Blue Buffalo Spa Select Dry Formula for Cats Recalled
Due to the melamine found in the Wilbur-Ellis rice protein, Blue Buffalo has recalled one production run of their Spa Select Kitten dry food marked “Best Used By Mar. 07 08 B.”
Of the 4,752 bags produced in this one run, we were able to prevent the majority from ever entering retail distribution.
FDA confirms that Blue Buffalo is one of four other companies that received this supply.
Full release after the jump.
(Post bumped. Original timestamp 4:45pm Eastern)
IMPORTANT NOTICE
Voluntary Recall of Spa Select Kitten Dry Food
Dear Pet Parents:
The Blue Buffalo Company has undertaken a voluntary recall of one production run of our Spa Select Kitten dry food. The production code on the recalled product is:
“Best Used By Mar. 07 08 B.”
We have taken this action because the rice protein concentrate used for this run was obtained from Wilbur-Ellis, the same company who supplied this ingredient to Natural Balance. Test results received late last evening (4/18) indicated that this rice protein concentrate tested positive for melamine. This is the first and only time our manufacturing partner sourced an ingredient from Wilbur-Ellis, and we had no knowledge that they had imported the ingredients from China.
We have advised the FDA of this finding and will be working closely with them on this issue.
Of the 4,752 bags produced in this one run, we were able to prevent the majority from ever entering retail distribution. We are working closely with our retail partners to remove this product immediately and will be re-stocking the shelves with Spa Select Kitten dry food that was produced without any rice protein sourced from Wilbur-Ellis as soon as possible.
If you currently have a bag of Spa Select Kitten dry food, please check the code date and if it matches the one shown above discontinue use immediately and return it to the place of purchase for a full refund. If your cat has eaten any of the recalled food, please call your veterinarian immediately to discuss if there are any risks to your pet.
Should you have a specific question call our Customer Service Department at 1-800-919-2833 or email us at info@bluebuff.com. We understand your desire for immediate answers and we will be working to get back to you as quickly as we can.
No other Spa Select cat food or dog food, canned or dry, is included in this recall.
As a family owned company whose reason for being is to provide cats and dogs with the highest quality natural foods, we are extremely upset by this recall and can’t begin to apologize enough to our customers. From our perspective, it is unacceptable to produce even one bag of food with the potential to cause a pet to become ill, and we will further tighten our ingredient sourcing and quality assurance procedures as a result of this incident.
Sincerely,
Bill Bishop
President
The Blue Buffalo Company
April 19th, 2007 at 4:56 pm
According to the post on Blue Buffalo’s website it is ONLY the KITTEN SPA SELECT DRY being recalled. It is NOT ALL of their SPA SELECT line as you have indicated in your headline. Most of the products in the Spa Select line do not even contain rice protein concentrate.
April 19th, 2007 at 5:02 pm
Yes, Joyce, let’s defend a company that needed to wait until their rice protein was tested before recalling the product, even while their supplier was urging these companies to come forward. How many people continued to feed their pets this kitten food in the meantime? I could care less whether or not every other Blue Buffalo food is fine - the company itself just made a very poor decision to keep quiet *just in case* their ingredients weren’t compromised. Wouldn’t want to ruin their reputation or anything. And now it’s ruined beyond repair, in my opinion. These companies need to take responsibility for putting these fillers in their foods and not being more vigilant about the source(s) of those ingredients.
April 19th, 2007 at 5:03 pm
What kills me is I switched to Blue kitten food because of the recall. I had been feeding brands like Iams and Purina, but because other products had been recalled I wanted to avoid these brands. Blue had all this stuff on their website about how they don’t use wheat, corn, or soy, how they are not involved in the recall and blah blah blah.
My kitten did not eat food with the March 08 date - she ate Blue kitten food with the Sept 07 date, and is not showing any symptoms. But I still feel horrible knowing that this happened with the type of food that I use. I thought I was doing the right thing by switching to a natural brand with no wheat gluten.
April 19th, 2007 at 5:18 pm
We need to know WHO their manufactures their product.
April 19th, 2007 at 5:24 pm
Itchmo… someone on petconnection just mentioned that the Blue Buffalo is the brand that the lawyer got all huffy with you about… have you heard anything else since?
April 19th, 2007 at 5:29 pm
It appears that any food contianing wheat gluten, rice protein or corn gluten should be avoided until this whole situation is resolved.
Solid Gold has some quality dry foods that do not contain any of these three ingredients. I am feeding both Wellness canned ( the West Coast lot, not manufactured by Menu foods) and dry chicken and Solid Gold dry Barking at the Moon and have not seen any problems in my 3 dogs.
When the ’safe’ cans I have run out, I will not buy any more canned food during this current mess and when I do, it will not be a company that uses Menu foods for ANYTHING.
As the contamination continues to escalate and unfold, it is impossible to know what is safe. Good luck to all of us and our adorable precious pets!
April 19th, 2007 at 5:29 pm
Like they didn’t know for the past few days who they got their rice protein concentrate from? I don’t believe it for a minute. Bas+++d companies.
April 19th, 2007 at 5:33 pm
tinydogsrule,
How can you tell that your canned Wellness is from the west coast lot? I have some Wellness food I’d like to check.
April 19th, 2007 at 5:41 pm
I called it. I wonder how many of the others I listed will also be recalled.
April 19th, 2007 at 5:41 pm
tinydogsrule I would go further and say any gluten and any non meat derived protein should be avoided. After all we started with wheat and now the others have come on board, how long till soy and the others follow?
April 19th, 2007 at 5:44 pm
CL - I did the same thing only with NB; I switched from Iams and Fancy Feast thinking I was doing the right thing only to have it come back and bite me in the a$$. Luckily, like you, my kits are not showing any sign of trouble except for some minor food-switch reactions. I’m keeping a close eye on them and have since switched them to Nature’s Variety Raw Instincts - I just hope it doesn’t wind up getting recalled, too. Although it shouldn’t since it’s supposed to be 100% grain free. At this point I’m at my wits end, this recall has me exhausted, it has lightened my wallet, and stressed me out. I want answers, I want clean, safe food, and I want to stop having to worry about the simple act of feeding my pets. My point is - I feel your pain. Glad your kitten seems to be doing well - I hope we both missed the contaminated stuff if only by an inch. And my heart goes out to those who are going through the trauma of pet illness and loss due to this mess.
April 19th, 2007 at 5:49 pm
I want a bumper sticker just like this!
Breaking News Who’s Food is Killing Our Pets
http://www.itchmo.com/
April 19th, 2007 at 5:50 pm
I emailed Blue Buffalo to see if they will tell me who manufactures their product. As yet, all they say is it’s CONFIDENTIAL.
CONFIDENTIAL my ***
Those B******* need to tell us who makes their food.
I get angrier by the minute.
April 19th, 2007 at 6:06 pm
teric,
I’m working on that. So far, I’m told it’s distrubuted by a company out of Colorado. But source didn’t remember name of company.
Does Evy know where Blue Buffalo is maufactured?
April 19th, 2007 at 6:14 pm
5CatMom are you looking for a distributor or a manufacturer? I didn’t think we had any of the plants that made dog food here in Colorado. I would be very interested in knowing who that might be.
April 19th, 2007 at 6:19 pm
blkcatgal ~
From the information I received, if the beginning code on the dog food can starts with ‘S1′ it was maufactured at Menu Foods. If not, it was manufactured at another (unidentified) plant.
And I totally agree with you, kellkell!
April 19th, 2007 at 6:29 pm
[…] read more | digg story […]
April 19th, 2007 at 6:32 pm
“This is the first and only time our manufacturing partner sourced an ingredient from Wilbur-Ellis, and we had no knowledge that they had imported the ingredients from China.”
Sure it was and sure you had no knowledge.
Bottom line is that you can’t trust anyone anymore. When are humans gonna start dropping from kidney failure. Chemicals are getting into the food chain because the companies are allowed to make both. When you’re dead, testing doesn’t cut it.
April 19th, 2007 at 6:34 pm
I do not understand how these companies can say all of their ingredients are from the U.S. then suddenly the recall involves stuff from China! I almost ordered BB today for my cat and puppy, thinking it was one of the safest choices…
KC
April 19th, 2007 at 6:35 pm
teric,
Their address is:
Blue Buffalo Co.
P.O. Box 770
Wilton, CT
Do we know of a contract company close by?
April 19th, 2007 at 6:39 pm
Don’t know if this helps, but you might look at Natura and Kumpi.
Maybe other good ones as well!
April 19th, 2007 at 6:41 pm
Has anyone explored the possibility of pain and suffering lawsuits against these jerks. No doubt this has taken several years off my own expected life span if not more then that.
April 19th, 2007 at 6:42 pm
Wasn’t their a list on the FDA website of registered or licensed manufactors in each state? Thought I found it the other day, can’t seem to find it today. Link anyone?
April 19th, 2007 at 6:44 pm
And to think I spoke to Blue Buffalo on Wed. afternoon, and being reassured their products were safe……Shame on you Samantha W. at Blue Buffalo.
Lets see what other food we can buy thats supposed to be safe. It started with IAM’s and have a dead pet dog.
Then my daughter changed food for her pets to Natural Balance then Blue Buffalo. Now home cooked to the best of her abilities.
How long did Blue Buffalo know?
Why is Wilbur-Ellis holding out? Our pets are dying while these pet food companies are hiding their heads in the sand or maybe dumping more stocks.
April 19th, 2007 at 6:45 pm
Chad I thought I saw that on there too and was just looking for it. I figured I just had looked at too many sites and that I didn’t really see it there until your post. I can’t find it either but it could be because after staring at the computer like I have been I am going blind!
April 19th, 2007 at 6:45 pm
I had been using Eukanuba dry on my dogs for years. I will never use it again. I will not use another Purina product. I switched to Blue Buffalo, but not that one is out as well. I’ve gone to Chicken Soup for Dogs. Even though it is made by Diamond, it seems to be a good food without any glutens or weird proteins. I don’t feel like I can trust any of these companies totally. I had one cat die, one is on fluids, the other won’t eat (luckily) canned food. It’s time for people to wake up to what is happening here. Purina for one, has two plants in China. China is pulling dogs out of their homes and clubbing them to death. Why in the world are we buying anything from China. I’m probably one of very few that is on a total boycott of anything made in that country. No matter how bad I might want or need something, if it’s made in China, it goes back on the shelf. I am truly disappointed in Blue Buffalo as well for this mess. You think your doing good by going to such a company and you still get screwed.
April 19th, 2007 at 6:51 pm
Oh, Marilyn, I certainly am not and most likely will NEVER defend Blue Buffalo or any other pet food manufactuer. You took my comments incorrectly. That is, when I saw the original headline , “Blue Buffalo recalls Spa Select” (no mention of Dry or Kitten food in the original headline) I got scared that the entire line was contaminated. There were no specific products mentioned in the original headline only Spa Select. I went to BB’s website and read the press release where specifics were mentioned. So I passed the info along. Defend them, absolutely NOT. What’s happening within the entire pet food industry is at once both despicable and horrifying.
April 19th, 2007 at 6:51 pm
I just dodged another bullet. I was feeding them Spa Select Kitten Dry. My bag is dated 11/07 & 2/08. Dear, God, when will this end?
I’m having to buy food today and I think I’ll get Felidae. I pray it’s going to be ok.
April 19th, 2007 at 6:57 pm
Chad and kellkell,
you could be experiencing the every changing web page syndrome. there seems to be a MAJOR outbreak recently and it is advisable to copy any info the minute you see it. archive and screen shots are aslo a suggested remedy . . . .
April 19th, 2007 at 6:58 pm
Chad and Kellkell,
Go to FDA A-Z at the top of the page. You can look up feed mill licensing there. They have them listed by name and by state.
April 19th, 2007 at 7:00 pm
I am appalled that NOTHING has been done since the recall to make sure that this doesn’t happen in the future….again and again. Can we count on these companies (who have consistently lied to us) to insure that our precious fur-babies are safe?? I am so upset at being lied to, pray every time I open a can or bag to feed by boys that it’s safe, am afraid to check daily to see if the foods that I DO feed them are on the recall list and am so stressed over this, I can hardly think straight. My boys look to me to provide safe, healthy food for them. Blue Buffalo was one of the foods I counted on for safety. My list is now down to 3 safe foods…..
April 19th, 2007 at 7:01 pm
Joyce, I apologize for taking your comment wrong. I was caught up in my anger at Blue Buffalo as it was one of the companies I was *about* to try. I shouldn’t have jumped on you so quickly. Thank you for explaining. (As a side note, I’m wondering why they aren’t recalling other products with the rice protein concentrate. I think their Cat Hairball formula is supposed to have it, as well as some dog products.)
April 19th, 2007 at 7:05 pm
Marilyn,
You took the words right out of my mouth. Thanks for your post.
April 19th, 2007 at 7:06 pm
I am also frustrated with the Blue Buffalo answer-I switched to their adult cat canned and dry last week and checked the bag which says 12/07 but I still wonder-my cats all adults are still eating Fancy Feast’s Tender Beef canned food once or twice a wk because it is their favorite and I have them also on Life’s Abundance dry and canned-they are all used to a variety of food-even some beef baby food is going into their meals now.
Thank God for Itchmo and all you wonderful cat and dog people-I feel like I’ve come home when I see what you’ve all written and I trust you much more than our vet and pet food stores.
April 19th, 2007 at 7:06 pm
Thanks Stephanie!
April 19th, 2007 at 7:09 pm
Still waiting for a comment from the Blue Buffalo attorney who threatened us citizens here with legal action.
Come on Pal. I DARE YOU.
April 19th, 2007 at 7:09 pm
Gotta love it, they can wire tap my phone, pull my credit card records and do whatever else they want. With no reason nor suspecion. But we can’t find out who in the hell is canning our pets food!
April 19th, 2007 at 7:10 pm
I can tell you EVERY company that has not come forward will lose my business forever. They are KILLERS. When they KNOW they have purchased crap and do not pull it ASAP which NB DID do as soon as they saw issues (I will give them that) these companies will lose massive amounts of money and customers..Yes I think lawsuits and changes with the FDA will happen in TIME…SADLY, time and many deaths.
April 19th, 2007 at 7:13 pm
I switched over to Natural Balance from Iams a little over a year ago as I wanted to give my 4 girls good quality food. I had just purchased their Venison/Brn Rice biscuits for the 1st time last wk. After several days - all 4 girls were outside eating grass & vomiting.
It was that same day that I heard about the recall. I am furious. I’ve decided to swith to Canidae…and the following is part of the response they sent me…”CANIDAE in no way is affiliated, nor has any common characteristics with the current pet food re-call, as we do not use wheat gluten, rice gluten or rice protein in any fashion, and we are not produced in any of the recalled facilities. All ingredients are proudly raised and grown in the USA.”
April 19th, 2007 at 7:16 pm
I thought when this first started Canidae was made at one of the plants. Or at least by Menu Foods? I could be way off. Can anyone confirm if the email Vicki D recieved is actually truthful.
Good to have a back up food, until I figure out how to cook my boys food.
April 19th, 2007 at 7:17 pm
In my earlier note I forgot to mention to Kathleen that I am trying to do the same thing in everything I buy-specially anything to do with my cats’ and dogs’ needs (and toys). NOTHING FROM CHINA–I spend more time looking at every item to see if it’s made in China, Vietnam, Thailand, etc. than I do actually shopping for myself.
April 19th, 2007 at 7:21 pm
Chad,
I’ve been told the same as Vicki D. I switched to Canidae last month. I just hope thay are being honest.
April 19th, 2007 at 7:21 pm
5CatMom ~
I don’t know where Blue Buffalo is manufactured. Therese over at thepetfoodlist.com is the one who was calling all of the companies to get that information. If she couldn’t get it, maybe the company directly would say? I don’t know.
Too many people are unfamiliar with me and all of the posts I have made over the weeks to try and help. I am now perceived as a ’schill’ trying to promote my products. This has made me sadder than you can ever realize.
You are all just now finding out things I have known to be true for nine years. I haven’t bashed companies, I have tried to educate, I have been an advocate for FurAngels beyond my physical capabilities sometimes.
Talking with the people who have lost their pets and/or are living and loving with those who are severely compromised - well, it has just put me into a place that I cannot describe. The sorrow is overwhelming.
All I can do is my best each day. I have my statement posted on my site and can verify my product is safe.
I have my suspicions that some of these posts are actually people from other pet food companies trying to disguise themselves as ‘general online’ community folks. I’ve had no use for them in the past and I have no desire to engage with them now.
At this point, if anyone has questions they would like me to answer, please send me an email at kumpi@earthlink.net and I will get back to you. Other than that, please do not look for me on the blogs for awhile. Some of you are really nice people and I’d be happy to provide any information that you would like to repost online.
April 19th, 2007 at 7:22 pm
Well, here it is….. the email I’d been waiting for!! Thank you itchmo!!! Something is dreadfully wrong with this country of ours. We can blame all we want on China. Bottom line, it’s our responsibility (FDA, etc), to test the foods we consume, both for people and pets, shouldn’t make a darn difference. If we don’t have the means to test from foreign countries like filthy China then we shouldn’t let the disgusting food in here to begin with. As far as I’m concerned, dog food companies are the biggest joke on the planet right now. How dare they market their products showing such deceit? Bright colored vegetables, pure grains, fresh poultry and meats…. yeah right! They’re all a bunch of liars. Blue Buffalo comes out now??? I’m beyond disgusted. Thanks for letting me vent.
April 19th, 2007 at 7:26 pm
This is from http://www.naturapet.com/tools.....ngredients
Are your pet food ingredients human grade? Why isn’t that written on the bag?
Our dog food and cat food ingredients are all human grade, and fit for human consumption. In fact, our pet foods go above and beyond human grade. Many things qualify as human grade but wouldn’t be considered as an ingredient in our foods because of their poor nutritional value.
The term “Human Grade” is not printed on the packaging because AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials, the governing agency for animal feeds) regulations prohibit us from printing the grade and/or quality of any ingredient contained in pet foods.
April 19th, 2007 at 7:28 pm
5CatMom,
Is the manufacturing plant in CO? This makes matters worse as they didnt say one word about anything going to CO.
KS, MO, NY, & UT
I havent heard back from Blue Buffalo. Bet I wont either!!!! ;-[
April 19th, 2007 at 7:32 pm
Thanks Robin. I’ve read so much the past few weeks it’s hard to keep everything straight. Add in a sick dog (NOT from the recall, or so I have been assured) and neither of us have gotten much sleep. Getting a little punchy and irrate!
April 19th, 2007 at 7:32 pm
To Lioness0811, a big THANK YOU. I too take up most of my time reading everything instead of buying. My cats and my dogs mean everything to me. I have put my trust in these companies only to find out that they have deceived us. Every other product in this company is made in China. I don’t know if anyone else out there has seen some of the horrific pictures of what they have done to the dogs in that land, but I still cry about it. Please everyone, just take a stand and fight back. I will not buy from liars nor companies only thinking of how cheaply they can make their products without regard to who they are hurting. They lie with their fancy advertising. Great packaging. Big prices. But all we get is poison. It’s hard to figure out where to turn. As for making the food, it’s almost impossible with seven dogs and three cats as well as horses and foul. As a country, we have grown to trust these companies. Now we have to make a stand and denounce them all.
April 19th, 2007 at 7:34 pm
I can’t believe we are still not hearing anything on the media! WHY???? It didn’t make sence to me yesterday and makes less sence today. I went to our location health food store today and the owner still didn’t know the lastest news on the rice protein, she hasn’t been on-line. She carries wellness, paul newman etc. but still, until we know for sure. she pulled all her products, just to make sure. We need to find out why the media isn’t talking. I read on the Huffington Post the FDA has confirmed some of this dogfood was regenerated and feed to HOGS! If that is true, are we humans in the same situation as our pets. I have horses, chicken and I’m checking all their lables closer too. We need to start flooding emails boxes of the FDA, FOX, CNN, MSNBC, Sen. Durbin and anyone else we can think of to make this the news it should be and not the cover-up which it seems to be.
April 19th, 2007 at 7:35 pm
I found an informative site containing the following:
“Menu manufactures canned foods for many companies that weren’t affected by the recall, including Nature’s Variety, Wellness, Castor & Pollux, Newman’s Own Organics, Wysong, Innova, and EaglePack. It’s easy to see from their ingredient lists that those products are made from completely different ingredients and proportions. Again, the issue of cleaning the machinery out between batches comes up, but hopefully nothing so lethal will pass from one food to another.”
This and other enlightning info about the pet food industry can be found at this link:
http://www.api4animals.org/facts?p=359&more=1