FDA - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- Franklin, Tennessee (May 21, 2009) -- Today, Nutro Products announced a voluntary recall of select varieties of NUTRO® NATURAL CHOICE® COMPLETE CARE® Dry Cat Foods and NUTRO® MAX® Cat Dry Foods with “Best If Used By Dates” between May 12, 2010 and August 22, 2010.

The cat food is being voluntarily recalled in the United States and ten additional countries. This recall is due to incorrect levels of zinc and potassium in our finished product resulting from a production error by a US-based premix supplier. Two mineral premixes were affected. One premix contained excessive levels of zinc and under-supplemented potassium. The second premix under-supplemented potassium. Both zinc and potassium are essential nutrients for cats and are added as nutritional supplements to NUTRO® dry cat food. This issue was identified during an audit of our documentation from the supplier. An extensive review confirmed that only these two premixes were affected.

This recall does not affect any NUTRO® dog food products, wet dog or cat food, or dog and cat treats. Affected product was distributed to retail customers in all 50 states, as well as to customers in Canada, Mexico, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, New Zealand, and Israel. We are working with all of our distributors and retail customers, in both the US and internationally, to ensure that the recalled products are not on store shelves. These products should not be sold or distributed further.

Consumers who have purchased affected product should immediately discontinue feeding the product to their cats, and switch to another product with a balanced nutritional profile. While we have received no consumer complaints related to this issue, cat owners should monitor their cat for symptoms, including a reduction in appetite or refusal of food, weight loss, vomiting or diarrhea. If your cat is experiencing health issues or is pregnant, please contact your veterinarian.

Consumers who have purchased product affected by this voluntary recall should return it to their retailer for a full refund or exchange for another NUTRO® dry cat food product. Cat owners who have questions about the recall should call 1-800-833-5330 between the hours 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM CST, or visit www.nutroproducts.com. Recalled Pet Food The varieties of NUTRO® NATURAL CHOICE® COMPLETE CARE® Dry Cat Foods and NUTRO® MAX® Cat Dry Foods listed below with “Best If Used By Dates” between May 12, 2010 and August 22, 2010 are affected by this voluntary recall. http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/nutro05_09.html

Pet treats containing peanut butter have been added to the  human product list of potential salmonella contamination.  Peanut butter filled rawhide treats sold at PetSmart, Target and Wegmans Food Stores are among the treats affected. A full, detailed list can be found on the FDA website (www.fda.gov).

Information from the 2007 recall;

Information regarding the pet food recall...........

We would like to keep you up to date with the most current information available, and have been in contact with our manufacturers.

As of the first of April, the only food sold here at Governor Animal Clinic that is on the recall list is Hills Prescription Diet M/D.  If you have any food at home, the instructions for returns are as follows;

Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc.’s Update on Support Activities for Voluntary Recall

Topeka, KS ( April 1, 2007 )—Here is an update of Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc’s recent activities in support of its voluntary recall of its single product: Hill’s Prescription Diet™ m/d™ Feline Dry Food:

• Hill’s created a Veterinary Professionals Communications Center in Topeka , Kansas with 70 veterinarians who are placing outbound calls, e-mails and faxes to over 25,000 veterinary hospitals and clinics to inform them of the voluntary, single-product recall.

• Hill’s is using the Veterinary Information Network, Inc. as a channel to notify veterinarians of significant developments.

• In anticipation of consumer interest, Hill’s has opened a second fully-staffed call center and has received thousands of calls in the last 36 hours. It is our priority to help consumers understand that there is only one product in question: Hill’s Prescription Diet™ m/d™ Feline Dry Food.

• Hill’s has dispatched a national team of over 250 customer delivery agents who are in the process of retrieving product from veterinary hospitals and clinics. The team is also providing information to veterinary professionals about the single product recall.

• Hill’s is informing consumers to return the product for a full refund and to secure veterinarian advice.

Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Hill’s Pet Nutrition Inc.’s Activities in Support of It’s Single Product Recall: Hill’s Prescription Diet™ m/d™ Feline Dry Food

1. Why are you recalling Hill’s Prescription Diet™ m/d™ Feline Dry?

In accordance with its over-riding commitment to pet health and well-being, Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc. is voluntarily recalling Prescription Diet ™ m/d™ Feline Dry Food from the market. Hill’s is taking this precautionary action because during a two-month period in early 2007, wheat gluten for this product was provided by a company that also supplied wheat gluten to Menu Foods. U.S. Food and Drug Administration tests of wheat gluten samples from this period show the presence of a small amount of melamine.

Hill’s expects to resume shipments as soon as possible of a reformulated version of this highly beneficial product that will not contain wheat gluten.

2. What is the process I should follow to return my product?

Pet owners:

Hill’s Pet Nutrition Inc. has a 100% guarantee on all products. Simply return the product to the veterinary clinic where it was purchased for a refund and an alternative food recommendation.

Veterinary professionals:

All products returned by the client or in your inventory should be returned. The process is as follows:

1. Do not destroy the product.
2. Remove products from your shelves and clearly mark them “Hold for Hill’s representative’s pick up.”
3. Clinics supplied by Hill’s Delivery Service should follow normal returns procedures.
4. Clinics supplied by distributors or warehouses – return all product to the distributor or warehouse for product retrieval and appropriate reimbursement.

3. Are there any other Hill’s products involved in this recall?

No. Hill’s Prescription Diet ™ m/d ™ Feline Dry Foods is the only product sold in the United States and Canada that contained wheat gluten from any supplier. No other Hill’s Prescription Diet® or Science Diet® products are affected by this voluntary recall. Hill’s Science Diet Savory Cuts Feline canned cat foods, manufactured by Menu Foods, were previously withdrawn from the market as a precaution.

A list of voluntarily recalled Hill’s products is available at www.HillsPet.com.

We will provide future updates as information becomes available.

For more information, consumers can contact the company at 1-800-445-5777 or visit www.HillsPet.com for details.

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For a complete list of recalled products, you may go to www.menufoods.com/recall.  Specific information about each brand may be found. 

The phone number to call is 1-866-895-2708, although it seems busy most of the time.  Iams/Eukanuba has website information @  www.iams.com and www.eukanuba.com 

Do not hesitate to call us if your pet is showing any symptoms, which may include;
*loss of appetite    
*appears tired andlifeless    
*seems excessively thirsty               
*urinates much more than usual      
*vomiting      
*diarrhea          
*abdominal pain
 

Below are links to several informational websites, helping to inform pet owners of the recall.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-03-19-pet-food-recall_N.htm?csp=34#uslPageReturn

http://www.howl911.com/#foodshttp://www.cnn.com/2007/US/03/17/petfood.recall.ap/index.html

http://www.vshsd.com/PR_%20VSH%20Food%20Recall%20_2_.pdf

http://www.menufoods.com/recall/PressRecall_En_Site_03192007.htm

http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20070317/news_1n17recall.html

http://vetmedicine.about.com/b/a/257137.htm

FDA News;

                                                          http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2007/NEW01590.html

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Due to the pet food recall (until further notice) we will not be collecting any canned or moist pet food or treats for the  Baja Animal Sanctuary. 

We will, however, still accept cat and dog dry food in original packaging (no torn bags, please).

Thanks to all of you who donate food, money, blankets, towels, carriers, toys, medications, leashes and collars to this wonderful organization!