Chicken Jerky Strips For Dogs Still Being Tested By FDA
The FDA said it is still testing Bestros Chicken Jerky Strips that were recently pulled from Wal-Mart’s stores. They said they have not detected any chemical or biological contamination in the China-made chicken jerky strips.
FDA spokeswoman Kimberly Rawlings said the agency was “actively” investigating the pulled chicken jerky strips.
“We have tested numerous samples of chicken jerky pet treats for possible contaminants including melamine,” she said. “To date we have not detected any contaminants. We are continuing to test.”
Rawlings added that the FDA has reviewed Wal-Mart’s lab report that mentions 20 parts per million of melamine. She said this level of melamine would not cause any illnesses in pets.
Wal-Mart pulled Chicken Jerky Strips from Import-Pingyang Pet Product Co. and Chicken Jerky from Shanghai Bestro Trading on July 26, after customers complained about sick pets.
Wal-Mart said 17 tests showed trace levels of melamine. With the small amounts of melamine found, the laboratory is doing more testing on the Chicken Jerky Strips.
UPDATE: In a New York Times article, a spokeswoman for Wal-Mart said they were aware of other companies selling the suspect product.
Source: International Herald Tribune
(Thanks menusux)
August 22nd, 2007 at 9:17 pm
The FDA may want to consider using the lab in Texas ?
August 22nd, 2007 at 9:40 pm
FDA needs some modern equipment like other labs. What a joke they can never find anything and we are supposed to count on THEM?!?
This would be very funny if it wasn’t so freakin scary:(
August 22nd, 2007 at 9:42 pm
Out of curiousity and concern I stopped by one of our local Walmarts ( there are 4-5 in our metroplex area) on the way home from work today and they have the brand “Waggin Trails” Chicken Jerkey Strips still on the shelves. the tiny print says “Made in China”. I don’t buy any pet foods there anymore (since March 2007). I am sure if the Bestros Brand is tainted, there are more brands just waiting to be fed to the next victim.
August 22nd, 2007 at 11:24 pm
And, FDA, the long term effects of melanine on small animals are? Give me a beak! Get some new lab equipment, protocols and studies before you issue your test results.
August 22nd, 2007 at 11:59 pm
I don’t think ANY amount of melamine is safe for animals recovering from the last dose of toxins. But hey, the FDA says chow down America, we won’t let OUR pregnant staff even handle the stuff but it is fine for you peasants to consume and be sure to serve up a big helping to your pets and kids.
August 23rd, 2007 at 1:00 am
There are other brands of chicken strip treats labeled “made in China” on the shelves in major pet stores. Those haven’t been mentioned yet in any reports or recalls on those. Those can be found simply searching the online big pet stores, although they don’t tout the country of origin in the product info.
August 23rd, 2007 at 6:02 am
The FDA can’t find anything wrong with a pet product which is making pets sick. Imagine that!
Something else I’ve been wondering about too: the FDA said a while back it’s OK to feed melamine-tainted food to livestock. They say the risk to humans who eat the meat from these animals is almost nil because supposedly the melamine doesn’t build up in the tissues used for human consumption.
What about THE REST of the animal? The organs and other parts people DON’T eat? I’ve not seen anything said about that anywhere. The reason this has me troubled lately is because (think about it) where does that stuff go? The rest of the animal butchered for human food, that animal that’s been eating feed contaminated with melamine…?
It goes into PET FOOD.
Is there another wave of illness getting ready to strike again?
August 23rd, 2007 at 8:16 am
They have already struck and it has been an ongoing sick wave for years.
August 23rd, 2007 at 8:43 am
I guess it depends which megabusiness our beloved FDA is protecting this week as to whether or not they’ll find any contaminants.
August 23rd, 2007 at 2:39 pm
We have been feeding our 2 dogs with Chicken Jerky Strips, made by Kingdom Pets in L.A., CA. They too, are made in China. They are sold at our Northwest Costco stores and they have had no warnings on the shelves. Has anyone bothered to test this brand?? Our dogs, as are all pets, are members of our family. God help them if we lose our family members as many have already. Like everyone else now, we refuse to buy ANYTHING made in China. It is a simple act of terrorism as far as I am concerned.
Their “acts” of using the wrong ingredients have gone from pets to children (Lead paint) and next will be the adults.
It’s a sad world we are living in when sickos start tainting our food supply and children’s toys!
August 23rd, 2007 at 4:28 pm
Sue: I just threw my bag of Kingdom chicken jerky that I bought at Costco into the trash. I honestly didn’t notice they were made in China until all this started (I bought them quite a while ago) & was giving my dog one strip a day. I stopped feeding it to her when there were more & more problems with stuff from China. I used to get Waggin Train at Costco & then they changed to this Kingdom brand…….I believe Waggin Train was the second brand that Wallys pulled. If they are contaminated, I’m afraid any chicken strips from China could possibly be……I’d rather be safe than sorry……so I threw the bag away.
Someone lost their dog to Costco’s duck strips (that I almost bought), also made in China. That was enough for me. I cook for my dog but I was giving her commercial treats. Now I check everything before I buy it. She has Canidae snap biscuits, Castor & Pollux organic cookies & Buddy all natural molasses biscuits (from Trader Joes), all made in the USA. What a spoiled little girl……
August 24th, 2007 at 5:15 pm
Puka: My husband just said; Better spoiled than dead!
Glad to see you check labels, too. We looked at ours the other day when it hit the TV news, so now I check all labels.
I have a friend that also cooks for her dogs. Good for you!
Sounds like we need to quit out-sourcing so many products and stick with the good ol’ US of A!
In Dog We Trust
August 24th, 2007 at 7:13 pm
My dog ate the Bestro Treats — bought at Walmart — and has gone into Kidney Failure. Just connected the dots on Tues. Aug. 21st because CNN on it on their news report. He went to the vet first on July 13th……
Didn’t know a thing about any of these treats — as a result, he almost died and has kidney damage that will kill him. We are hoping to keep him with us for a year.
Out vet bill so far? About $5,000……. Thanks Walmart! You think one of these companies…. either Walmart or the importing pet food company would have had the compassion to have this announced as soon as they found out about it.
We have other dogs but this one is super spoiled by my husband and is the only one that got the treats, so it wasn’t anything else he was exposed to…. also, he is strictly an indoor do and we have NO chemicals that he could have gotten into….. and he is such a picky eater! That’s why my husband gave him the treats!
Also please note that we thought the dog food scare was over and live in the country…. have to go to Walmart or Kmart for our big supplies.
Think we will pay more and find what we can locally — better for our economy anyway.
The media isn’t doing a very good job getting the word out. Maybe because the FDA is “still testing” and since there is no RECALL from the FDA the media is afraid to say much.
Gee, wounder if this was baby food made in Amercia if it would take this long to test the product or the media to be all over this story.
My husband and I hope with all of our hearts that these products are NOT to blame because that means many more dogs will suffer and die.
But as of now we and our vet truly believe that the treats are responsible and Walmart is negligent.
If you have had to same experience and want to contact us please try.
Please send your hopeful thougts along to our boy, DOC is his name.
October 22nd, 2007 at 7:41 am
My maltese dog has been eating 1-2 kingdompets chicken strips daily for over a year and loves them and is healthy. But I am in zip 18018 after relocating and can not find them anywhere. Does anyone know where I can purchase them?
November 5th, 2007 at 12:45 pm
Kingdom pet Chicken Jerky is safe. Here is their site.
http://www.thekingdompets.com/web/home.php
If you don’t believe it click on the bottom of the box that pops up with the lab results to prove it. I won’t stop feeding it to my Maltese kids as they have been eating it for months and they each get one a day. I can’t buy them around here so one of our Maltese friends who lives in San Diego buys it at the Costco by her and ships it to us. As I was buying the Dingo brand from Pet Supplies Plus before it was recalled.
And on the subject of the Bestros from Walmart, any idiot knows not to buy dog food or treats at Walmart. Walmart is an evil store for people. You buy pet food at the pet store! Walmart does not sell holistic and or organic dog food which our pets deserve. I won’t feed my two anything but organic because all the commercial junk has soooo many fillers. Its like humans living on fast food vs. healthy food.
November 28th, 2007 at 1:09 am
Does anyone know how to make these chicken strips at home?
December 10th, 2007 at 2:52 pm
To make your own, get lean chicken breast, cook in a pan until done. Cool, then cut into thin strips. Lay flat on a baking pan, cook in oven or toaster oven, low heat, 150 degrees for about 20 to 30 min. until dried out, pretty crispy. They will get a little harder when they cool too. Wala! All natural homemade chicken strips, made in USA in your kitchen. My dogs..great dane, white shepherd and chihuahua LOVE chicken strips!! :o)
December 10th, 2007 at 2:53 pm
Oh! and these strips are not super hard so that you have to worry about splintering like the store bought, and poking your babies.
December 25th, 2007 at 11:32 pm
Thank you for the recipe. I am definitely going to try this. How long do they keep after you make them? Is it best to keep them in the closet warm and dry or refrigerator? Can you freeze and bring out later? What if you just got sliced chicken breast from the deli already cooked and then dried it. yes, always looking for shortcuts here. I did find two brands that are made in the USA - Bravos and Savory Prime.
January 4th, 2008 at 8:33 pm
Can anyone tell me how to dehyrdate chicken for my puppies? Some people say that I must cook the chicken before I dehyrdate it and other say I do not need to cook it? Any help???