Orijen

Cat food firm blames deaths on quarantine controls
Kelly Burke Consumer Affairs ReporterNovember 28, 2008
THE Canadian manufacturer at the centre of a local pet food scare caused by paralysis in more than 40 cats has placed the blame squarely on the shoulders of the Australian Government.
In a statement released yesterday, Champion Petfoods, of Alberta, said it was pulling out of the Australian market after independent tests from a US laboratory on its Orijen brand of cat food showed that dangerous levels of irradiation mandated by the Australian Government appeared to be to blame for the outbreak of serious illness among Australian cats.
Five animals have so far had to be put down, although it is believed a number of cats in other states were also destroyed before the link to the Orijen brand of food had been made.
The company, which exports to 50 countries, said only Australia demanded its pet food be irradiated because Orijen was not highly processed or cooked at the same high temperatures as most other imported pet foods.
Citing a US study last year which found that levels between 36 and 47 kiloGrays of Cobalt 60 gamma rays were linked to neurological symptoms similar to those found in the affected Australian cats, the pet food company said the minimum level of 50 kGYs demanded by the Australian Government for the imported product was clearly excessive, and had possibly led to a serious depletion of vitamin A.
The only human foods approved for irradiation in Australia are imported herbs and spices, ranging from 10 to 30 kGYs, and tropical fruit, irradiated at no more than 1 kGY.
A spokesman for the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries & Forestry said Australia required all dry and semi-dried pet food to be either heat-treated or irradiated and Orijen was just one of a number of pet food manufacturers that exported to Australia.
"No other manufacturer has reported any similar issues," he said.
The Sydney cat neurologist who first identified the link between the pet food and the outbreak of illness in the local cat population, Dr Georgina Child, was sceptical of the company's claims.
"There is nothing to suggest any of the cats I have seen are vitamin A deficient … and while all the cats have eaten Orijen, most have also eaten a variety of other foods," she said.
The study quoted by the company was based on the findings of just eight cats and concluded that further research was required to support any link between vitamin A depletion, irradiation and neurological illness, Dr Child said.

COMING SOON!

Taste of The Wild - Dog & Cat Foods

We just rec'd the NEW Canidae NO GRAIN DOG FOODS

SALE TILL THE END OF THE MONT

60 LITTER CAREFRESH BEDDING $ 14.99

1 GALLON NATURES MIRACLE $19.99

20LB FELINE PINE $ 9

Win a Jeep!

Stop by our store from now till July 13th. Purchase $ 200 or more & get a raffle ticket ( $50 value) to win a 2008 Jeep Compass. It will help beneit PAWS and you may win a Jeep.
Only 700 will be sold so your chance are pretty good!

WELL... WELL

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEJune 19, 2008FDA Requests Seizure of Animal Food Products at PETCO DistributionCenterToday, at the request of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA),U.S. Marshals seized various animal food products stored underunsanitary conditions at the PETCO Animal Supplies DistributionCenter located in Joliet, Ill., pursuant to a warrant issued by theUnited States District Court in Chicago.U.S. Marshals seized all FDA-regulated animal food susceptible torodent and pest contamination. The seized products violate theFederal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act because it was alleged in a casefiled by the United States Attorney that they were being held underunsanitary conditions. (The Act uses the term "insanitary" todescribe such conditions).During an FDA inspection of a PETCO distribution center in April,widespread and active rodent and bird infestation was found. The FDAinspected the facility again in May and found continuing andwidespread infestation."We simply will not allow a company to store foods under filthy andunsanitary conditions that occur as a direct result of the company'sfailure to adequately control and prevent pests in its facility,"said Margaret O'K. Glavin, associate commissioner for regulatoryaffairs. "Consumers expect that such safeguards will be in place notonly for human food, but for pet food as well."The distribution center in Joliet, Ill., provides pet food productsand supplies to PETCO retail stores in 16 states including Alabama,Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan,Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, andWisconsin.FDA has no reports of pet illness or death associated withconsumption of animal food distributed by PETCO, and does not haveevidence that the food is unsafe for animals. However, the seizedproducts were in permeable packages and held under conditions thatcould affect the food's integrity and quality.As a precaution, consumers who have handled products originating fromthe PETCO distribution center should thoroughly wash their hands withhot water and soap. Any surfaces that came in contact with thepackages should be washed as well. Consumers are further advised as aprecaution to thoroughly wash products sold in cans and glasscontainers from PETCO in the 16 affected states.If a pet has become ill after eating these food products, pet ownersshould contact their veterinarian and report illnesses to FDA stateconsumer complaint coordinators.Media Inquiries:Kimberly Rawlings, 301-827-6242Consumer Inquiries:888-INFO-FDA

another INFLATION FIGHTER

Purchase 1/ 26oz bage of California Health bars AND 3 cans of California Natural
plus
one 5lb dry, 20lb dry or 36lb dry

and get a valuable rebate coupon for up to $15 from California Natural !

SALE!

VIDA VITTLES VAULTS! 25lb size
Purchase 13lb or larger of dog OR cat food and get the vault for 50% off .

OFFER GOOD TILL MAY 31 OR WHILE SUPPLY LASTS

NEW CAT LITTERS

KATGO cedar litter !
CAT COUNTRY Organic Wheat grass litter!
also
4lb bags FELINE PINE SCOOPABLE... while supplies last...tagged w/ mail in rebate for a free bag.

NEW CANS FOR DOGS & CATS

Homestyles formulas for both dog & cat from Natures Variety.... the people that make the Raw diets that we sell.
The dog & cat formulas come in 3 flavors ..Beef, Chicken & Lamb.

The ingredients are 100% free of corn, wheat, soy, by products, glutens, artificial flavors & colors.

Stop by and talk to us about it!

FLEA & TICK PROTECTION

Now available!
CUTTER PLUS for dogs....

Kills fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, dog lice and ear mites

3 dose pack only $ 6.

FREQUENT BUYER PLANS

If you were NOT aware... we offer freqeunt buyer plans on the following

NUTRO
PRECISE
CANIDAE
VERUS
and MERRICK

Ask about it next time you come in

MERRICK DOG FOOD SALE

Wednesday, March 13 to Sunday March 23rd ALL Merrick dog food, 13.2oz size is on sale!!!

One flavor per case $ 17 per case.

EUKANUBA CAT

Eukanuba Cat is coming out w/ a new look & new paper bags!!!! instead of plastic!
To make room for the new arrivals, all Eukanuba Cat in stock... is stickered w/

$ 4 OFF ! stickers...

As usual... there is no member cards and NO limit in bringing you the best price!

DOG SHOWS

This weekend, Feb 2 & 3rd.. there are Dog Shows at the Meadowlands Expo Center in Secacus !

tHE .I CAN'T BELIEVE IT SALE

IAMS DOG FOOD 48lb bags

MINI CHUNKS, LARGE BREED AND WEIGHT CONTROL only

$ 26.99 per bag plus tax

WHILE SUPPLIES LAST

Saturday, Jan 26th

Just to clarify.A customer came in today and asked "if we stopped taking donations". The answer is NO!, of course not. We take and give donations to several organizations. In town PAWS and Homeless Needs at Label Street....and countless others. We also help many Breed Specific organizations. The Clinic we ran last week, netted over $400.

Many organizations, will take one thing, BUT not another. For example, if we have a busted bag of food, one group may take it, and another won't! Another group will take beds, but another one won't! So I deliver / drop off the goods for they are meant.

We had a "drop box" here (for the Homeless Needs group) for some time. I asked for it to be removed for several reasons. 1st, kids were climbing on it...sometimes breaking pieces off! 2nd, it became a target for dogs lifting their legs. In becoming a fixture here, it lost it's special meaning. I asked that it be removed for the time being.

JT Montclair Feed

JANUARY SALES

EVOLVE DOG FOOD - NO wheat, no by-products no artificial colors.
In store coupons $ 2 off 6lb bags, $ 3 off 15lb bags

WORLDS BEST LITTER - 17lb ES $17, 17lb regular $ 16

XMAS plush toys - Buy 1 regular price, get 1 for $ 1.

EARTH BATH SHAMPOOS- 16oz size $ 8. Oatmeal or Eucalyptus or Mango Tango

WEE WEE pads - 30 pads $ 13. , 50 pads $ 19, 100 pads $ 30

Natures Miracle - cat or dog pint bottle $ 5

Carefresh ultra - 23 liier $ 9.50

Lawsuit settlement regarding Diamond Dog Food

We have never sold Diamond Dog Food or any of their other products!
We are posting this as information

Maker of tainted dog food to pay $3.1M
1/5/2008, 7:35 a.m. ET
By MEG KINNARD The Associated Press

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — A company that made contaminated pet food that killed dozens of dogs nationwide will pay $3.1 million in a settlement with pet owners, an attorney said Friday.
The pet food, which contained a mold called aflatoxin, was produced at Diamond Pet Foods' plant in South Carolina. The company will set up a fund to reimburse pet owners for the loss of their dog, veterinarian bills and the cost of any unreturned contaminated food, said attorney Jim Andrews, who represented a Knoxville, Tenn., family that sued the company.
Diamond Pet Foods, based in Meta, Mo., acknowledged that workers at its Gaston, S.C., plant failed to follow internal testing procedures to ensure its products were safe. The company made the acknowledgment after the Food and Drug Administration released a report showing the company has no record of test results for 12 shipments of corn in 2005, when grain tainted with the deadly fungus slipped into the plant.
The company contends it did nothing illegal, according to the settlement.
An attorney for the company said Diamond would cooperate with claimants.
"Diamond's taken care of its customers since the very first day that they found out about this, and I think the settlement that we've entered into continues to do that," lawyer Jeffrey Thompson said from his office in Knoxville, Tenn.
Aflatoxin, a naturally occurring chemical that comes from a fungus sometimes found on corn and in other crops, can cause severe liver damage.
The contaminated pet food was sold in 23 states. Diamond recalled about 20 varieties of dog and cat food when a New York veterinarian said in December 2005 that she had linked a dog's death to the company's food. An estimated 350,000 bags of dog food were recalled, according to the settlement.
Both attorneys said Friday they did not know how many people were expected to file claims against the company. According to the settlement agreement, Diamond and its insurance company have already settled about 1,200 related claims for compensation ranging from the price of recalled food to veterinary bills and pet deaths.
The settlement states that owners of a dog that died as a result of eating the contaminated food could receive up to $1,000. Owners could also be compensated up to $1,000 for testing and treatment for aflatoxin poisoning, as well as payment for up to two bags of pet food.
Andrews and other attorneys representing the claimants will receive a fee of $465,000, which will be paid out from the $3.1 million, according to the settlement.
The 2005 recall is unrelated to the contamination problem that prompted recalls of more than 100 pet-food brands in early 2006. In that case, investigators traced pet deaths to a toxic chemical, melamine, that had been added during manufacturing in China.