ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - Rodent poison has been found in pet food blamed for the deaths of at least 16 cats and dogs, a spokeswoman for the State Department of Agriculture and Markets said Friday.
Spokeswoman Jessica Chittenden would not identify the chemical or its source beyond saying it was a rodent poison. State agriculture officials scheduled a news conference Friday afternoon to release laboratory findings from tests on the pet food conducted this week.
The deaths led to a recall of 60 million cans and pouches of pet food produced by Menu Foods and sold throughout North America under 95 brand names. There have been reports of kidney failure, some fatal, in pets that ate the recalled brands. The company has confirmed the deaths of 15 cats and one dog.
Menu Foods last week recalled "cuts and gravy" style dog and cat food. The recall 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 such as Iams, Nutro and Eukanuba.
Fri Mar 23, 2007 11:00 am
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imamonstertruck VIP
Joined: 26 Feb 2007 Posts: 519 Location: Louisville KY
We just adopted out a dog, Belle, a beautiful pit bull two weeks ago, and her kidney's are failling. The guy had called us to let us know that she wasnt eating anything and was acting weird so he took her to the vet. The vet told him what was wrong and asked him exactly what he was feeding her. Nutro was the brand of food he was feeding her, mixing hard and soft. It was the soft food.
She is not doing well, and it is really hittng us (me) hard here at the Humane Society.
The chief financial officer of Menu Foods Income Fund says it was a "horrible coincidence" that he sold nearly half his units in the pet food company less than three weeks before a massive product recall.
Insider trading reports confirm that Mark Wiens sold 14,000 units, or 45 per cent of his stock, for $102,900 on Feb. 26 and Feb. 27, reports The Globe and Mail. The shares would be worth $62,440 at current prices.
Wiens still owned 17,193 units and options to purchase 101,812 units after the sale.
"It's a horrible coincidence, yes . . ." Wiens told The Globe.
"I hold myself to the highest ethical and moral standards possible. I wouldn't do anything to imperil the high governance standards that I demand of myself or anybody in the company."
Wiens said the first reports about pet-related illnesses connected to Menu Foods products were made in late February.
However, he said that he did not hear about the issue until early March.
The Streetsville, Ont. company eventually issued a recall for 60 million containers of dog and cat food on March 16.
"In terms of process, during any given year, we get consumer complaints all the time and it becomes matter of course for our technical people, so it's not something that necessarily gets flagged right to the top on an ongoing basis," said Wiens.
Paul Henderson, the president and chief executive of Menu Foods, said his company severed its relationship with its Chinese supplier of wheat gluten on March 6. Melamine in the supplied wheat gluten has been identified as the root of the problem.
Henderson said in a recent press conference that by March 6, it was evident that "something was wrong" with some of the company's products.
Wiens said he has not been contacted by the Ontario Securities Commission or any other regulators since the problems erupted at Menu Foods.
OSC spokesperson Wendy Dey told the Globe that the commission reviews insider trading reports routinely but she said they do not comment on individual cases.
Wiens explained that he sold his shares for financial planning purposes and that he was prohibited from selling until Feb. 16 because of an implemented blackout period.
He said he recognized why questions would arise about his trade.
"Certainly there would be questions when you piece all the timing together. I understand that," he said.
Multiple manufacturers have since recalled their pet foods after using the same supplier.
Wed Apr 11, 2007 8:02 am
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madthumbs
Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Posts: 8185 Location: Fingerlakes - NY usa
Some places like Wal-Mart are pulling the food off the shelves by day only to have it restocked by night staff.
Joined: 26 Feb 2007 Posts: 519 Location: Louisville KY
Phaq em, I am feeding Turkish 'real food' now, I was stupid, and he has so much more 'POSITIVE!!!' energy.
Actually, my brother, who is in the restaraunt buisness, and I are working together in the kitchen of his restaraunt at night to make this food. He orders alot of the beef organs (hearts and livers) from his distributors. he has three dogs in his home and I have Trukish and sweet Asia, my girlfriends dog. I really think this might turn into something.
