Petition to Require Pet Food Companies to be Held Accountable for Damages
WE, THE UNDERSIGNED:
Request that the U.S. Congress enact legislation to require pet food manufacturers and the companies that market those pet food brands to be held financially liable for any medical costs related to or contributing to the illness and/or death of a pet that can be reasonably attributed to the food consumed by the pet. And that all pet foods include the name of the manufacturer, not just the brand under which it is sold.
This petition is in response to the thousands of pet parents and owners who have suffered under the Menu Foods recall and their slow response that started on March 16th, 2007.
Sign after the jump.
Or read about all the latest news surrounding the recall.
In creating this petition, our motive is three-fold:
- First, we want to ease the pain and suffering of those who have lost their pets due to mistakes and negligence of pet food makers. The loss or illness of a pet can be emotionally devastating. On top of it, the financial burden of uninsured veterinary treatment can be a double-whammy, leading pet parents and their families to significant financial damage — often affecting other family members such as kids and the elderly. This legislation will create a venue for settling these cases fairly and out of court, eliminating the need for a lengthy court case, which companies rely on in order to reduce the likelihood of payout.
- Second, create a financial motive for pet food makers and marketers to set higher standards for pet food. We want to let them know that consumers are interested in higher-grade pet food. And that the longer a company waits in issuing warnings or recalls related to their product, the larger the potential financial damage. This new law would hold the manufacturers (often smaller, less financially sound organizations) and also the larger corporations that market the branded foods — who ultimately control what goes in them.
- Third, a clear public disclosure of who actually makes the food. Since the financial liability falls to the brand as well as the manufacturer, the name of the company that actually produced the food should be obvious to the consumer. How much clearer would this recall have been if the food was labeled “Made by Menu Foods”?
Once the final tally of the pet deaths is complete, the petition will be delivered to the head of the congressional committee that controls FDA funding (Dave Obey, D-WI, chairman of House Appropriations Committee).
IMPORTANT!
For your petition to be valid, we require:
- An accurate email address
- Your First and Last name (In the comment field)
- Your Zip code (In the comment field)
Your email will not appear below and will be kept securely by us. Your email will be used ONLY in the purposes of carrying out the petition. It will not be used for spam, sold or marketed to any other company. We hate spam as much as you do. Only your name, Zip code, and any comment you make will appear.
This petition is sponsored by itchmo.com. Please feel free to start your own email campaign to this page. The short link to use is http://www.itchmo.com/petition
March 23rd, 2007 at 12:53 am
Kim Duke
87505
March 23rd, 2007 at 1:31 am
44133
Steve Umek
I hope all the people at Menu Foods enjoy all the money they made, cause they have no souls. So slow to respond to the complaints because doing the right thing would cost them $$$. I feel for all those who lost their furry family members. I hope these money hungry, soulless companies like this go down in flames.
March 23rd, 2007 at 1:58 am
12833 Brenda Grimes
Please protect our pets, they are our CHILDREN. We need better quality control in the food chain for them. They need to pay for all the heart breaks they have caused so many people. Thank you.
March 23rd, 2007 at 1:58 am
Janine Costanzo
94538
March 23rd, 2007 at 2:04 am
60045
Erin Mallon
March 23rd, 2007 at 2:32 am
Bernadette Javan
89149
My dog got really sick.My dog is the only one I have.He’s my baby.I was so depressed for 3 days bec he had to stay inpatient for meds & IV.
March 23rd, 2007 at 2:35 am
V9B3X9
Gloria Peterson
So sad! This is something that should never happen.
March 23rd, 2007 at 2:45 am
19533
The name of where the food is actually made needs to be on every product!
March 23rd, 2007 at 3:31 am
80247
Pamela Fowler
March 23rd, 2007 at 3:32 am
80247
Ian Fowler
March 23rd, 2007 at 3:42 am
98117
Sarah K.
March 23rd, 2007 at 6:19 am
03102
Deborah Jarvis
March 23rd, 2007 at 6:48 am
84321 kirsten hatfield
March 23rd, 2007 at 6:52 am
29575
Debbie Bone
March 23rd, 2007 at 7:10 am
11378, Denise Messemer
March 23rd, 2007 at 7:20 am
85299
tristica manross
March 23rd, 2007 at 7:20 am
44054 Debbie Hammer
March 23rd, 2007 at 7:28 am
08230
Esther Havel
March 23rd, 2007 at 7:28 am
08230 Esther Havel
March 23rd, 2007 at 7:38 am
Laura Alfieri - 32812
March 23rd, 2007 at 7:40 am
We should line them all up and make them eat the dog food themselves!
March 23rd, 2007 at 8:06 am
14747
Debbie Johnson
March 23rd, 2007 at 8:07 am
14747
Joyce R.
March 23rd, 2007 at 8:07 am
14701
Michelle H.
March 23rd, 2007 at 8:08 am
14747
John J.
March 23rd, 2007 at 8:11 am
PA15241 Shannon Zonneveld
March 23rd, 2007 at 8:28 am
787613
Serena Illauer
March 23rd, 2007 at 8:49 am
98855 Carleen Cochran
March 23rd, 2007 at 9:01 am
It is unconscionable that nearly a month elapsed before any Media report on this. It is further disgraceful that Veterinary Professionals were not gvine a heads up and warned to be looking for this problem. How many pets died needlessly? One day! one days notice could have meant an animal could survive. Its also about time that packaging include the processing facility in order to avoid needing to surf through a maze of cover up and double talk when people are looking to the source for a problem. I hop the law suits bury Menu Foods. Its about time to smarten up and reqire proper food preparation practices across the board.
March 23rd, 2007 at 9:06 am
Stacy Flansburg 32730
I think that better regulations are a good idea, however the biggest problem is not the laws but the enforcement of these laws. It’s a sad reality that while there are many people that take pride in their work and providing good quality and safe foods, there are many many more that are only here to make a proffit and could care less who or what gets hurt in the process.
I was lucky that my 3 kitties were not affected by this, but a couple of my friends were not and have incured hundreds of dollars of vet bills to have their pets tested and treated from getting sick off of the tainted foods. They are lucky though that now vets know what to look for and did not loose them to an unknown illness like so many have already.
March 23rd, 2007 at 9:09 am
28732 Melissa Porter
March 23rd, 2007 at 9:12 am
I would just like to send out my thoughts and prayers for the families of these animals. I understand what you are going through because my dogs are just like my children they are a major part of our family. My family would not be complete with out our four legged children!
March 23rd, 2007 at 9:14 am
43551 kathy schmenk
March 23rd, 2007 at 9:18 am
Stephen Richnafsky
447 Autumn Oaks Place
32746
March 23rd, 2007 at 9:21 am
MY NAME IS ROSEANNA I DONT KNOW IF MY CATS HAVE KIDNEY FAILURE YET BUT THEY ATE MOST OF THE UPC CODES ON THE LIST I HAVE 6 CATS 2 ARE SHOWING SIGNS I WANT THIS COMPANY OUT OF BUSINESS THESE ARE MY KIDS NOT ANIMALS THEY ARE MY LIFE AND EACH ONE IS DIFFERENT NO MONEY CAN BE PUT ON THEM
ROSEANNA BEHLER
348 HANOVER AVENUE
ALLENTOWN PA 18109
610-573-3833
March 23rd, 2007 at 9:34 am
32746 scylina spikes
When we purchase our pets they become part of our family for our children and other family members. These companies NEED to be held accountable for their actions. This is an enjustice to all of these animals.
March 23rd, 2007 at 9:52 am
I want to sign this petition, however we seem to be forgetting about those pets who haven’t died, but are suffering daily due to the aftereffects of this tainted food. One of my cats died, and I miss him terribly, but my other cat is still sick. He went through treatment and will be on prescription diet food, medication and monthly checks for the rest of his shortened life. What about him?
March 23rd, 2007 at 10:06 am
46227 Darlene Combs
My heart is just sick over this. Did you think you could hide it?
March 23rd, 2007 at 10:09 am
Micha Hale
28792
March 23rd, 2007 at 10:20 am
Candace Matwijiw
84049
March 23rd, 2007 at 10:31 am
Reshohnah Salazar
84106
Menu foods needs to be held accountable for this mess. I am extremely upset and don’t think I will ever get over the passing away of my dog.
March 23rd, 2007 at 10:40 am
49302
Rose Schlappi
Menu foods products caused acute kidney failure in my chihuahua. He also suffered seizures as a result of the kidney failure. He survived the ordeal but my wallet didn’t - the whole thing cost nearly $1000.
Menu Food refuses to answer my emails and doesn’t answer their phone.
March 23rd, 2007 at 10:55 am
31601
Adrienne Stephenson
March 23rd, 2007 at 10:56 am
46037 Hooyenga
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:04 am
Lisa Kontoes
01570
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:05 am
Madeleine Plasse
01570
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:06 am
Natalie Weathers 30458: My loving dogs have been by my side through thick and thin. Two of the three have had problems from the food (Ol’Roy) and I am standing by their sides now. I will continue to be their voice because they didn’t deserve what they have experienced.
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:10 am
Debra Ator 76655
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:12 am
68502
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:21 am
leona douglas
77018
i don’t happen to believe that it is just the ‘wet’ food that has been contaminated. i had a rescue boxer female who died at the end of january suffering from acute kidney failure of unknown origin. she was eating a dry form of nutro natural choice lamb and rice and was also on a supplement (which was in a pouch) to boost her immune system. our other two dogs were having intermittent episodes of vomitting/diarrhea having been on a short term amount of iams chicken and rice, also the dry version. there’s no telling which item was the culprit. but you have not idea the agonizing, helpless experience watching a beloved pet who had already had a traumatic life, to die so quickly before your eyes before she was able to receive any medical help. her veterinarian could not explain her short term and extreme illness, describing it as very, very rare. princess did not make it to her second birthday.
i compel this company to be fully forthcoming with their information. i do not believe for a second that it is just limited to the ‘wet’ version of their production. wheat/gluten is found in the dry product as well and should be fully investigated by the FDA!!!