At least 16 cats and dogs have died and scores
more have suffered kidney failure after consuming
pet food made from a Canadian manufacturer's
"cuts and gravy" style of product -
affecting dozens of well known brands.
More than 60 million cans and pouches of pet food
made from materials manufactured by Menu Foods Income Fund
are being recalled, and neither the manufacturer nor authorities have been able to determine why the pets died.
Since last Friday, nearly 100 brands of the "cuts and
gravy" style food have been recalled, including popular labels sold at Wal-Mart, Kroger and other large retailers.
Veterinarians are directing most questions to the Food and Drug Administration's recall
website (below). Some have agreed to run blood tests on pets, even though many of the animals have not consumed any of the recalled brands.
Pet owners with animals showing symptoms such as vomiting, lethargy and extreme thirst are being told to bring them in for immediate examination.
"We continue to exhaustively test finished product and all of the individual ingredients. In addition to that, we're doing tests on tissue samples from some of the pets that have
died. We're doing our best to respond to our calls and get out information. It's been an extremely challenging time for a company whose entire mission is to contribute to the health and vitality of North American
pets," a Menu Foods spokesman said.
A class action suit that was issued in Ontario Superior Court of Justice on Thursday but has yet to be certified, alleges that certain Menu Foods "failed to implement quality assurance procedures and failed to adequately test the dog and cat food prior to introducing it into the Canadian market," the lawyers for one Canadian pet owner said.
It is alleged the plaintiff's cat fell ill with kidney failure after eating Menu Foods cat food. The claim seeks compensation for all those who have purchased dog or cat food manufactured by Menu Foods between December 3, 2006, and March 6, 2007.
