Did you know that during the 2007 Pet Food Recall a PR firm (a public relations firm) was hired to ‘handle’ the bad press pet food was taking? During the ‘handling’ countless pets were dying.
Hired to “manage” the deadliest pet food recall in history, Gene Grabowski, chair of crisis and litigation practice at Levick Strategic Communications, recently spoke to Newsweek magazine regarding the handling of Toyota’s latest recall. Regarding the 2007 pet food recall, Mr. Grabowski told Newsweek his firm “got vets to go on pet blogs and post information that 98% of pet food was safe”. He stated his firm knew the two most credible sources of information for pet owners were “other pet owners and veterinarians”. So, Levick Strategic Communications ‘got veterinarians’ to calm pet owners nerves; “mitigated consumer anxiety”. http://www.newsweek.com/id/232962/page/2
Hmmm…98% of pet food was safe?…(as Mr. Grabowski’s firm told veterinarians to say to pet owners), let’s look at the list of recalled pet foods in 2007…
This is from the FDA website, page titled Melamine contaminated Pet Foods – 2007 Recall List
http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/petfoodrecall/
Cat Food Recalls
Americas Choice, Preferred Pet
Authority
Best Choice
Blue Buffalo Co (RICE GLUTEN)
Cats Choice
Co-Op Gold
Companion
Compliments
Demolulas Market Basket
Demoulas/Market Basket
Despar
Diamond Pet Food (RICE GLUTEN)
Doctors Foster & Smith
Doctors Foster & Smith (RICE GLUTEN)
Eight In One Inc (Salmonella)
Eukanuba Cat Cuts and Flaked
Eukanuba Morsels in Gravy
Evolve
Evolve
Fame
Feline Classic
Feline Cuisine
Fine Feline Cat
Food Lion
Foodtown
Giant Companion
Giant Eagle
Hannaford
Harmony Farms (RICE GLUTEN)
Hartz Mountain Corp (Salmonella)
Health Diet Cat Food
Hill Country Fare
Hill’s Prescription Diet
Hy Vee
Hy-Vee
Iams Cat Slices and Flakes
Iams Select Bites
J.E. Mondou
La Griffe
Laura Lynn
Li’l Red
Lick Your Chops
Lick Your Chops (RICE GLUTEN)
Loving Meals
Master Choice
Medi-Cal
Meijer’s Main Choice
Natural Balance (RICE GLUTEN)
Natural Ultramix
Nu Pet
Nutriplan
Nutro
Nutro Max Cat Gourmet Classics
Nutro Max Gourmet Classics
Nutro Natural Choice
Nutro Products
Paws
Performatrin Ultra
Pet Pride
Pet Pride / Good n Meaty
Pounce
Presidents Choice
Price Chopper
Priority Canada
Priority US
Publix
Roche Brothers
Roundy’s
Royal Canin (RICE GLUTEN)
Royal Canin Veterinary Diet (RICE GLUTEN)
Save-A-Lot Special Blend
Schnucks
Science Diet Feline Cuts Adult
Science Diet Feline Cuts Kitten
Science Diet Feline Cuts Mature Adult 7+
Science Diet Feline Savory Cuts Can
Sophistacat
Special Kitty Canada
Special Kitty US
Springfield Prize
Sprout
Stop & Shop Companion
Stuzzy Gold
Triumph
Wegmans
Weis Total Pet
Western Family Canada
Western Family US
White Rose
Winn Dixie
Your Pet
Dog Food Recalls
ALPO
Americas Choice, Preferred Pet
Authority
Award
Berkley & Jenson (Salmonella)
Best Choice
Big Bet
Big Red
Bloom
Blue Buffalo (RICE GLUTEN)
Bruiser
Cadillac
Canine Caviar Pet Foods (RICE GLUTEN)
Champion Breed Lg Biscuit
Champion Breed Peanut Butter Biscuits
Co-Op Gold
Companion
Companion’s Best Multi-Flavor Biscuit
Compliments
Costco/Kirkland Signature (RICE GLUTEN)
Demoulas Market Basket
Diamond Pet Food
Diamond Pet Food (RICE GLUTEN)
Doctors Foster & Smith
Doctors Foster & Smith (RICE GLUTEN)
Dollar General
Eight In One Inc (Salmonella)
Eukanuba Can Dog Chunks in Gravy
Eukanuba Pouch Dog Bites in Gravy
Food Lion
Giant Companion
Gravy Train
Grreat Choice
Hannaford
Happy Tails
Harmony Farms (RICE GLUTEN)
Harmony Farms Treats (RICE GLUTEN)
Health Diet Gourmet Cuisine
Hill Country Fare
Hy Vee
Hy-Vee
Iams Can Chunky Formula
Iams Can Small Bites Formula
Iams Dog Select Bites
Jerky Treats Beef Flavored Dog Snacks
La Griffe
Laura Lynn
Loving Meals
Mars Petcare US Inc (Salmonella)
Master Choice
Meijer’s Main Choice
Mighty Dog
Mixables
Mulligan Stew Pet Food (RICE GLUTEN)
Natural Balance (RICE GLUTEN)
Natural Life
Natural Way
Nu Pet
Nutriplan
Nutro
Nutro – Ultra
Nutro Max
Nutro Natural Choice
Nuture
Ol’ Roy
Ol’ Roy 4-Flavor Lg Biscuits
Ol’ Roy Canada
Ol’ Roy Peanut Butter Biscuits
Ol’ Roy Puppy
Ol’Roy (Salmonella)
Ol’Roy US
Ol’Roy US (Salmonella)
Paws
Perfect Pals Large Biscuits
Performatrin Ultra
Pet Essentials
Pet Life
Pet Pride / Good n Meaty
Petrapport Inc. (Salmonella)
Presidents Choice
Price Chopper
Priority Canada
Priority US
Publix
Roche Brothers
Royal Canin (RICE GLUTEN)
Royal Canin Veterinary Diet (RICE GLUTEN)
Save-A-Lot Choice Morsels
Schnuck’s
Schnucks
Shep
Shep Dog
Shop Rite
SmartPak (RICE GLUTEN)
Springfield Prize
Sprout
Stater Brothers
Stater Brothers Large Biscuits
Stop & Shop Companion
T.W. Enterpriese (Salmonella)
Tops Companion
Triumph
Truly
Weis Total Pet
Western Family Canada
Western Family US
White Rose
Winn Dixie
Your Pet
So, according to the veterinarians hired by Levick Strategic Communications, the above list of pet foods only made up 2% of all pet foods sold in the U.S.
Well, maybe…maybe the entire list of pet foods included in the 2007 pet food recall did total as only 2% of all pet food brands sold in the United States. But what I’m wondering is if Science Diet, Iams, Eukanuba, Royal Canin, Ol’ Roy, Nutro, and the many others actually account for only 2% of all sales of pet food in the United States? There is a big difference between number of pet food brands and number of pet food sales.
Since Colgate Palmolive – Science Diet, Proctor & Gamble – Iams, Eukanuba, Mars Petcare -Royal Canin, Nutro are three of the top five pet food producers in retail sales in the world (Mars Petcare being the leader at $11.8 billion in sales in 2007), I simply can’t understand the math that was used to arrive at the quoted “98% of all pet food was safe”. https://www.truthaboutpetfood.com/articles/world%E2%80%99s-top-five-pet-food-producers-in-retail-sales.html
Although there were reports of over 18,000 pets that became ill and or died (if we knew the real numbers…I’m confident this is a very conservative numbers) due to melamine poisoned vegetable proteins in 2007, I’d like for you to read words from one pet owner whose four legged best friend died due to the ‘2% of not safe pet food’…(this pet owner recently wrote Judge Maughmer regarding the sentencing of ChemNutra executive – it was as well forwarded to me)…
“Dear Judge Maughmer
I understand that you are getting ready to sentence ChemNutra. As you are contemplating the sentence, I hope you consider all of the emotional pain this company has caused. I spent agonizing months attempting to pull my little dog back from the brink that was caused by this company. In the final days, Merlin and I sat next to each other, he in a tank attached to oxygen and I on the bedroom floor next to him so that he wouldn’t feel alone. I’m disabled and it was not easy, but I was determined that Merlin knew he hadn’t done anything to warrant his isolation. In the end, I held him in my arms while my veterinarian administered a lethal dosage that would finally separate me from my dear friend. It cost $6000 in vet bills, several friendships, and almost a marriage. I cried for months. Please make sure ChemNutra pays for this horrible crime.”
Here is Merlin’s picture…
Now, imagine this heartbreaking story repeated 18,000 times.
Wouldn’t it have been best if Pet Food would have spent the millions (a guess) they provided to PR firm Levick Strategic Communications to ‘mitigate consumer anxiety’ to properly pull all melamine poisoned pet foods from store shelves before unknowing pet owners purchased more of the foods (not removed from store shelves)? Wouldn’t the best PR be to change pet food regulations to properly assure this devastation never happens again?
At the May 2008 FDA Pet Food Safety Meeting – there was no representative from any Pet Food Company that spoke up with suggestions to prevent another deadly recall; no representative of Levick Strategic Communications was there either. A pet food safety advocate was there – Mike Floyd. He spent his own money, took time away from his job, trying to influence the FDA to save lives. He had no PR firm to represent him. Thousands upon thousands of dead pets have had no PR firm either.
It is heartbreaking to me, as one of the little guys, that millions upon millions of dollars can be spent for PR Campaigns to make pet food look good; instead of spending money for quality ingredients. While these millions are being spent, the small handful of pet food safety advocates (myself included) struggle to reach pet owners to prevent more needless deaths. We have no millions in PR money (most of us are counting pennies to pay the electric bill). We have no lobby representation in Washington. While we struggle to share honest, unbiased pet food safety information, millions are being spent to discount our words.
The plaguing question for me remains…is the truth going to be enough? I certainly hope so.
Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,
Susan Thixton
Pet Food Safety Advocate
Author, Buyer Beware
Co-Author Dinner PAWsible
TruthaboutPetFood.com
PetsumerReport.com
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