Don't Let Suppliers, Distributors and Retailers Poison Our Pets for Profit--You Can Make an Impact!

1. Submit a complaint to the FDA.
   Contact your state's FDA Consumer Complaint Coordinator. The list is at:
   http://www.fda.gov/opacom/backgrounders/complain.html
   
   Some coordinators are responsive, others not. Don't give up. You may have to call several times.
   
   If you are able to get through and submit a complaint, save your reference number. It will be important for tracking and coordination with other complaints concerning jerky treats.
2. Ask your veterinarian to report the illness to Cornell and to the AVMA. Cornell contact info in this article.
3. Tell us your story.
   
   We are collecting information to send to the FDA and to the national office of the Humane Society. As of September 2007, the FDA says they have received complaints involving 90 dogs. We believe that there are many more affected. Our FDA contact is interested to know how many dogs are affected country-wide. He has asked for the reference numbers of complaints that have been submitted to the FDA. Tell us your story.
4. Inform veterinarians in your area.
   Find out if there has been a cluster of incidents in your area. Send a brief email to veterinarian clinics in your area, asking if there have been cases in their practice, and if so, how many and how recently. Because of privacy regulations, do not ask for or expect to get names of pet victims or their owners. You may inform them of this web site to pass on to their clients.
5. Inform your breeder and local Humane Society.
6. Inform your local newspaper, radio and TV consumer reporters.
   Once you have established a connection to other pets in your area becoming severely ill due to jerky treats, contact your local reporters. Brief, concise emails, where you can give reporters veterinarian contacts will be the most effective. You will be most successful in getting coverage if you can show that multiple pets have been affected recently--reporters are interested in breaking news.
   
   We know it's an emotional situation, but understand that hundreds of tips are submitted any one reporter each day--so make it easy to get yourself noticed.
7. Tell us what you have done!

Should you contact your retailer or the manufacturer of the suspect jerky treats?

We cannot expect food suppliers and retailers to police themselves. Just now, a year after the massive pet food recall, the companies involved in that are close to settling a suit. Companies are afraid of exposure because it can mean lawsuits. Barbara Fafard did contact Smokehouse about Lacie. Their reply came from their attorney: "... If you fail to cease and desist, our client will be constrained to take appropriate action against you, including, but not limited to, seeking a restraining order, as well as seeking damages or defamation, trade liable, and intentional interference with contractual arrangements...". (our emphasis) Text of Smokehouse email

Let our responsible government agencies do their jobs. Report and follow-up.