FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – June 10, 2017 St. Louis, MO — United Pet Group, a division of Spectrum Brands, Inc. is voluntarily recalling multiple brands of packages of rawhide dog chew products that were distributed to retail outlets and sold online in the U.S. The recall involves the brands and products described below.
The recall was initiated after United Pet Group identified that certain of its rawhide chew manufacturing facilities located in Mexico and Colombia, as well as one of its suppliers in Brazil, were using a quaternary ammonium compound mixture as a processing aid in the manufacturing of rawhide chews. The compound is an anti-microbial chemical that is approved for cleaning food processing equipment, but it has not been approved in the U.S. as a processing aid in the production of rawhide chews for dogs.
United Pet Group received very limited reports of pet illness based on the volume of possibly affected rawhide chew products manufactured and distributed. The primary complaint received from consumers was that the affected product had an unpleasant odor. Diarrhea and vomiting were also reported.
Exposure to quaternary ammonium compounds through direct ingestion may cause the following symptoms in dogs: reduced appetite, and gastric irritation including diarrhea and vomiting. These symptoms may require treatment by a veterinarian depending on severity.
The affected product was distributed nationwide from United Pet Group’s Edwardsville, Illinois distribution facility and was delivered to consumers through various retail establishments including online outlets. All of the dog chew products included in the voluntary recall identify an expiration date ranging from 06/01/2019 through 05/31/2020 located on the back of the package.
The products subject to the recall are described below.
| Product Brands | Product Names and UPCs |
| American Beefhide | United Pet Group is recalling certain packages of dog chews with the American Beefhide brand on the label.
This recall is limited to dog chew products that contain rawhide. Only products with lot codes listed on the back of the package that start with AH and which list expiration dates from 06/01/2019 through 05/31/2020 are affected by this recall. This includes all package sizes and/or weights. The following contact information appears on the back of the package of the affected products: Manufactured by: |
| Digest-eeze | United Pet Group is recalling certain packages of dog chews with the Digest-eeze brand on the label.
This recall is limited to dog chew products that contain rawhide. Only products with lot codes listed on the back of the package that start with AH, AV, A, AI, AO, or AB, and which list expiration dates from 06/01/2019 through 05/31/2020 are affected by this recall. This includes all package sizes and/or weights. The following contact information appears on the back of the package of the affected products: Manufactured by: |
| Healthy Hide (including Healthy Hide – Good -n- Fun and Healthy Hide – Good -n- Fit) |
United Pet Group is recalling certain packages of dog chews with the Healthy Hide brand, Healthy Hide Good-n-Fit brand, and Healthy Hide Good-n-Fun brand on the label.
This recall is limited to dog chew products that contain rawhide. Only products with lot codes listed on the back of the package that start with AH, AV, A, AI, AO, or AB and which list expiration dates from 06/01/2019 through 05/31/2020 are affected by this recall. This includes all package sizes and/or weights. The following contact information appears on the back of the package of the affected products: United Pet Group, a Division of Spectrum Brands, Inc. |
Consumers who have purchased the products described above are urged to dispose of the product or return it directly to United Pet Group or to the retail establishment where they initially purchased the product for full refund. Please see brand logos below which will assist in identifying affected products.
We take our responsibility to pets and their owners seriously and we are continuing to investigate the cause of this problem. We are implementing changes across the affected manufacturing facilities in order to prevent this problem from reoccurring in the future. United Pet Group is also working with retailers to ensure that the affected products are no longer sold and removed from inventory.
If you have these products, please contact the United Pet Group consumer affairs team at 1-855-215-4962 between the hours of 8:00 AM – 11:00 PM Eastern Standard Time for a refund.
Consumers with questions may call the consumer affairs team at the number listed above.
For press inquiries, please contact Meg Rowley at 985-237-9786, Monday through Friday 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM Eastern Standard Time.
This voluntary recall is being conducted with the knowledge of the Food and Drug Administration.
Spectrum Brands recall notification: http://spectrumbrands.com/safety/phg/rawhiderecall.aspx
Jan
June 10, 2017 at 11:19 pm
I am SO GLAD (caps emphasis only) that you are going to D.C. to address the pet food industry in general. This has just got to end. It is beyond belief how these companies continue to get away with this, infecting and poisoning our animals. I’m now downright mad. When I read the article above, I was sickened by this recall and all I could think was “I’m SO glad Susan is heading to D.C. to address this continual problem within this industry.” Thank you so much for all you do.
Jerry McClintick
June 10, 2017 at 11:34 pm
When I look for a treat to buy, one thing I look for is “made in the U.S.”. I see that these are listed as being made in Florida but also as being made at facilities in Mexico, Brazil and Columbia. So would those packages actually say made in the U.S. even though they weren’t? I know that looking for a made in the U.S. label by itself is useless in making a safe selection but can this not even be relied on as one piece of the puzzle because it’s actually not true?
Mitch
June 11, 2017 at 1:15 am
Thanks for the alert, Susan… I opened a pair of rawhide sticks from Castor and Pollux that had an odor, and threw them in the trash… That was about 7 months ago, in the range of early November 2016. I remember because there wasn’t snow yet, and the dogs only chew them outside…
I was looking on the package for “Made in China”, even though I had purchased the brand several times…
I haven’t bought rawhide since, and never will
Peyton sinclair
June 11, 2017 at 5:43 am
The American Beefhide claims to be made in the USA, is this a lie too?
paponypal
June 11, 2017 at 12:09 pm
ANOTHER ARGUEMENT FOR LABELS BEING FALSE. ALL ITEMS SHOULD BE SOURCED AND MADE IN THE USA IF IT SAYS USA ON THE PRODUCT.
spotmagicsolis
June 11, 2017 at 3:46 pm
Thank you for your dedication, Susan.
Terri Christenson Janson
June 12, 2017 at 12:50 pm
yes, just because the label says MADE IN THE USA, does not mean the ingriedents were not sourced from China. You have to be very careful about the labeling they use. As a consumer you almost have to read between the lines. It should not be this way….! You also have to be careful as many packages say Distributed in the USA which can make some people think…Oh this is made in the USA.
Anonymous
June 13, 2017 at 11:23 am
Actually, legally there is a requirement that if the label says “MADE IN THE USA” substantially all the ingredients and parts must come from the USA. This includes the bags that are typically made in China. There have been multiple lawsuits on this very issue on the human food side and in other industries and only a few in pet (the latest against Big Heart Pet Brands which has Milkbone). California is the strictest. Perhaps more lawyers will take on the cases in the pet space. I sure hope so:
http://www.drinkerbiddle.com/insights/publications/2017/04/lawsuits-continue-over-made-in-usa-labeling