The following is not a recall, the FDA has suspended  Evanger’s emergency permit so they can no longer ship their food interstate.

FDA Suspends Temporary Emergency Permit of Pet Food Maker

June 12, 2009

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced today it was suspending the temporary Emergency Permit issued to Evanger’s Dog & Cat Food Co., Inc.

Evanger’s, operating in Wheeling, Illinois, deviated from the prescribed process, equipment, product shipment, and record keeping requirements in the production of the company’s thermally processed low acid canned food (LACF) products. The deviations in their processes and documentation could result in under-processed pet foods, which can allow the survival and growth of Clostridium botulinum (C. botulinum), a bacterium that causes botulism in some animals as well as in humans.

In April 2008, Evanger’s was issued an “Order of Need for Emergency Permit” after the agency determined that the company had failed to meet the regulatory requirements to process a product that does not present a health risk. In June, 2008, FDA issued Evanger’s a temporary Emergency Permit. During inspections conducted between March 2009 and April 2009, FDA determined Evanger’s was not operating in compliance with the mandatory requirements and conditions of the Temporary Emergency Permit.

“The FDA is stopping Evanger’s ability to ship pet food in interstate commerce,” said Dr. Bernadette Dunham. “Today’s enforcement action sends a strong message to manufacturers of pet food that we will take whatever action necessary to keep unsafe products from reaching consumers.”

In order for Evanger’s to resume shipping in interstate commerce, the company must document that corrective actions and processing procedures have been implemented to ensure that the finished product will not present a health hazard.

Botulism is a powerful toxin that affects the nervous system and can be fatal. The disease has been documented in dogs and cats. Signs of botulism in animals are progressive muscle paralysis, disturbed vision, difficulty in chewing and swallowing, and progressive weakness to the body. Death is usually due to paralysis of the heart or the muscles used in breathing.

While FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition is responsible for regulating all human and animal LACF processing, FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine has authority over animal feed and foods. The two centers are collaborating on this enforcement action.

Joel Sher, the VP of Evanger Dog & Cat Food Company, has issued a response.

Evanger’s Dog & Cat Food Company Responds to FDA News Release
June 12, 2009

To our valued customers:
In August of 2008, while updating required process information to the FDA our “process authority” (processing expert) inadvertently deleted pertinent filings. Evanger’s has been working with the FDA to resolve this issue quickly. This situation does not call into question the safety of any Evanger’s products.

No Evanger’s product are involved in any recall, nor is there any indication that any Evanger’s product is unsafe. Evanger’s Dog and Cat Food Co. continues to manufacture the highest quality, wholesome, nutritious and safe products as it has done for 75 years.
“As our customers, retailers and distributors know, Evanger’s takes the quality and safety of its pet foods very seriously,” said Holly Sher, president of Evanger’s. “Evanger’s has a long history of using only human-grade ingredients in our products. The FDA has not called into question the wholesomeness of any ingredient we use. We are confident Evanger’s products continue to be safe, wholesome and natural, so confident that we continue to feed them daily to our own pets.”

All ingredients in Evanger’s products are sourced in the United States and all manufacturing is done in its suburban Chicago facility. The routine FDA inspection was related only to Evanger’s canned foods and is not affiliated with of production its dry pet food or treat products.

As the United States’ oldest natural pet food company, Evanger’s products are known for their human-grade ingredients, including hand-packed meats, fish and poultry, and 100% meat and organic meals.
Consumers and distributors may contact Evanger’s customer service department at US +1 8002886796 Call for further information. In addition, all new or updated information will be immediately posted to our Website, http://www.evangersdogfood.com/

Respectfully,
Joel Sher
Vice President
Evanger’s Dog & Cat Food Co., Inc

* Pic of some of Evanger’s dog food from their site.

There is no recall on this food, but it’s important that you as a consumer have all the information on a product so you can make an informed decision before you purchase it.

On April 20, 2009 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) confirmed that it is investigating Nutro® pet food products following consumer allegations that Nutro® food products have caused pets to become sick or die. The consumer complaints began over 2 years ago. Some of the symptoms reported include gastrointestinal problems, difficulty in urination, and lethargy.

Nutro®, which is owned by Mars Inc., has denied that its food is to blame for these pets’ illnesses. For concerned customers, the company can be reached at 1-800-833-5330.

Consumeraffairs.com, an independent online consumer news and resource center, also asked Dr. Steven Hansen, a veterinary toxicologist with the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), to review some of the Nutro complaints. Dr. Hansen stated that the cases of alleged Nutro illnesses and deaths are “not consistent and appear to be anecdotal with no real definitive diagnostic findings.” Dr. Hansen then added, “This does appear to us to be a situation where bad things happen, but they are not likely food-related.”

While no conclusions can be drawn at this point, if you are feeding your dog Nutro products, please use caution and stay informed about the latest updates as the FDA’s investigation continues.

For more in-depth information read the full article on the Consumer Affairs site. Thank you to Abby for barking this to me.

*Tribble waiting for kibble

Passover is going to the dogs, literally. Your pup can join in a pet Seder at the Wigglyville pet store in Chicago.

WHEN Robert Uri Heller, a psychologist and professor at the Adler School of Professional Psychology, leads a Passover Seder in Chicago on Saturday, some of the rituals symbolizing Jews’ exodus from Egypt may be lost on the yarmulke-wearing guests.

Those guests will, after all, be dogs.

The Seder, which will be conducted at a pet store, Wigglyville, is being sponsored by Evanger’s Dog and Cat Food Company to promote its kosher varieties, which have been endorsed by the Chicago Rabbinical Council.

Dr. Heller, who keeps kosher and feeds Evanger’s to Lilly, his wheaten terrier, has led Seders for dogs at pet stores in the past, “much to the chagrin” of many at his synagogue, he says.

“They say, ‘How could you do it for dogs, isn’t it sacrilegious?’ ” Dr. Heller said. “And my answer is, ‘We’re having fun.’ ”

For Evanger’s, though, it is serious business. Holly Sher, who owns the company, which is based in Wheeling, Ill., said that in the week before Passover she receives dozens of calls from Jews, who sometimes learn only a few days before the week long holiday that she makes kosher food, and want her to send a 24-can case overnight. The cost of shipping alone to New York, where she has sent many of the orders, is $110, added to the cost of the food, more than $70 a case for some varieties.

For any pups in the Chicago area who have no Passover plans this sounds like just the ticket.  Head to Wigglyville for good food, good friends, and a good time all while keeping kosher.

* Pic of Ella at last year’s Sedar courtesy Joshua Lott/Chicago Tribune

Tyson foods, that is.  The meatpacking giant is taking a gamble that the economy is going to the dogs, and dog food too. They formed an alliance with another company to produce deli-like dog food. Interesting, my dogs are behind  me salivating as they read this.

Tyson, Springdale, Ark., is expected to announce Tuesday that it bought a minority stake for millions of dollars in closely held Freshpet Co., a Secaucus, N.J., company that is rolling out refrigerated dog food to thousands of stores such as Kroger, Supervalu and PetSmart.

The Freshpet brand is unusual because the company’s executives, a collection of former Meow Mix managers, are trying to make dog food look, smell and taste as much like human food as possible. The line, the first national brand of refrigerated pet food, is aimed at consumers who give their pets everything from clothes and car seats to cemetery graves.

“Everyone talks about the humanization of pets,” said Scott Morris, Freshpet marketing vice president. “But pet food looks the same as it did 30 years ago.”

Although Tyson has taken some criticism for pursuing this during a recession, they’re betting that dog lovers won’t cut corners when it comes to pet food.

Paul Bulcke, chief executive of Swiss foods giant Nestlé SA, which owns several pet-food brands, said earlier this month that consumers who have “humanized” their pets refuse to trade down despite the economic climate.

What do you think, is Tyson setting themselves up for a KO, or to be KO’d ?  Give me a bark.

* “Why yes, that does look deli fresh,” said Oreo.

Have you snapped at your sister, stolen food, eaten something you’re not supposed to, like a couch?  Perhaps it’s time to come clean, and make a Dogfession.

There is a great fundraiser going on, through the combined efforts of Dogfessions and Rachael Ray’s NUTRISH dog food, to raise food for shelter dogs.

Postcards = Food for Shelter Dogs!

Dogfessions and Dogvice (and Pugfessions/Pugvice and Bullyfessions/Bullyvice) would like to thank Rachael Ray’s NUTRISH dog food for pledging a pound of dog food to shelter dogs for each postcard received! Please come to the sites for more details.

Now, not only is it fun to make the postcards, you know that you’re feeding homeless dogs NUTRISH-ous food!

There is a Dogster group Pay It Forward,  that was started to pay love forward, one smile at a time. They have started a campaign to get the word out about the postcard fundraiser, and help raise tons of food.

Dogvice Spokesdog of the Month
The “Dogvice Spokesdog” for the “food raiser” campaign running from February 1st to April 24th, 2009, isn’t a celebrity dog, it’s over 6,000 celebrity dogs!

The PIF (Paw it Forward) group on Dogster.com is spearheading the campaign to raise 6,000 cards so that we can get 3 TONS of Nutrish food to homeless dogs.

Each week, a different individual dog from the group is going to be a celebrity Spokesdog on all of the 4 sites collecting cards (Dogfessions, Dogvice, Pugfessions/Pugvice, and Bullyvice/Bullyfessions).

P*I*F: Paw it Forward (a play on words of “paying it forward”) is a group of animal lovers on the website Dogster.com who have committed themselves to helping others one step at a time and asking that the favor be repaid by paying it forward.

The P*I*F pack is thankful that they can do their part in helping Dogvice.com in their FOOD raising effort to benefit homeless animals.

For every postcard that gets sent in,  Best Friends Animal Sanctuary and Sabbath Memorial Dog Rescue will receive one pound of Rachael Ray’s NUTRISH dog food!

C’mon Dogsters, have fun while helping out a good cause, we need your participation. Take time to make a card or two, maybe 20. Besides feeding the shelter dogs, your entries are also eligible to win prizes from the different sites.

*Postcard pic of Dogster member Schnooks, he’s famous. Pic of Gigi, group organizer of PIF.

If you want a chance to win the very cool gift basket offered by IAMS get your entries in, the contest ends March 1st.

You can win a basket which includes: Iams dog food and dog supplies (collar, retractable leash, disposable bags, brush, toys, etc.). The best part of the package, however, is that it will include a donation of two Kuranda (http://kuranda.com/catalog/select_donee.php) dog beds to an Iams Home 4 the Holidays shelter of the winner’s choice.

Go to the ORIGINAL POST for all the details and to enter, just click on link.

On February 8, 2009 I posted some additional recalls due to the salmonella breakout caused by products connected to Peanut Corporation of America.  At the time American Health Kennels, Inc. was not one of them, however, it has since been added.

The company has voluntarily recalled these products. Stating they were ” effecting this recall in the interest of public safety even though we know our product is safe.”

The following items manufactured by American Health Kennels, Inc. are subject to this recall:

American Health Kennels, Inc., Cookie Bars: Creamy Peanut Butter UPC 725999522004; PB & Carob Chips UPC 725999523001; Lucious Carob UPC 725999521007; 4pack Cookiebar Assortment UPC 725999538005; Best Before: 11/09

American Health Kennels, Inc., Peanut Butter Crunch 12oz UPC 725999001103; 16oz UPC 725999161104; Best Before: 11/09

American Health Kennels, Inc. Bark Bars Peanut Butter: 1.5oz Jumbo UPC 725999000168; 2.25 Pillow Pack UPC 725999333105; 2.5lb canister UPC 725999005064; 5lb bulk UPC 725999001257; 6oz Smiles UPC 725999530009; Giggles UPC 725999530009

American Health Kennels, Inc., Christmas Stocking 6oz UPC 725999000175; Christmas Card Mailer UPC 725999513003; Birthday Mailer UPC 725999528006; “With Love” Hearts UPC 725999512944; Holiday Smiles UPC 725999222300

American Health Kennels, Inc., 100 Calorie 2oz Pillow Pack UPC 725999539101; 100 Calorie 14oz dispenser UPC 725999539200; Gravity Trial 2oz UPC 725999400166; Best Before: 11/09

American Health Kennels, Inc., Bark Bars Minis UPC 72599953300; Best Before: 11/09

American Health Kennels, Inc., Bark Bars Animal Snackers 3oz UPC 725999512098; 12oz UPC 725999512098; Best Before: 11/09

American Health Kennels, Inc., Bark Bars Milk & Cookies UPC 725999333808; Best Before: 11/09

American Health Kennels, Inc., Dog Ate My Homework Jumbo UPC 725999531006; 2oz Pillow Pack UPC 725999535004; Best Before: 11/09

American Health Kennels, Inc., Bark Bars Naughty or Nice UPC 725999530092; Best Before: 11/09

American Health Kennels, Inc., Bark Bars Carob & Peanut Butter, 2.5lb canister UPC 725999005071; 2.25oz Pillow Pack UPC 725999333402; 5lb bulk UPC 725999003251; Best Before: 11/09

American Health Kennels, Inc., Bark Bars Brownie Delight 12oz UPC 725999003107; 5lb bulk UPC 725999003251; Best Before: 11/09

Although the products are thought to be safe, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Thanks Marg for barking this important information to me.

The kind folks at IAMS  have put together a $250 gift basket for one of our Dogster members to win. In November I did an article about their 10th annual Home 4 the Holidays pet adoption drive. Their goal was to find loving, lifelong homes for more than 1 million orphaned dogs and cats through the participation of 3,000 organizations.

In January I was thrilled to announce that they not only met their goal, they surpassed it.

One Million Eighty-Eight Thousand, Five Hundred and Six Pets have found forever homes since we started this event on October 1st, 2008!

Besides their charity work, IAMS has lots of great dog food products, one to meet all your pet’s nutritional needs. They work hard to guarantee the quality and safety of their products.

Constant, Rigorous Ingredient Inspections
All of our ingredients are evaluated based on strict nutritional quality and safety specifications. These standards must be in place for all ingredients in order to protect against potential quality gaps. For example, in the case of molds, no one grain comes with mold. It can occur in any grain. It is the quality assurance standards a company performs during the manufacturing process that determine if molds are present or if the conditions exist to produce them.

They even have a four week unconditional guarantee, you can try their product and if not completely satisfied get your money back.  More importantly, they’re offering a really cool basket of goodies for us to give away.

You can win a basket which includes: Iams dog food and dog supplies (collar, retractable leash, disposable bags, brush, toys, etc.). The best part of the package, however, is that it will include a donation of two Kuranda (http://kuranda.com/catalog/select_donee.php) dog beds to an Iams Home 4 the Holidays shelter of the winner’s choice.

The contest starts today and runs through Sunday, March 1 when I will randomly choose one winner. To enter just leave a comment in the comment section sharing something about your pup, anything at all. For example, we took Bo to a friends house once and all of a sudden we heard a snapping noise. He had gone into the pantry, where the dog food was kept in a plastic tub, unsnapped the lid and had his entire head immersed in the container.

* Pic from Iams.com

A while back I did a post, Does Shrinkng Budget Mean Changing Dog Food? The article broached the subject of pet owners buying cheaper pet food due to tough economic times. At the end I asked Dogsters what they would do, we received over 100 barks back.

While some conceded they had changed foods, the majority did not, and had no plans to. The overall consensus was that spending more meant higher quality. So, does price really reflect what you get?  In the March 2009 issue of Consumers Reports there is an article comparing the pricier foods to the cheaper brands.

Consumer Reports asked eight experts in dog and cat nutrition at seven top veterinary schools what consumers get by spending more for pet food. They were also asked what they served their own pets:

Most of the experts said they use a variety of common brands sold at pet stores or supermarkets.

A recent survey by the Associated Press found that although Americans may be spending less on themselves, they’re not scrimping on their pets. According to the survey, just one in seven pet owners said they had curtailed spending on their pet during the past year, even as they cut back on other expenses.

Thirty-seven percent of U.S. households have dogs, and 32 percent have cats. But because of multi-cat households, felines outnumber canines: As of 2007, there were almost 82 million cats and 72 million dogs.

The bottom line, says Consumer Reports: It’s more important to look for the overall nutrient profile of a particular pet food brand than it is to shop by price or even individual ingredients. “As a pet owner, your main goal is to ensure that your animal is active and healthy,” says Jamie Hirsh, associate health editor at Consumer Reports. “That suggests that the food you’re buying is doing its job. But it’s also important to know that you don’t have to choose the most expensive food to get what’s best for your pet. Look for food labeled ‘complete and balanced,’ which indicates it can be the pet’s sole nourishment.”

Hirsh advises pet owners to look for labels stating that the food’s nutritional adequacy was validated by animal-feeding tests based on protocols from the American Association of Feed Control Officials, a regulatory group.

That statement is a step above the other one that AAFCO allows – that a food was formulated to meet the group’s nutrient profiles. “In addition, make sure the package has contact information for the food’s manufacturer, in case you have questions,” Hirsh says.

Consumers should also take into consideration the age of their pet and whether he or she has special needs. For example, cats with kidney or urinary problems might benefit from the moisture in wet food, while animals with dental issues might do better with dry food.

What Pet-Food Labels Really Mean:

For pet food, there’s no official definition of organic, human-grade, premium, no fillers, or gourmet. Gluten-free foods are generally necessary only for the tiny percentages of pets that are intolerant of that protein.

There’s some evidence that antioxidants – such as vitamin E – and some omega-3 fatty acids might enhance pets’ immunity or help protect against certain diseases, but the experts interviewed by Consumer Reports were split on whether consumers need to look for them.

Consumer Reports recommends that consumers educate themselves about pet food labeling, which is mostly defined by AAFCO, which sets standards for pet food manufacturing. Here are some examples:

•The 95 percent rule (Beef for Dogs). Named ingredient(s) must account for at least 95 percent of the product by weight.

•Dinner; also Entrée, Formula, Nuggets, Platter, Recipe (Chicken and Salmon Dinner for Cats). The named ingredients must make up at least 25 percent of the product by weight, not counting water. Each individual food must make up at least 3 percent.

•”With …” (Gourmet Fillets with Turkey for Dogs). Contains 3 percent or more of the named ingredient.

•Flavor (Beef flavor). No specific percentage required, but the product must contain enough of the food to impart the claimed flavor, or another substance that tastes like it (beef stock, for example).

•Guaranteed analysis. Mandatory guarantee that the food contains the labeled percentages of crude protein, fat, fiber, and moisture.

•Light, lite, low-calorie. Meets AAFCO limits for a reduced-calorie diet for overweight dogs and cats. “Lean” and “low-fat” have a similar meaning for fat.

•Natural. Technically, the food has few or no synthetic ingredients. But the claim is loosely defined.

•Grain-free. Protein in the product comes from nongrain sources (perhaps for people who want pets to eat more animal protein). It’s unclear whether there’s any benefit to a diet high in animal protein.

What Consumers Can Do:

•Be careful when making your own pet food. Most experts said they hadn’t seen a pet get sick from inexpensive food; however, half said they had seen pets become ill from eating homemade pet food, a growing trend since the 2007 recall of some commercial pet food contaminated by melamine. Dogs and cats each require about 40 different nutrients in very specific proportions, so pet owners who insist on making their own pet food should consider enlisting a nutritionist certified by the American College of Veterinary Nutrition or get help from the Web sites www.balanceit.com or www.petdiets.com.

•Consider your pet’s age. Age-specific food is very important for puppies, kittens, and pregnant pets, who have especially stringent nutritional needs. Foods labeled either “for growth” or “for all life stages” meet those needs. Foods “for maintenance” are for healthy adult animals only. “Senior” is a marketing term, not a nutritional term.

•Weigh the costs and benefits of wet versus dry food. There’s no nutritional difference between wet and dry pet food, but there is a cost difference. Wet foods contain about 75 percent water, so pets need more to get the same calories, and that makes wet food more expensive per serving.

Get more answers to your pet food questions at Consumers Reports Health, a very informative site.

* Bocefus still in his quantity over quality stage.

Attention all Dogsters, important information about biscuits made with peanut paste that are being recalled.

PetSmart Voluntarily Recalls Grreat Choice Dog Biscuits (January 20)

Tue, 20 Jan 2009 17:39:00 -0600

PetSmart is voluntarily recalling seven of its Grreat Choice Dog Biscuit products that contain peanut paste made by Peanut Corporation of America (PCA). PCA is the focus of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration investigation into potential salmonella contamination of peanut butter and paste made at its Blakely, Georgia facility.

Contact:
PetSmart Customer Service
1-888-839-9638

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — PHOENIX, AZ, January 20, 2009 — PetSmart is voluntarily recalling seven of its Grreat Choice® Dog Biscuit products that contain peanut paste made by Peanut Corporation of America (PCA). PCA is the focus of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration investigation into potential salmonella contamination of peanut butter and paste made at its Blakely, Georgia facility.

Although PetSmart is not aware of any reported cases of illness related to these products, it has removed these products from its store shelves and website and is conducting the recall as a precautionary measure.

The recalled products include only the following types of Grreat Choice Dog Biscuits sold between Aug. 21, 2008 and Jan. 19, 2009:

* Small Assorted 32 oz., UPC 73725702900
* Small/Medium Assorted 4 lb., UPC 73725700601
* Small/Medium Assorted 8 lb., UPC 73725700605
* Small/Medium Assorted 10 lb., UPC 73725702755
* Large Assorted 8 lb., UPC 73725700638
* Extra Large Assorted 8 lb., UPC 73725700779
* Peanut Butter 4 lb., UPC 73725700766

Customers who purchased the recalled dog biscuit products should discontinue use immediately and can return the product to any PetSmart store for a complete refund or exchange. Customers can visit www.petsmartfacts.com for more information or contact PetSmart Customer Service at 1-888-839-9638.

No other products or flavors are included in this recall.

Please pass this message on to all your dog loving friends, we want to keep all pups safe.