Green Pet Organics™ Introduces Simply Wild™ Natural Dog Treats

Posted January 17, 2010 By aschae and has no comments yet.

Source: PRWeb.com, Jan 14, 2010

Green Pet Organics™ introduces Simply Wild™ Natural Dog Treats, all-natural holistic biscuits made for dogs. Simply Wild™ dog treats come in five different flavors, Maple Glazed Bacon, Peanut Butter, Grilled Bison, Lamb & Trout, Venison & Apple.

Green Pet Organics™ introduces Simply Wild™ Natural Dog Treats, all-natural holistic biscuits made for dogs. Simply Wild™ dog treats come in five different flavors, Maple Glazed Bacon, Peanut Butter, Grilled Bison, Lamb & Trout, Venison & Apple. Simply Wild™ can be used in conjunction with Green Pet Organics™’ Wild Alaskan Salmon Treats™ that are designed to support healthy hearts, joints, coats and skin.

Simply Wild™ treats are made with real whole foods like farm fresh vegetables, nutrient-rich fruits, human grade meats, wild game and omega-rich wild trout. Simply Wild™ treats are made wheat-free, corn-free and soy-free. Simply Wild™ Maple Glazed Bacon flavor contains Potato, Pork, Lecithin, Arrowroot, Blueberries, Maple Syrup, Natural Smoke, Rosemary. Simply Wild™ Peanut Butter flavor contains Barley Flour, Natural Crunchy Peanut Butter, Rolled Oats, Tapioca Flour, Water, Blackstrap Molasses, Brewer’s Yeast, Garlic. Simply Wild™ Grilled Bison flavor contains Potato, Bison Liver, Brewer’s Yeast, Lecithin, Blueberries, Arrowroot, Rosemary. Simply Wild™ Lamb & Trout flavor contains Barley Flour, Trout, Oats, Smoked Trout, Blueberries, Wild Rice, Garlic, Rosemary. Simply Wild™ Venison & Apple flavor contains Ground Barley, Ground Brown Rice, Venison, Apples, Peas, Carrots, Oats, Brewer’s Yeast, Garlic, Parsley, Rosemary.

In addition to Simply Wild™, Green Pet Organics™ also offers glass and surface cleaners specially designed for pets. These products include the Glass & Surface Cleaner and the All-Purpose Household Cleaner. Green Pet Organics™ is a leading manufacturer of 100% natural products for pets.

Contact Edward Lew at 1-800-306-7910 ext. 269 for more information about Green Pet Organics™’ products or visit www.greenpetorganics.com.

Categories: Feeding, Health, Homemade Pet Foods, Natural Remedies, Natural/Healthy Pet Foods, Products Worth Sharing, Raw Food, Recent News, natural remedies
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Guilty Pleas in Melamine-Tainted Pet Food Case

Posted June 7, 2009 By aschae and has no comments yet.

Source: NewsInferno.com, June 4, 2009

Since 2007 we have been following the tragedy involving melamine-tainted wheat gluten provided to pet-food makers that killed or sickened thousands of dogs and cats and led to massive pet food recalls. Now, media outlets are reporting that ChemNutra Inc., and its owners Stephen and Sally Miller, have finally agreed to enter guilty pleas to 27 misdemeanor counts of distributing adulterated and/or misbranded food as well as one felony count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, reported UPI, citing PetProductNews.com.

The pleas will be formally entered in federal court on June 16 in Kansas City, Missouri, UPI added. And, although details of the terms have not been released, UPI noted that each misdemeanor charge could carry up to one year in prison and a $100,000 fine for the couple and $200,000 for ChemNutra, citing the report. The one felony count could lead to up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine for the Millers, and $500,000 for ChemNutra, said UPI, noting that the couple could be ordered to also pay restitution.

Melamine is used to make plastics, fertilizer, and fire retardants and, because it possesses high nitrogen contents, can falsify protein levels in foods. Melamine has no approved food uses in the United States, but is a common additive in animal feed in China. Melamine is known to cause kidney problems when ingested, including kidney stones and kidney failure.

The dangers of contaminated and tainted food was brought to the fore when it was discovered that Chinese plants produced and exported wheat gluten and rice protein laced with melamine to the U.S. for use in pet food. The problem was discovered when pets began falling ill—and in many cases died—as a result of kidney failure. As a result, a pet food recall was initially announced in March 2007 and represented the largest pet food recall in history. It involved over 150 brands of dog and cat food and a recall of tens of millions of pet food containers. Pet owners maintain that the tainted ingredients were responsible for the sickening or death of hundreds of dogs and cats in North America.

According to the Associated Press (AP), ChemNutra; the Millers; Xuzhou Anying Biologic Technology Development Company; and Suzhou Textiles, Silk, Light Industrial Products Arts and Crafts I/E Company were indicted February 2008 under allegations that export broker Suzhou mislabeled 800 metric tons of tainted gluten produced by Xuzhou. The AP noted the mislabeling was to avoid Chinese inspection and that Suzhou did not properly declare the contaminated product it shipped to the U.S. as a product to be used in food, citing the indictment. The indictment stated that ChemNutra retrieved the tainted product at a port of entry in Kansas City, then sold it to pet food manufacturers, and that Xuzhou used melamine to falsely increase the gluten’s protein levels to meet Suzhou’s contract requirements with ChemNutra.

We previously reported that the indictment cited email traffic between the Chinese manufacturers and ChemNutra, which, said investigators, proves the importer knew tainted gluten was mislabeled to avoid inspection. After news of the contamination broke, all of the companies charged said they did not know how the toxin made its way into the gluten; however, the owner of Xuzhou eventually confessed to Chinese authorities that the melamine was added to raise the glutens’ protein levels.

Categories: Feeding, Legal, Pet Food Recalls, Recent News
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Pet food settlement stalled by appeals

Posted May 27, 2009 By aschae and has no comments yet.

Source: VINNewsService.com, May 26, 2009

Payments in a $24-million settlement of claims spurred by the largest pet food recall in U.S. history remain hung up in court.

Although the settlement was approved last November by U.S. District Court Judge Noel Hillman in New Jersey, two separate parties have appealed the settlement, effectively blocking payments indefinitely.

“This is holding it up for everybody,” said Lisa Rodriguez, a lawyer serving as liaison counsel for the 100-plus class action suits covered by the settlement.

Rodriguez said the appeals have barely advanced. “We’re just in a holding pattern right now. I don’t think there’s been a briefing scheduled yet. We’re still some time away from having the Third Circuit (Court of Appeals) even address it unless they try to deal with it summarily,” she said, referring to a quick dismissal.

A total 24,950 pet owners in the United States and Canada have applied for compensation under the settlement, according to Russell Paul, co-lead counsel for the class. Those claims are being evaluated by the accounting and consulting firm Heffler, Radetich & Saitta LLP in Philadelphia.

The claims arose from the widespread contamination of pet food by melamine and cyanuric acid, which was discovered in 2007. Investigators traced the problem to wheat gluten and rice protein made in China. Unscrupulous suppliers spiked their products with nitrogen-rich melamine, an industrial chemical not approved for consumption, in an attempt to boost apparent protein levels.

The tainted product was imported by the U.S. companies ChemNutra Inc. and Wilbur Ellis and supplied to numerous pet food makers.

The melamine, along with the chemical byproduct cyanuric acid, together formed crystals in the kidneys of dogs and cats that ate the tainted food, leading in some cases to renal failure and death.

The contamination forced the recall of more than 180 brands of pet foods and treats involving 12 different manufacturers and dozens of retailers. In all, more than 60-million containers of pet food products were recalled.

Pet owners whose claims are judged eligible may be reimbursed for expenses such as the cost of veterinary treatment, the cost of carpeting ruined by a sick animal, the cost of a dead pet or its fair market value and the cost of a new pet.

The plaintiffs who are appealing the settlement are Margaret Picus and Daniel Kaffer in one case and Jim W. Johnson and Dustin Turner in the second case.

Picus and Kaffer’s objection stems from separate legal suits involving the use of the phrase “Made in the USA” by pet food manufacturers who obtain ingredients from China.

According to court documents, Picus and Kaffer are concerned that the pet food settlement will release the manufacturers from the mislabeling claims.

Their lawyer, Kyle Nordrehaug of La Jolla, Calif., said he would not comment on pending litigation.

In the second case, the lawyer for Johnson and Turner, Jeffrey Weinstein of Tyler, Tex., reportedly contends that the settlement is not fair, reasonable or adequate.

Weinstein did not respond to telephone and e-mail messages requesting comment. However, he told the Malakoff News, a weekly newspaper in Texas, that the situation should not be handled in a one-size-fits-all manner. “Tainted pet food cannot be settled as a nationwide class because every state has different laws,” he was quoted as saying.

Because of variations in state law, he argued, plaintiffs should receive settlements based on their states’ laws. “It wouldn’t be everybody just gets the same thing,” he said.

Weinstein also said $24 million may not be enough to adequately compensate all individuals with valid claims.

Details of the settlement are posted at http://www.petfoodsettlement.com

Categories: Health, Legal, Pet Food Recalls, Recent News
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Buying a ‘Natural’ Pet Food Product is Like Buying Fool’s Gold

Posted November 15, 2008 By aschae and has no comments yet.

Source: (NaturalNews) By SusanThixton, Nov 12, 2008

A recent survey from the GoodLife Recipe Pet Food company provided by (www.mediapost.com)
website states that two-thirds of pet owners don’t consider cost when
selecting a dog food or cat food. Their survey states that nearly 60%
of pet owners said that “natural ingredients” are the most important
issue to influence a pet food purchase. The problem for pet owners is
that searching for a pet food labeled ‘Natural’ can be like finding
fool’s gold.

AAFCO (American Association of Feed Control
Officials) and the FDA has no official definition for the word
‘natural’ in pet food regulations. ‘Natural’ on a pet food label
implies the food should be free of risky chemicals, colors, or any
ingredient considered treated or disguised. You know… natural. But
instead, under current pet food regulations, any pet food manufacturer
can make the claim ‘natural’ on the label, yet the food could contain
many ingredients most would not consider natural; such as added
chemicals, colors, and other unnatural ingredients. Even though there
are no survey results to substantiate this, my guess would be that
almost every pet owner who seeks out ‘natural ingredients’ in their dog
food or cat food choices, firmly believes the food is natural.

The power of advertising

A northern California newspaper InsideBayArea.com
puts advertising of pet food into a realistic light — “Playful puppies
and adorable kittens almost seem to jump out of the colorful packages,
beckoning pet owners to choose their very special brands of food. Large
pallets containing bags of dry food, stacks of orderly cans and rows of
moist pouches often leave pet owners literally dazed and confused with
the overwhelming selection. Marketing ideas leap off the products
claiming to be “organic”, to have “no by-products” and to have “real,
wholesome ingredients.” All of these speak to us as ways to provide the
very best for our family members. But in light of pet food recalls and
concerns about pet food manufacturing, how can pet owners really know
they are providing the best?

That’s a difficult question; really
knowing you are providing the best food for your dog or cat is not as
easy as it should be. It should be that a pet owner can read the pet
food label claiming ‘natural’ or ‘real wholesome ingredients’ knowing
that label is providing true and accurate information. It should be
that pet owners are provided with ingredient country of origin
information on the label. It should be that pet food labels clearly
state if dangerous chemicals or inferior ingredients are used. ‘Should
be’ is not what ‘is’ however.

What ‘is’ legally allowed on pet food labels:

Unqualified
claims (either directly or indirectly) – Pictures displaying choice
cuts of meat even if no meat is provided in the food. Misleading pet
food names such as Albacore Tuna ‘Flavor’ or Sirloin Steak ‘Flavor’ –
no tuna or steak is required to be in the pet food. The list goes on
and on.

You can imagine that dog foods and cat foods providing
accurate information on the label such as ‘Chemical Preservatives
inside linked to tumors and cancer’ or ‘Includes By-Products rejected
for use in human food’ wouldn’t be top sellers at the pet store. The
pet food companies that use these types of ingredients are not forced
by regulations to tell you; which in turn hurts the companies that
wouldn’t consider using risky chemicals or inferior by-products in
their foods. One pet food might actually contain natural ingredients
yet because of existing rules and regulations, they can’t tell you
anything different than the pet food who claims natural while using
added colors and risky chemicals. All pet food labels must stay within
particular parameters, hiding the truth from pet owners. Hiding the
truth of quality ingredients and hiding the truth of risky ingredients.

Pet
food regulations need to be changed — yesterday. As the research shows
the majority of pet owners are actively seeking out dog and cat foods
that are natural. That’s great news and would be beneficial to millions
of pets if only someone could decide what ‘natural’ means. But since
AAFCO and the FDA give pet owners no official definition for ‘natural’,
pet owners might as well be searching for Fool’s Gold. Current pet food
regulations designate ‘Fool’s Gold’ and ‘Natural Pet Food’ to have an
equal value.

Categories: Feeding, Health, Homemade Pet Foods, Pet Food Recalls, raw food
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Ongoing Pet Food Recalls Have this Pet Sitter Barking Mad

By aschae and has no comments yet.

Source: PRWeb, Pub. Nov 15, 2008
Happy Trails & Wag’n Tails is doing their part to find natural products to keep pets safe from pet food recalls and heartbreaking medical problems such as cancer and kidney failure. Some common factors are poor quality pet food, toxic chemicals in household cleaners and pet vaccination overload.

Glendora, CA (PRWEB) November 15, 2008 — The pet food recalls in 2007 had many pet parents concerned over their pet foods safety. Unfortunately, many have resorted back to the same food or something similar, setting themselves up for more possible problems occurring in the pet food industry.

HSUS has reported more than 10 recalls since the major pet food recall involving Menu Foods.
HSUS has reported more than 10 recalls since the major pet food recall involving Menu Foods.
For the last year, I have made it my mission to find why pets are experiencing organ failure or suffering from things like allergies and how they are linked to common pet products or practices like vaccines.
Knowing that my holistic veterinarian recommends this food, I know I have found a premium pet food to offer my dog and customers
Even in this struggling economy, you can save money on your pet expenses!

Ms. Madden of Happy Trails & Wag’n Tails says, “For the last year, I have made it my mission to find why pets are experiencing organ failure or suffering from things like allergies and how they are linked to common pet products or practices like vaccines.”

Sorting through the hundreds of pet foods can be quite a daunting task for pet parents. To address this issue, Happy Trails & Wag’n Tails spent countless hours researching things such as pet food recalls and what makes a quality meal for pets. Home made diets can be an intimidating task, although excellent if done correctly. For that reason, this should only be done under the guidance of a vet. Realizing many pet guardians will not cook for their pets, finding a premium pet food kibble is the next best thing.

Holistic or organic pet food is an excellent choice since it does not have by-products or chemical preservatives like BHT and BHA. An added bonus, is it human grade quality. However, not all natural and holistic pet foods are created equal. Here are a few very important questions you should ask yourself.

1) Is manufacturing and packaging kept in house or is it outsourced to another company? This is relevant due to possibility of cross contamination.
2) What are the ingredients used in the food, and are they coming from trusted sources with the United States?
3) Is the food oven baked or extruded? Oven baking makes for easier digestion. It also aids in the prevention of bloat.
4) Does is contain a healthy balance of protein, vitamins, minerals, and omega fatty acids?
5) Is it bagged in smaller quantities? Ex: 40 lbs of dog food is packaged as two 20 lb bags. Importance? Once a bag is opened, freshness starts to decrease.

Flint River Ranch Natural Pet Food meets all these criteria. “Knowing that my holistic veterinarian recommends this food, I know I have found a premium pet food to offer my dog and customers,” said Ms. Madden, Flint River Ranch Independent Distributor.

“Even in this struggling economy, you can save money on your pet expenses!” exclaimed Madden. Flint River Ranch pet food, whose price includes UPS shipping, is super concentrated so you can feed 20-25% less of this food compared to commercial pet food while still maintaining proper nutrition. Therefore, the cost breakdown of FRR pet food is the same or less than the brand you are currently feeding. Specifically, Flint River Ranch Dog Food is $1.74 p/lb (based on 40 lb bag) and Flint River Ranch Cat Food is $2.25 p/lb (based on 20 lb bag). Bottom-line, prevention is cheaper than a cure!

Whether your canine needs a hypoallergenic formula or your feline is a picky eater, FRR has a variety of types and sizes of natural food and treats for cats and dogs. They offer the convenience of on-line ordering, 3-5 days UPS nationwide shipping of fresh food and optional automated shipping. FRR is so confident you will see positive results in your pet such as reduction in itchy dry skin and hot spots; they offer a 30-day guarantee.

Happy Trails & Wag’n Tails owner, Ms. Madden, is a life long pet lover and pet parent. H.T.W.T, has applied a strict selection process to all products in order to provide pet products that stand out from the crowd. Our priorities are to pets with holistic and eco-friendly products and practices in mind.

Categories: Feeding, Health, Homemade Pet Foods, Pet Food Recalls, raw food
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Mars Petcare US Chow Factory’s Toll of Human Salmonella Hits 79

Posted November 6, 2008 By aschae and has no comments yet.

By Kurt Heine

Nov. 6 (Bloomberg) — A Mars Petcare US Inc. factory churned out bacteria-contaminated dog and cat chow for three years, spreading salmonella that sickened at least 79 people in the first human outbreak traced to dry pet food, a report said.

The last reported illness was Oct. 18, after Mars said it would permanently close the suburban Philadelphia factory. That suggests people are still feeding pets tainted dry food that the company voluntarily recalled Sept. 12, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report published today.

The report is the first to conclusively link the Mars Petcare plant in Elverson, Pennsylvania, to a rare form of salmonella that sickened people, mostly children, in 21 states since 2006. Salmonella is a type of food poisoning that can kill, though the CDC said it knows of no fatalities associated with the Mars Petcare chow. The disease likely was spread by handling the kibbble, lax cleaning of pet food bowls or touching animal droppings, said the CDC, based in Atlanta.

“Dry pet food has a one-year shelf life, and contaminated product might still be in the homes of purchasers and could produce illness,” said the CDC, which recommends people throw out food from the factory.

The Mars Petcare recall is among 13 involving 135 pet products for salmonella since 2006, the CDC said. No human illnesses have been associated with any other recall, according to the agency. The Mars Petcare withdrawal involved 105 brands of chow, including Special Kitty Gourmet Blend cat food and Pedigree and Retriever dog food.

Bertille Glass, a Mars spokeswoman, had no immediate comment.

Mars Petcare, based in Franklin, Tennessee, is owned by McLean, Virginia-based Mars, the maker of M&M candy and Snicker’s bars.

Categories: Feeding, Pet Food Recalls, Recent News
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MARS RECALL Wal-Mart SPECIAL KITTY(R) Gourmet Blend Cat Food

Posted October 27, 2008 By aschae and has no comments yet.

Source: PR Newswire

Last update: 3:31 p.m. EDT Oct. 27, 2008
FRANKLIN, Tenn., Oct 27, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX/ — Even though there is no link between the SPECIAL KITTY(R) Gourmet Blend dry cat food manufactured at the Allentown, Pennsylvania factory and any human or pet illness, we are taking precautionary action to protect pets and their owners by announcing a voluntary recall of all sizes of SPECIAL KITTY(R) Gourmet Blend produced at the facility on August 11, 2008. This action is being taken as a result of potential Salmonella contamination.
This voluntary recall affects only a limited number of bags of SPECIAL KITTY(R) Gourmet Blend dry cat food sold at Wal-Mart locations in Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Vermont, and West Virginia.
Mars Petcare has been working cooperatively with Wal-Mart to address this issue, and the affected product of this lot has already been removed from Wal-Mart’s shelves. As a result, consumers can be assured that all SPECIAL KITTY(R) Gourmet Blend products that remain on Wal-Mart’s shelves are safe and not subject to this recall.
Our top priority has always been and continues to be the health and welfare of pets and their owners, and we are working vigorously to identify the cause of the issue.
SOURCE Mars Petcare US

Categories: Pet Food Recalls, Recent News
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Feeding Your Pet Treats Could Be Harmful – Give Them a Nutritional Bonus Instead

Posted October 24, 2008 By aschae and has no comments yet.

Source: NaturalNews, Friday, October 24, 2008 by: Susan Thixton

(NaturalNews) We all do it; we give our pets treats as a reward or just because we love them. And many times pet owners don’t think about the extra calories in treats or worse yet, consider if the treat contains harmful ingredients. It’s a treat, it won’t hurt anything… right? Well, it could. Dog and cat treats are not required to meet the nutritional standards of pet food and many are nothing more than junk food for pets adding useless calories and potentially dangerous ingredients to their diet. So please, don’t give your pet a treat –- give them a ‘bonus’.

A ‘bonus’ would be one of the many treats that contains added nutrients and health promoting ingredients. Some include nutrients that even pet food can’t provide or doesn’t provide enough of. A ‘bonus’ can add these health promoting benefits to your pet’s diet and many of them can do this in a low fat/low calorie fashion.

Poor quality treats contribute to the obesity problem in pets. I’ve talked to many pet owners who have been directed by their Veterinarian for the pet to lose a few pounds –- yet owners forget about the contribution that a handful of treats add to the weight problem. And right along with weight issues, many treats are made using by-products and chemical preservatives and utilize ingredients that are difficult for the pet to digest. You might be feeding your dog or cat the right food, yet they still show signs of being overweight or have digestion and/or allergy issues. It could be that you have forgotten about looking at the ingredients in treats. And good marketing helps to sway pet owners from even thinking about looking at the ingredients.

A few months back, I went to one of the pet super stores to browse the dog and cat treats just to see what they offered. A mom and her two sons with dog in tow were searching for dog treats. The only ones that caught their attention were treats that had some type of human food connection like ‘ribs’, ‘bacon’, and so forth. Never once did they look at the ingredients on the ‘ribs’ or ‘bacon’ treats. I did and every single variety they picked out contained by-products and BHA, BHT, or ethoxyquin. The pet treat marketing lured them into a comfort zone thinking treats with names like ‘ribs’ and ‘bacon’ were as safe as human food. Again, every single treat this family picked out contained by-products and chemical preservatives linked to cancer. Pet owners must look at the ingredients of everything they feed their pets. Treat manufacturers are not going to alert you if they use risky ingredients. As you would guess, treats with the names ‘Chicken Feet Dog Treats’, ‘Cow Intestines Cat Treats’, or ‘Cancer Causing Chemical Treats’ won’t be top selling items; yet more treats than you realize contain all three of these undesirable ingredients.

Read those labels regardless of what the name of the dog treat or cat treat implies. Avoid treats that contain the ingredients ‘by-product’, ‘meat and bone meal’, ‘animal digest’, ‘BHA’, ‘BHT’, and ‘ethoxyquin’ (the short list). Look for health promoting ingredients like antioxidants and omega fats from natural sources and as supplements. Don’t forget about some ‘people food’ bonuses. Carrots, green beans, and apple slices make great treats for dogs (and even some cats). Canned pumpkin makes a great healthy treat for cats. Always consult your veterinarian if your pet has a health condition that requires care or you have any questions. Stop feeding treats, give your pet a nutritional bonus instead!

Categories: Feeding, Health
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