Pet-food recall expanded again, now includes bird food

Feb 25, 2009
DVM NEWSMAGAZINE

National Report -- The recall of pet foods made with peanut products possibly contaminated with Salmonella has been growing since the outbreak started in January and now includes several bird-food products.

The latest pet foods added to the recall list include Raisin Suet, Variety Suet 3, Nutty Safari Suet, Variety 15 Pack Suet Multi-pack with 15 suets and the Woodpecket Suet Pack, all made by the Scotts Company; Roasted Feed Grade Peanuts made by Western Trade Group; and several American Health Kennels Inc. products, including numerous varieties of Bark Bars and other dog snacks.

The newest recall items join an already large list that includes: Carolina Prime Peanut Butter Hooves, Rawhide Bone Peanut Rawhides, Beef Shank Peanut Butter Dog Bones and Rawhide Bone Peanut Butter Rawhides, all varieties of Grreat Choice dog biscuits, Saligs three-count packs of Healthy Hide Deli Wrap 5-inch Peanut Butter Filled Rawhides, SuperValu Happy Tails Multi-Flavored Dog Biscuits, numerous American Nutrition Inc. dog treats and Shoppers Valu multi-flavor dog biscuits.

More than 2,100 products have been recalled so far by more than 200 companies in response to the Salmonella typhimurium outbreak at Georgia and Texas plants owned by the Peanut Corp. of America (PCA). Hundreds of people have been sickened in the outbreak, and some have died. So far, only one sick dog was reported in Oregon.

PCA shut down the Georgia plant where the outbreak originated in January, followed by a second plant in Texas on Feb. 10. The company filed for bankruptcy Feb. 13 and has announced that is can no longer communicate with customers of recalled products as a result of the bankruptcy filing. The FDA is conducting a criminal investigation after discovering that the company shipped products even after receiving positive Salmonella tests on the lot.