Our head is spinning. We read about a dozen dog blogs every day and for the last few days, every time we open one there is another
Salmonella Tainted Dog Food Recall story. To make things worse, these are high-end brands that we would otherwise have recommended as "nutritious." ("Nutritious" isn't worth a dog-poop when you are sick as, well, a dog.)
How did this happen?
Well, in the dog food world - as in so much of the food processing industry - when a plant owned by one brand has excess capacity, they sell that capacity to other brands. In other words, rather than have your equipment and staff sit idle, you process food for a competitor at a lower margin but at least make some something.
And so it is with the dog food processing plant owned by Diamond in Gaston, S.C. Rather than make nothing at all once the orders for Diamond are filled, the plant subcontracts to at least a dozen other brands as well as produces additional brands of their own. From an MBA point this is all very good business. Unfortunately, it is like a house of cards and we now see the cascade of salmonella tainted problems.
If we are overwhelmed, we have no doubt our Barkers and friends are overwhelmed even more. Not that we didn't have anything else to do, we spent the afternoon reading blogs, websites and doing Google searches and put together a spreadsheet with
- BRAND,
- URL to see which lines of that brand are recalled,
- PHONE # for customer service to request a refund
Reminder, if you have a possibly contaminated bag of dog food, carefully slip it into a large plastic bag, seal it and wash your hands very well. Salmonella is an equal opportunity infection agent.
* URL listing recalled products within the brand
** This brand's customer service is handled by Diamond
We hope this is the last dog food recall blog necessary for quite a while, but you never know. We will blog any new info so, please feel free to subscribe (box at top right of the page) or check back periodically. Also, feel free to pass this list on to anyone you know whom it can help.
Are you, perhaps, looking for a job? We noticed on the Diamond Pet Food website there is a single job opening. It is for a Quality Control Technician in Gaston S.C.
Word is coming fast and furious as Diamond Pet Food extends its (voluntary) recall of additional products in their line of dog foods. Not only are many of Diamond's products affected, but other high-end foods that are co-manufactured by Diamond have tested positive for salmonella. There are reports now of humans contracting infections by handling the contaminated foods.
In April Diamond found salmonella in and recalled
- Lamb & Rice formula
- Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul, Adult Light Formula
- Puppy Formula
As a precaution, we recommended using NO Diamond product.
What we should have also added, is to HANDLE NO Diamond product for now there are reports of 14 people who have salmonella infections doing exactly that.
This morning, CBS News reports salmonella contamination in dog foods co-manufactured in Diamond's plant in Gaston, S.C. These include
-
Natural Balance
-
Kirkland Signature
-
Kirkland Signature Nature's Domain
-
Apex Pet Foods
-
Canidae Pet Foods
-
Wellness Complete Health puppy food.
This has gotten the attention of the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) which is now investigating, according to Reuters. Meanwhile, Brooklyn Bark urges all dog people to avoid these brands all together and to contact their medical or veterinary professional if they or their pup has had contact with these foods
Salmonella poisoning can cause nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain/colic or cramps and diarrhea as well as have long term effects, including arthritis and other joint diseases. Know what to look for and when to contact your vet or your own doc.
First the Associated Press, the Washington Post and the Chicago Tribune reported on April 26th, a recall of three of Diamond Brand Dog foods
- Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul
- Adult Light Formula
- Natural Lamb Meal & Rice
Salmonella was found in each of these Diamond foods. Salmonella as in food poisoning. Salmonella as first isolated as the cause of hog cholera in 1885 and named after the veterinarian who was head of the FDA at the time, Dr. Daniel Salmon.
Oh, did we mention that salmonella can be transferred from canines to humans? It isn't very nice. Did we mention that humans can contract Salmonella by handling the affected dog food?
So we are talking about a serious issue for our pups as well as for ourselves.
Not to put too fine a point on it, Salmonella poisoning can produce vomiting, diarrhea, septic shock and, yes, death. Long term effects of Salmonella can include immune problems, arthritis, muscle & eye pain and urinary tract symptoms.
PUPPY FORMULA?!?! These little ones have still developing immune systems and are susceptible in spades!
Diamond. Isn't that the company that made mold-contaminated dog food that killed dozens of dogs in 2005? (The answer is, "yes")
for pictures of a happy puppy romping through a field and a description of HAPPY. HEALTHY. NATURALLY.
Well, I guess the salmonella are happy. And they are healthy. And they are certainly natural.
But beware. Beware. Beware. Diamond is a dog's non-friend.
Brooklyn Bark dog walkers are reaching out to help one of our fellow dog walkers.
Susie's Pet Care is going through the ultimate walker's nightmare, as, we are sure, are Maggie's owners. Below is what Susie wrote. If you have seen or heard anything, please, please, please contact Susie at the phone number below. If you cannot reach her immediately, call Rachel @ 347-850-4922 or Bark Master @ 914-649-5188 and we'll help you get through to her.
Keep a look out for this pup, please, in and around Prospect Heights.
Yesterday 4/27 around noon one of our client's dogs Maggie slipped out of her collar on Plaza Street and Vanderbilt, got spooked and ran. We have been frantically searching for her since then. She is Brown, Black, and Blonde, Has long dark lashes. She's 15-20lb and about 5-6
years old. Please see her photo (attached) and notify me immediately if you see her on her own or with anyone.
Thanks
Susie DeFord 718-415-7880
Most dogs who land in high-kill shelters in Georgia die. Thor didn't die; he went to heaven.
Thor was rescued from one of the many high-kill “shelters” by Bark Master’s neighbor who already had three dogs. She placed him in a what she thought would be a wonderful home. Two weeks later the family circumstances changed and they were forced to give him up.
Thor’s second home didn’t last either. His rescuer was desperate and reached out to Brooklyn Bark.
So we took him in, fell in love with this
quintessential, sweet black Lab and within a few days, posted on BBTalks, our website blog.
Within a few hours, six interested Barkers stepped forward. Within a few hours after that, we were contacted by the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC Animals and a local pet supply store, Rocco and Jezebel in Brooklyn Heights, all offering to help this sweet boy.
This Lab was going to have a home!
We are thrilled to report that Thor will stay in the extended BBark family. It wasn’t difficult to help Thor pick his new home the minute Bark Master heard from one of our Barkers about his mom who lives on a lake near Kingston, NY.
For what are the two things a Labrador retriever needs more than anything else? Love and water.
In his new home, Thor will have plenty of both.
He will have a human mom who works from home and loves him to bits as well as “his own” lake with a dock less than 50 feet from his back door.
We need more happy stories like Thor’s!
They are wild dogs of Australia, both hunted and endangered with formal breeding programs. Like wolves in the American West, they are apex preditors, cunning and crafty, hunted to protect Australian sheep herds.
There are now two breeding pair at Brooklyn's Prospect Park Zoo and they are stunning.
About the proportions of a small German shepherd, their fur is a brilliant mahogany red. All together too many people looking into their enclosure when we were there called them "foxes" (OK, we're in Brooklyn, aren't we?)
The dingo is unique to Australia (and the Prospect Park Zoo) believed to be decended from canines that accompanied the first humans to the Island Continent thousands of years ago. Living in the outback, they have developed unique features and instincts that distinguish them from other canines, but they can still cross-breed. They have a venerated place with aboriginal peoples of Australia and they are easy to domesticate for use as working dogs or house pets, although this is illegal in many parts of Australia.
Dog lovers, go visit the Prospect Park Zoo. If you think dingos are worth saving, let's start a movement with the AKC to have dingos become a breed catagory for the next Westminster Dog Show.
Thor's story is hardly different from many rescue dogs. He was neglected, moved from place to place and never trained nor allowed to put down roots.
Bark Master took him for fostering because, despite this empty background, he is happy, loving and adores all people and dogs. His tail is always slowly wagging and he is always trying to figure out how to be "a very good boy." He is the first dog I have ever met who when I say "no" just once and in a very even tone instantly stops. He so wants to please.
Thor is now housebroken - it didn't take much - and he is no longer so fearful that he backs up when someone approaches. Thor transcends his sadness when he plays with other dogs, and does so most appropriately for a 1 1/2 year old. He has a 100% Labrador personality, sweet, a little shy and very loving. Take his food away and he looks at you lovingly, knowing you will give it back.
This boy is great. Of course there is still a sadness in his face but his actions are so positive and loving. He is moderate energy, doesn't jump and is looking with every fiber of his being and soul for someone with whom he can let go and love til the end of time.
If you can give a home to this sweet, sweet boy he will be your friend for life. And so will I.
** If you know of a home for my sweet Thor, please email BarkMaster@BklynBark.com or call me 845-628-6263. More px: http://bit.ly/Ikn9Ug
I
t is not our style to toot our own horn but sometimes ya just godda do it.
We have been asked to blog for the blogosphere's #2 dog blog, ExceptionalCanine.com. (Ok Dogster.com is #1 and we are working on it.) ExceptionalCanine is in the top 3% of all - yes ALL - blogs being read on the internet.
Our first post appears today and we took the opportunity to blog about a subject near and dear to our hearts, environmental pet safety. We were asked to write about spring cleaning for and around pup and we turned this into a wonderful opportunity to educate and inform readers of the long term harm of many cleaning products on health.
Briefly, we were able to point out that there are both commercial environmentally safe cleaning products but also the vinegar or lemon juice in water standbys are good in many, many situations. We also had an opportunity to have readers focus on the effect of their spring cleaning on their pup, both from a breathing point of view and that for some pups, disturbing their world can be psychological trauma.
So here we are on our soap box - no pun intended - suddenly your Brooklyn Dog Walker is being heard by not just you all, but by a whole lot of the dog world. And since you asked, yes we are pretty proud. Thank you.
Just about every dog we know loves to go for a car ride. Chevy decided to take this predilection seriously and invited "thought leaders in the pet world" to a special breakfast at the New York Auto Show, currently running at the Javitz Center.
Hey, that's Brooklyn Bark!
And with Care Associates whose average age is twenty-something, and average gender is male, we went in force.
With Blade, David Robinson's pup, in tow as our Official Tester, we all loaded into a Tahoe and a Denali which Chevy sent to pick us up at the crack of dawn (well, 7:45 am).
Chevy walled off a section of the Auto Show to show us everything from the 45th anniversary Camaro (Bark Master liked that one) and the 427 Corvette to the Volt and the Cruise Echo and the Suburban and the Equinox. Not just the dogs drooled; we did too!
We who think the world of our dogs are gratified that world is taking note of our passion. According to a survey by AAA and Kurgo (a dog product manufacturer) 56% of respondents have driven with their dog at least once a month in the past year. Only once a month?!?
Bottom line is that Chevy and other major manufacturers are taking note that owners not only walk their dogs but drive them, too. At Brooklyn Bark we look forward to future inovations and accomodations that business - big and small - will be making for our pups.
With close to 2,000 attendees, the Brooklyn Mutt Show provided a chance for pup owners in the tri-State area to shop for unique and wonderful dog items, learn about maintaining a safe environment for pup, meet trainers and behaviorists, have their pup's portrait taken and win a medal - or not win one - for having the softest ears or the least likelihood to become a police dog.
Coproduced by Brooklyn Bark and the Brooklyn Lyceum the Third Annual Mutt Show was a place to meet other dogs and their owners, a chance to have fun, to learn pet CPR/first aid and to adopt a new pet.
It was also a chance to win two nights for two with pup at The Porches, a B&B in Stockbridge MA or at Audfrey's Farmhouse in Wallkill NY or a day of sailing on the Hudson River. It was a chance to win a gift basket of pup products or a gift certificate for pup training or tickets to the Brooklyn Cyclone's Bark in the Park.
The bottom line is that we raised $1,040.00 for Animal Rehab in NYC by eager dog lovers eager to win great pup-related prizes.
These same wonderful dog lovers generously opened their wallets for Sean Casey Animal Rescue and the Wild Bird Fund by having James Morrissey, Westminster Portrait Photographer, "shoot" their pup, learn CPR/first aid with the Bark Master and put their spare dollars into donation jars.
With two pledges still outstanding, we are looking at $3,500 and counting from generous pup owners, going to help and rehab animals in our City.
To all who made this possible - our attendees, our vendors, our sponsors and the pups themselves - a big thank you for a magnificent and fun job well done!
And to Regan of the Lyceum and the entire staff of Brooklyn Bark, WAY TO GO! Thank you!!!
| Source |
Sat. |
Sun. |
Total |
| tix (CPR) |
|
|
$500.00 |
| |
|
|
|
| tix (admit) |
|
|
$337.00 |
| Raffle |
$655.00 |
$385.00 |
$1,040.00 |
| Gate (WBF) |
$100.00 |
$213.22 |
$313.22 |
| Table (WBF) |
$94.00 |
$58.27 |
$152.27 |
| Gate (SCAR) |
$274.00 |
$482.00 |
$756.00 |
| James (SCAR) |
|
$428.00 |
| |
|
|
|
| WBF |
|
|
$1,403.99 |
| SCAR |
|
|
$2,122.50 |