Pet Parents ~ How Many More Recalls Will It Take?

Many pet parents usually don’t give a second thought about what they are feeding their pets . . . that is until we all hear about a recall in the news. We check to see if our pet food is on the list, and when it’s not, we breathe a sigh of relief. Don't you think it’s time that we stop burying our heads in the sand and hoping there isn’t something wrong with our pet food, and instead start ensuring that something is right with it?! 

Have you ever read the label on your pet's food or treats? Not just a glance . . . I mean REALLY read the label from start to finish?!  What are some of the ingredients?  Wheat or Wheat Gluten? Corn or Corn Gluten?  Bone or By-Product Meal? Artificial Colors and Flavors? BHA and / or BHT? Propylene Glycol? Do you even know what half of these ingredients are, or what harm they can cause to your pets?!  

Wheat and corn can contain aflatoxin, which is a fungal toxin that commonly contaminates maize and other types of crops during production, harvest, storage or processing. Wheat and corn are also highly indigestible for most pets and can cause great stress on their digestive systems, as well as their kidneys. These grains are also the cause of food allergies in many of our precious pets.

Bone meal and by-product meal tend to keep us guessing as to which animal they may come from. What if your pet has a beef allergy, yet the food or treat label is non-specific as to which animal these "meals" or "by-products" came from. Do you really want to take that chance?  

The same thing goes for artificial coloring, which has no nutritional value and is designed specifically as visual marketing to pet parents . . . not to the pets!  And, did you know that the dyes that are used have not been subject to testing for safety? The most common ones are Yellow #5, Yellow #6, Red #40, Blue #1 and Blue #2, which have been known to be contaminated with cancer-causing substances and may even cause death, as these additives are toxic to our pets. The discussion regarding their lack of nutritional value, as well as their potential hazards, has been swirling about for years yet no one has done anything about banning these substances from your pet's food, or from our own foods, for that matter.

BHT / BHA are NOT natural preservatives and can also cause health problems in your pets, as can Propylene Glycol, which is better known as the key component in newer automotive antifreeze. Why are using a known toxic substance to preserve moisture in our dog's food and treats? It has already been shown to cause anemia in cats and has been banned by the FDA for use in cat food and treats.  

Did you know that there have been more than 150 FDA recalls since 2007?  


Check to see if your pet's food or treats have been recalled on the FDA website by logging on here: 

https://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/SafetyHealth/RecallsWithdrawals/default.htm





Keeping our fur kids safe begins with giving them the best food and treats possible ~ Healthy, Holistically-Formulated, NEVER RECALLED . . . Corn & Wheat-Free, No GMOs, Gluten-Free, NO Artificial Colors or Flavors . . . just real food with vital nutrients prepared under the highest standards.

If you're ready to stop taking chances with your pet's health (and possibly your pet's life), then shop our line of premium pet food, treats, nutritional supplements, and pet care products.  If you could feed your pets premium pet foods & treats that will provide them with abundant nutrition, and may help ensure longer, healthier lives for your precious furkids for about the same or less than you are currently spending on food & treats, why wouldn't you? Safety is our primary objective! When it comes to product safety and quality ingredients, we don't do shortcuts. In fact, we act as if your pet's life depends on us. 

Request samples, ask questions and learn more about true premium nutrition for your furkids by visiting our website ~ http://www.PremiumPetFoodStore.com

You'll be so glad you did . . . and, so will your pets!

Life's Abundance . . . paving new roads to wellness every day!

Evanger’s Pet Food and Against the Grain Recalls Additional Products

For Immediate Release ~ March 3, 2017

Evanger’s Dog & Cat Food is voluntarily expanding its recall of Hunk of Beef and is also recalling Evanger’s Braised Beef and Against the Grain’s Pulled Beef Products due to potential adulteration with pentobarbital.  Oral exposure to pentobarbital can cause drowsiness, dizziness, excitement, loss of balance, nausea, nystagmus (eyes moving back and forth in a jerky manner), inability to stand, coma and death. Consumers who notice these symptoms in their pets should consult their veterinarian.

The expansion of the company’s February 3rd recall of five production lots of Evanger’s Hunk of Beef canned dog food and its February 14th recall of one production lot of Against the Grain Pulled Beef canned dog food is being  'out of an abundance of caution'.

Evanger’s first advised the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of its intention to expand the product recall on February 20, 2017, and announced the planned recall in a letter to its distributors and retailers on February 28, 2017.

The 12 oz. cans of dog foods that are being voluntarily recalled have the following barcodes.  The numbers listed below are the second half of the barcode, which can be found on the back of the product label:

• Evanger’s: Hunk of Beef: 20109
• Evanger’s: Braised Beef: 20107
• Against the Grain: Pulled Beef: 80001

The three products being voluntarily recalled were manufactured between December 2015 and January 2017, and have expiration dates of December 2019 through January 2021.  These products were distributed online and through independent boutique pet stores nationwide.

This voluntary recall affects only Hand Packed Beef Products, which is a unique method in which large chunks of meat are manually placed into the can by hand, not machine. 

Consumers may return any can of the aforementioned products to their place of purchase for a full refund for the inconvenience.  For any questions, customers may contact the company at 1-847-537-0102 between 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM Central Time, Monday - Friday.

Distributors and online retailers were previously notified of this voluntary recall on February 27th.

The FDA  initiated an investigation of Evanger’s manufacturing facilities early last January after receiving word that a dog had died and four other dogs had been sickened after ingesting food from a can of Evanger’s Hunk of Beef.

Lab testing revealed the presence of pentobarbital, a euthanasia agent, in the stomach contents of the dead dog, in the remnants of food from the opened can, and in food from unopened cans of the same production lot of Hunk of Beef obtained from the owner of the dogs and from the retailer. Additional lab testing carried out by FDA detected pentobarbital in a can of Against the Grain Pulled Beef canned dog food.

Against the Grain Pulled Beef is manufactured by Evanger’s.

In an advisory to consumers, released on February 17 and updated on March 3, FDA reported that a bill of lading from Evanger’s supplier, which the pet food manufacturer had claimed was “USDA approved”, referred to “Inedible Hand Deboned Beef – For Pet Food Use Only. Not Fit For Human Consumption.”

Investigation of a certificate number displayed on the bill of lading determined that it referred to an export certification number that had been issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture – Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS). The certification, according to a spokesperson with USDA-APHIS, had expired in the mid-2000s.

The FDA has received ten additional complaints from consumers who believe their dogs have been affected adversely after consuming by Evanger’s Hunk of Beef dog food. Five of the complaints mention symptoms that are consistent with possible pentobarbital poisoning. The agency is following up on four of the complaints, which provided veterinary and product lot number identification.

The FDA continues to encourage consumers to report problems with Evanger’s products through the Safety Reporting Portal or by contacting a Consumer Complaint Coordinator. 

Additional information is available on the FDA web page, How to Report a Pet Food Complaint.

Contact:

Consumers:  Evanger’s Pet Foods ~  847-537-0102

Media:  Evanger’s Pet Foods ~  847-537-0102

http://bit.ly/LAPetFoodSafety