Emporia groceries have been pulling Menu-made pet foods from the shelves in response to a national recall, and are encouraging customers to turn in any recalled food they have for full credit.
Products made under 40 cat food brands and 50 dog food brands between Dec. 3 and March 6 have been recalled by Menu Foods. Only Menu’s “cuts and gravy” products are affected by the recall. The food was made at the Emporia plant and another plant at Pennsauken, N.J.
Officials at the Emporia plant referred questions to company spokeswoman Saran Tuite at Menu’s corporate office in Canada. Tuite did not return messages this morning.
According to The Associated Press, Menu reported that 10 pets have died and a number have suffered kidney failure after eating the affected food. No dry dog food is affected by the recall.
A complete list of the products affected can be found at www.menufoods.com/recall. Customers with questions can call 1-866-895-2708.
Bob Crites at Price Chopper said the store had pulled 20 pouches of Iams chicken and gravy pet food this morning. He also said that most of the brands on the list don’t go through his store anyway.
“There are certain brands we don’t carry,” Crites said.
Janet Brown of the south Reeble’s Country Mart said she had found 10 cans of Best Choice beef cuts and gravy that were on the list. The cans have been pulled from the shelves. That product comes in a 13.2 ounce can and would have a date stamped on the bottom that is between Dec. 20 and Dec. 22 of 2009.
Nancy Garcia, the assistant manager of Reeble’s north, said that none of the recalled products were found at her store.
According to Wal-Mart’s corporate office, the chain has pulled its three-ounce pouches of Special Kitty, its 5.32 ounce pouches of Ol’ Roy, its 5.5 ounce cans of Ol’ Roy Gourmet Sliced Beef, and its 5.5 ounce cans of Ol’ Roy Gourmet Chicken with Gravy. In addition, the 5.3 ounce pouches of Purina Mighty Dog and several canned varieties of Iams cat and dog food have been pulled.
Dillons referred calls to its corporate office, which did not return messages by deadline.
Meanwhile, the Emporia Animal Shelter has removed all Menu-related pet food from its inventory as a precaution, regardless of the date on the package.
“It’s not that we think anything’s wrong, but it’s just in case,” shelter worker Jo Robertson said.
Robertson said the shelter mostly uses dry food anyway, since wet food can sometimes give animals diarrhea. It will sometimes use wet food, she said, with very young animals, very old animals that have lost their teeth, or animals placed on a wet diet by a veterinarian.
“We try not to use it if we don’t have to,” Robertson said.
As of this morning, the shelter had six cats and 18 dogs.