Menu Foods’ latest strategy to become the most hated company since Halliburton has revealed itself in some interesting court papers.

According to USAToday, Menu Foods has been ordered to have no further contact with owners of pets who were injured or killed by its contaminated pet food, unless the pet owner’s lawyer is present. Why? Apparently, Menu Foods has been bullying the bereaved to settle their lawsuits and sign various papers that waive their rights. From USAToday:

Ontario, Canada-based Menu Foods has hired Crawford & Co., an insurance adjustor in Atlanta, to contact pet owners who called the company to report animal illnesses or deaths, according to the hearing transcript.

At a previous hearing on Friday, May 18, the judge had cautioned Menu and Crawford that they should not contact people who had joined one of the lawsuits against the company. Legally, Menu cannot contact those plaintiffs directly but must go through their lawyers.

But in affidavits presented in court Wednesday, pet owners said they received calls that weekend from Crawford representatives who pressed them to answer questions even after being told the owners had hired lawyers. In some cases, the pet owners also received multiple calls from Crawford’s computerized phone banks after telling representatives they were represented by attorneys, according to the affidavits.

“Menu’s representatives asked owners to sign releases which waived their right to get advice from a lawyer,” said attorney Jay Edelson in an interview.

Look, let’s be realistic here, you killed 8,000 pets. You’re going to get sued. People sue companies for much more frivolous crap than piles and piles of dead kitty cats. And they win.

Court: Menu Foods harassed pet owners [USAToday]

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