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 11:09 pm
You are the root cause of such pain and suffering. There is no good that can come from what you caused. You will be held accountable or you will be buried as well.
rip boy. I will seek revenge for you.
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:10 pm
89149
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:11 pm
Thea Tagle
92116
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:11 pm
93635
Sally B Shaffer
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:14 pm
I know that accidents happen, but this is just awful! If it can happen to our pets, what about our baby foods or other packaged foods. It is scary!
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:14 pm
18355, Teresa Lynch
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:15 pm
60540 Claire Krzyzewski
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:16 pm
07419
Mickey Brannigan
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:21 pm
Lindsey Korbin
lindseykorbin@earthlink.net
33160
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:25 pm
April Carretta 60657
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:27 pm
21530
Candi Whitman
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:30 pm
10591 In honor of Jasper, 5 yrs. old, may he rest in peace, euthanized 3/14/07. Started having seizures on Dec 4; had Iams slices in gravy at least once prior to that time.
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:35 pm
p.s. Besides the heartbreak… The vet bills cost me thousands..
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:35 pm
30324, Tim Thomas
This is a terrible thing and manufacturers should be held accountable
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:35 pm
92882
Sharyn Bruno
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:37 pm
In memory of Brandy, our cocker, Was put to sleep on Jan 12, 07 due to Kidney Failure. We would use mighty Dog pouches to entice her to eat her dry food
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:37 pm
18840 Wanda Husick
The law in the United States treats our much loved pets like they are simple possessions — they are not just that. They are beloved members of our families and it is time Congress recognized the very special place dogs and cats play in the lives of most Americans.
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:39 pm
LOST MY PET ON MARCH 19TH AFTER HER EATING HILL COUNTRY FARE CAT FOODS
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:39 pm
60056
Evemarie Pastor
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:58 pm
Susan Bryant 28742
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:59 pm
70819
Elizabeth Ours
Lost my 7 month old kitten after eating Iams Select Bites and Nutro Max Gourmet Classics. A horrible death!
pepper’smommy
March 24th, 2007 at 12:02 am
24211
Lisa Akers
March 24th, 2007 at 12:05 am
Deborah Johnson 28742
They killed my 2 dogs and now we think our Cat was also a victim.
These companys should have to pay.
There needs to be more regulations on what can go into pet foods.
March 24th, 2007 at 12:12 am
Kim Cooper, 90031
Although we were not feeding them food from the recall list, we are concerned that Menu Foods is associated with the brand of wet food our cats were eating. We have switched them to homemade chicken and vegetable blend, with supplements. This shameful situation should be a wake up call for all humans and animals who eat processed foods.
March 24th, 2007 at 12:12 am
01852
Maureen Chase
March 24th, 2007 at 1:06 am
97213
Victoria Tankersley
March 24th, 2007 at 1:14 am
15313
Karen L. Dick
Was thinking of switching to one of the “premium” foods that is now tainted. SCARY!!!
March 24th, 2007 at 2:06 am
85248
Francine J. Webster
In memory of my dog Maggie that was murdered by Priority 1 a Safeway brand of dog food.
March 24th, 2007 at 2:06 am
96743
jeffrey g. smith sinclair
let’s put a stop to this.
March 24th, 2007 at 2:35 am
93535 Sue Hudler
We trusted your “premium” pet food and you failed us miserably!
March 24th, 2007 at 3:04 am
93065
Dina Schweim
March 24th, 2007 at 3:05 am
Michele Ryba
89448
March 24th, 2007 at 3:06 am
24201 Stacey Gressner
March 24th, 2007 at 3:19 am
Linda Grimm
33890
Menu foods should be responsible for vet bills due to thier negligence in testing for contaminants in their products.
More than just 16 animals are involved here but it is not being reported.
March 24th, 2007 at 4:08 am
Julie Ricks
March 24th, 2007 at 4:08 am
Julie Ricks 95954
March 24th, 2007 at 4:52 am
Paula Wallace - 76120
I rescued 10 felines last year. Five of them died at Christmas and I was extensively questioned about poisonous items in my house when I rushed the first one to the emergecy hospital. How do I prove this “killing house” is responsible? No wonder they did nothing for 3 months and I think it was going on before that. Now they say if you can prove it. They are just trying to cut their losses. DAMNIT, I’d like to have cut my losses. I’d like to have my babies back. To make matters worse these murderers tested the food on cats and dogs. They finally admitted it when 7 died. THEY DO NOT NEED TO BE IN THE PET BUSINESS OF ANY KIND.
March 24th, 2007 at 7:26 am
Maureen Vanderbosch 92677
Although my cats were not given food on the recall list, every time I open a can of cat food I worry about the safety its contents. It is especially distressing to discover that many “super premium” pet foods are made by this manufacturer that has betrayed our trust. There should be regulations that the ingredients list and nutrition analysis be readable: black text on white or light colored background. The current 3 oz. Iams label lists its ingredients in tiny black text on very dark violet background — impossible to read even in bright lighting. What are they trying to hide?
March 24th, 2007 at 8:40 am
49221 jane rupp
We lost our Persian Garfield Jan 2 to kidney failure. He had not been sick . He quit eating, became lethargic, etc. We were devastated….did not know of tainted food in Jan.. We bought an new Persian kitty in Feb and began feeding him the leftover pouches and cans we had from Garfy. Now we are treating the kitty for kidney problems!!!! We threw away old opened packages (as we do other garbage) and we returned the unopened packages so they would not accidentally be fed…..we do have vet records and we do intend to try to be reimbursed for the vet costs…..Now we are afraid to buy pet food as who can we trust? I think the companies knew well before the products were recalled….they need to pay for the sick pet’s vet bills….WHY can’t these companies use wheat from American farmers who both need the business and are required follow American standards?
March 24th, 2007 at 8:44 am
60185 - Tami L. Wilson
I have 3-cats who have been eating Fine Feline for months. They have fallen ill and were, recently, diagnosed with kidney failure. I am giving them IVs every other day and antibiotics every day. We’re praying that they can recover from this. I want Menu Foods held accountable. How can they continue to make money off of us while our pets are being poisoned??!!!!
March 24th, 2007 at 8:45 am
07712
Angel DePoalo
March 24th, 2007 at 9:04 am
32547
Sarah Hodson
March 24th, 2007 at 10:04 am
53580
Jan Day
Although I’m very fortunate that the foods I feed are not affected, I am HORRIFIED that this has happened and something must be done.
March 24th, 2007 at 10:12 am
08527
Howard Kleinman
March 24th, 2007 at 10:57 am
Donna Schmidt
44126
March 24th, 2007 at 10:59 am
Two of my cats ate the contaminated food. I still have 3 of the 24 cans I bought. My Tulip flower died 3/17/07. Now my other baby is still at the hospital since 3/19/07. Prognosis uncertain.
Menu Foods knew long before I bought the batch of food that did this. If they released the press release back when then found out, it would have saved my babies.
March 24th, 2007 at 11:29 am
Marilyn Brennan
marilyn_brennan@msn.com
March 24th, 2007 at 11:30 am
44072
Marilyn Brennan
March 24th, 2007 at 11:30 am
Pam Farnsworth
Larry Farnsworth
44011
March 24th, 2007 at 11:30 am
44072 Marilyn Brennan