paul looks like he jus took a bite of his product

Here's something that bothers me about the whole situation. They've traced the problem back to wheat that was tainted with a rat poison that is illegal in the United States. The wheat in question was imported from China.

Why the hell are we importing wheat from China? The United States is one of the largest producers of wheat on the planet. In fact, we're the third largest producer of wheat (behind China and India).

I know that Menu Foods is based in Canada, but all but one of their manufacturing plants is in the United States. The other is in Canada (Canada is #7 in wheat production).

Menu foods has agreed to pay pet owners for vet expenses incurred due to the tainted food. The toll-free number to call is 1-866-895-2708.

@ptkdude:

If I recall correctly, doesn't the US government issue subsidies to wheat farmers in order to control supply? There should be absolutely no reason for a domestic manufacturing operation to need to import wheat. Hell, the United States sold wheat to the Soviets during the Cold War - you'd expect American wheat farmers to be even more willing to sell their products to pet food manufacturers. Something is fishy here.

@thejbs: He looks like Dick Chaney with hair.

hey, any chance of getting this kind of contact info for Comcast executives? I'd love to talk to them...

I think I'll put my (thankfully healthy) cat's mouth to the phone receiver, then stomp on its tail. Hopefully the blood-curdling howl of surprised feline rage will communicate how I feel.

@ptkdude:

It wasn't whole wheat or wheat flour, but wheat gluten, a processed wheat product consisting of just the wheat protein. I believe there are just a handful of large processors in the US who sell gluten in quantity - maybe Chinese gluten processors do it cheaper. They do seem to use cheap and inappropriate pest control methods.

isn't anyone putting together a class action suit?
seems this is buzzards circling kinda weather.

@Exasperatrix:

I called this number and was told the Iams/Eukanuba customers have a different number to call: (800) 882-1591. The Iams person asked for a bunch of information (name, address, the food my cat ate, date of my first vet visit, vet's name and number, etc.), including blood test results, which I don't have with me at the office. My case is supposed to be sent to the "escalation team," who will supposedly get back to me shortly and ask for the blood test info.

I'm really hoping to get reimbursed for my expenses; I've spent about $800 so far and still have yet another follow up blood test ($70 a pop) to schedule for a couple of weeks. My cat's most recent blood test came up normal, but that doesn't mean we're out of the woods just yet.

I wonder if the companies that insure pets will sic their lawyers on Menu Choice, after they get the bills for the thousands of pets affected. Seems likely. One of the few times I'm glad that insurance companies exist.

As a warning to pet owners who may be considering taking Menu Foods up on their offer to pay vet expenses:

I'm fairly positive that if Menu Foods pays a pet owner's vet expenses then that pet owner will be waiving his rights to later be a member of any class action that comes about as a result of the tainted food. Before they pay up, Menu Foods will require the pet owner to sign a release absolving MF of liability. If you're of a litigious disposition (or just really legitimately angry), be wary of this generous offer from Menu Foods.

Dear People:
After reading about the contaminated pet food and
the tragic stories told by pet owners I did some
looking around and I would like to tell you what I found.
Everyone at one time or another has been bitten
by a dog or cat. Last week, my sister`s little dog gave
me a nip and I jumped(she laughed). It's
no big deal where we live. But, if you live in China,
get bitten by a dog, you could become one of the 200
people that die every month from rabies.
It seems the Chinese have been breeding dogs and cats for a
long time for their skins. I guess they make fur hats
or something that they sell and export and the dog
population is out of control in excess of a 150 million dogs.
And so rabies has proliferated to the point where 80%
of all world human rabies cases occurs in China.
Last summer the authorities started a campaign to
kill all dogs, usually by clubbing them to death even
in front of their owners.
Now maybe someone got a little tired of swinging clubs
and opted for a more efficient approach to the culling
of the dogs.
The pet food poison.
I hear a lot about melamine, but after reading the MSDS
sheet on melamine it looks like it is not anything more
than an irritant and carcinogen. It certainly does not
block an enzyme necessary for protein synthesis upon
which kidney function depends but Aminopterin(the rat
poison)does.(It used to be used as a chemo
drug but was discontinued because it was too toxic.)
The 2008 Summer Olympics will be held in Bejing China.
If people find out about the rabies epidemic they
might think twice about attending, investors might think
twice about investing in a would-be profittable venue.
I`m not aware of how Menu Foods got the poisoned wheat
gluten - maybe it was thought to be a very economic
purchase or the supplier was having a going-out-of-business
sale or you got our gluten we got yours by mistake.
My heart goes out to the owners of the pets that
are sick and dying. The only thing sicker is that
when the slime and destruction is finally scraped away,
there`s the dollar.

Hi

I live in Canada, and it is heartwrenching to see such malice and intent. Why do I say this, because the CEO of Menu Foods, before doing the recall, had cashed in most of his stocks and bonds before doing the recall. He has no care in the world for the pain and suffering that families have gone through, after loosing a pet.
The company should be put out of business, so they can do no more harm. Their still making food, and the stores are now stocking their shelves with new food. How do we know this will not happen again. I hate having to look, and double check ingredients on bags. I am lucky, I am blessed with 2 dogs, that have not been affected by this recall. We all need to somehow stick together, and not buy any of their products what so ever. They need to feel it where it hurts. Pets have a right to live, and we need to be their speakers for them. I hope that we can succeed to do something for our pets.

@Jamez1957:

Hi you said a few things, that I did not think about. Menu Foods bought the wheat gluten from China apparently because they were trying to cut costs. How nice to cut costs with the lives of our pets. They need to be boycotted, and then they don't need to worry about cutting costs again. Thank you, your comments has given me and others something to think about.