet owners in 19 states — and Ontario — filed dozens of lawsuits
against Menu Foods in the weeks that followed the March 16, 2007,
nationwide recall of dog and cat food.
Those cases were consolidated in a federal court in Camden, New Jersey.
The lawsuits alleged unfair and deceptive trade practices,
negligence in failing to provide adequate quality control and
breach of implied and express warranties.
Some consumers also claimed they suffered emotional trauma after
their pets became sick or died.
Pet owners sought compensation for their veterinary bills.
Companies named in the lawsuits — besides Menu Foods — included
Del Monte Foods Inc. of San Francisco; Nestle of Stamford, Conn.;
Procter & Gamble in Cincinnati; Xuzhou Anying Biologic Technology
Development Co. Ltd. in Pixian, China; and Suzhou Textile Import
and Export Co. in Jiangsu, China.
Those defendants — and Menu Foods’ product liability insurance
company — will cover the costs of the settlement.
Menu Foods estimated the recall cost the company $53.8 million.
The company said pet owners with potential claims should not contact
Menu Foods regarding the proposed settlement. A third party claims
administrator appointed by the court will oversee the Settlement
Fund, the company said. Once the settlement is approved, Menu Foods
said it will post contact information for the claims administrator
on its Web site.
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P.S. I am advocating that you still DON’T exclusively feed
dry and canned commercial kibble to your dog or cat- I am NOT
confident that something like this WON’T happen again.
SO..Stick with premium Natural Brands.
Change brands at times.
Make some of your dog and cat’s food at home.
Feed Raw as some of your pet’s diet.
Last night Lewis had some of our Beef Stew- and
a Raw patty..he LOVED it and I am confident that
it is toxin free.
To get the scoop on home diets you can go here:
It’s Your Pet…Heal Them At Home!
Best Wishes,
Dr Andrew Jones, DVM
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