Pedigree Recalled by Manufacturer Due to Possible Salmonella Contamination

Mars Petcare U.S., manufacturer of Pedigree dog food, has issued a voluntary recall of certain bags of Pedigree dry dog food, along with more than a dozen additional brands of dog and cat food. This pet food recall was issued on September 12, 2008, due to possible salmonella contamination.

According to the manufacturer's website, the salmonella-related pet food recall was first issued in August 2008. The first recall involved only Pedigree Complete Nutrition Small Crunchy Bites dog food that was sold in California and Nevada. But since then, the recall has been expanded to include more than a dozen brands of dry dog and cat food.

How Can I Tell if My Pet's Food Has Been Recalled?

Mars Petcare U.S. has released very specific information concerning exactly what dog and cat food brands and varieties are affected. According to the Mars Petcare website, the affected brands are as follows:

• Pedigree
• Ol' Roy
• Retriever
• Paws & Claws
• Member's Mark
• Natural Dog Food
• Natural Cat Food
• Doggy Bag
• PMI Nutrition
• Red Flannel
• PetPride
• Special Kitty
• Country Acres
• Wegman's Bruiser
• Wegman's Buju & Ziggie

A complete list of the affected varieties are available on the Mars Petcare website at www.petcare.mars.com.

Not all bags of Pedigree and the above-mentioned brands are affected by this recall. According to the Mars Petcare, the recalled pet food was manufactured at the company's Everson, Pennsylvania plant between February 18, 2008 and July 29, 2008.

In order to determine if a bag of pet food is affected, pet owners should look at the numbers below the "Best By" date, which is located on the pet food bag near the UPC Code. For recalled bags of Pedigree dog food only, the code under the "Best By" date (located near the UPC code) will have the letters "PAE" on the bottom line, as the the sixth, seventh and eighth digits. The following is an example of what will appear on a recalled bag of pet food. The portion of the code that owners should be checking has been underlined.

Best Before 02/2009
808G1PAE01 12:00

For all other brands named in this pet food recall, the code under the "Best Before" date (located near the UPC code) will have the number "17" as the first two digits of the second line in the code. The following is an example of what will appear on a recalled bag of pet food. The portion of the code that owners should be checking has been underlined.

Best By Feb 18 09
17 1445 1

Only certain varieties and bag sizes are affected by this voluntary pet food recall. For more information on affected food varieties, including a list of food varieties and UPC codes for affected food, visit the Mars Petcare website.

What Should I Do If My Pet's Food Has Been Recalled?

Pet owners who confirm that their pet's food has been recalled should immediately stop feeding the food to pets. The remaining food should be placed inside a heavy-duty trash bag (double bagged as a precaution) and brought to the store where the pet food was originally purchased. There, the customer will be provided with a refund or replacement bag.

Generally, a receipt is not required to return the recalled pet food.

If the bag was thrown out, pet owners should assume that the pet food has been recalled and act accordingly.

Additional precautions should be taken to ensure the safety of pets and human family members. If the recalled pet food was stored inside a container, the container should be disinfected with a combination of one part bleach to four parts water. The container should then be thoroughly washed using an anti-bacterial soap.

Dog bowls, dog bowl placements and any other surfaces that the contaminated food has contacted should also be disinfected with a bleach-water mix and when possible, washed with anti-bacterial soap.

Pet owners should wash their hands thoroughly following contact with recalled pet food to lower the chance of contracting salmonella, which is one of the few illnesses that an be transmitted between humans and their pets.

Dog and cat owners should also closely monitor pets for any signs of illness. Salmonella is a bacteria that affects the body's digestive system, resulting in vomiting, diarrhea, fever and poor appetite, among other symptoms. If illness occurs, immediate veterinary attention is recommended due to the high risk of salmonella spread among other pets and family members.

Why Did This Pet Food Recall Occur?

According to a statement issued by Mars Petcare, production of Pedigree and the other affected pet food brands ceased at the company's Everson, PA, facility on July 29, 2008 "when the company was alerted of a possible link between dry pet food produced at the plant and two isolated cases of people infected with Salmonella Schwarzengrund." As a result of these isolated human cases of salmonella, it was determined that the pett food manufactured at the plant may have been contaminated.

"Even though no direct link between products produced at the Everson manufacturing plant and human or pet illness has been made, we are taking this precautionary action to protect pets and their owners. We are continuing to work collaboratively with the FDA to determine the nature and source of Salmonella Schwarzengrund at the Everson facility, and are committed to making sure our consumers and customers have the information they need regarding our voluntary recall," explained Catherine Woteki, Global Director of Scientific Affairs for Mars Petcare U.S.

In an announcement, the manufacturer of Pedigree and the other brands of recalled pet food said, "The top priority of Mars Petcare US has always been and continues to be the health and welfare of pets and their owners. Consumers can continue to have confidence in the quality and safety of the products produced at other Mars Petcare U.S. facilities."

Pet owners with additional questions concerning this pet food recall, issued September 12, 2008, should contact Mars Petcare U.S. by calling 1-877-568-4463.