TORONTO - The potential impact of one of the largest consumer-product recalls in North American history was beginning to take shape Tuesday as Menu Foods admitted the number of dog and cat deaths blamed on tainted pet food is likely to climb.
The company, based in Mississauga, Ont., has confirmed the deaths of only 16 animals, but spokesman Sam Bornstein acknowledged that media reports suggest the final death toll could end up being far higher.
"Based on anecdotal cases, if I believe what I see in the media . . . I would expect that the number would be higher,'' Bornstein said.
| Recall information | |
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Menu Foods recall information 1-866-895-2708 or 1-866-463-6738 Here are the lists of:
Menu Foods is experiencing a high volume of calls. They ask people to keep trying if the line is busy. The affected foods are canned or foil-pouch foods. Veterinarians recommend that concerned pet owners stop feeding their pets any of the foods on the product lists and switch to either a dry pet food or another brand. |
In all, 95 brands of the company's "cuts and gravy'' style dog and cat food -- 60 million cans and pouches in all -- have been recalled for fear they contained traces of aminopterin, a rat poison banned in the U.S.
Tests were continuing to confirm the source of the contamination, but wheat gluten imported from China is considered a prime suspect.
Grieving pet owners frustrated with a company they say is ignoring them have turned to the Internet to share their stories and express their frustration -- and the emerging numbers help to illustrate the magnitude of the recall's impact.
Members of a website for U.S. veterinarians have reported at least 471 cases of kidney failure among pets in the past 10 days. The site's founder says the total could be in the tens of thousands.
Of the cases reported by the Veterinary Information Network, a website of 30,000 veterinarians and veterinary students, 104 animals have died, 59 survived and the rest were still undergoing treatment.
Bornstein refused to comment on those figures.
Pet Connection, an Internet blog produced by veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker, is letting pet owners report the death of their animal if they suspect it was due to the tainted food. About 2,000 pet deaths or illnesses blamed on tainted food have already been reported to the website.
And an online petition to push Menu Foods to reimburse pet owners for vet bills and associated costs had garnered 2,200 signatures by late Tuesday afternoon. At least 200 of the posts were from people concerned the tainted food had killed or sickened their pet.
"If people can demonstrate that the food that was recalled led to a sick pet or the loss of a pet and they incurred expenses, Menu will take responsibility,'' Bornstein said.
"They need to call our 1-800 number and they will be able to make arrangements to send the information they gathered.''
Many of the pet owners logging on to the websites expressed frustration with the toll-free number, saying they had given their information several times but heard nothing.
Bornstein pleaded for patience and insisted they would be contacted. He said information gathered through the toll-free number is how the company plans to discover more possible confirmed deaths and illnesses.
On Friday, Menu Foods CEO Paul Henderson said the number had logged 200,000 calls since the recall began.
Menu Foods Income Trust units (TSX:MEW.UN) closed down 20 cents Tuesday at $4.10 on the Toronto Stock Exchange, a decline of 4.65 per cent.
