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
May 12th, 2007 at 4:47 pm
94546
Robin Texeira
May 12th, 2007 at 5:00 pm
Vicki Hawks 32205
May 12th, 2007 at 7:20 pm
13090, Michelle Metzger
This is completely unacceptable and needs to be dealt with, yesterday!!! I don’t want to have to worry every time I need to buy my dog food that he is going to get very ill and possibly die. My heart goes out to all of those who are dealing with this issue.
May 12th, 2007 at 7:20 pm
13090, Michelle Metzger
This is completely unacceptable and needs to be dealt with, yesterday!!! I don’t want to have to worry every time I need to buy my dog food that he is going to get very ill and possibly die. My heart goes out to all of those who are dealing with this issue.
May 12th, 2007 at 7:49 pm
As I sit looking into my precious babies’ eyes, I am thankful that I did not put my trust into any of the companies without the best interests of my fur-children as their top priority. My thoughts are with all of the families that have suffered due to the negligence of the pet food industry.
Kaye Wickman
May 12th, 2007 at 9:02 pm
terrible, just terrible, totally irresponsible that this happen. This problem must be solved immediately, and never happen again. I have found out so much about animal feed which is great, I now know what not to feed my 3 dogs and 2 cats. I feel very strongly that the medical bills should be paid by the responsible parties.
May 12th, 2007 at 10:00 pm
I love my dog and the thought of him dieing due to a dog food is
rediculous and I can’t quite wrap my brain around the idea.
Kim Calabrese 14214
May 12th, 2007 at 11:01 pm
FDA…………….You are a Failure, Demonstration in America.Americans citizens,have you not seen the lack of security of this nation ? Corporate greed,…………..is self serving and wrong ! Lives have been taken,and all we are given is slick talk and lies. Pet parents and their fur kids have suffered and died.All this suffering and pain for profit ? Any one ready to demand a change ? This should have NEVER happen in America. Profit is “normal” for business,but deception with a death tag, based on greed ? Hanging,……………………..is way too good for these killers of innocent souls. I will be the first to volunteer to “spoon “feed” the food they made for pets to the guilty parties. Personal boycott on any chinese imported items.
May 12th, 2007 at 11:03 pm
Donna Adney 35051
May 13th, 2007 at 2:42 am
94530 Melanie Bryson
Require:
manufacturer disclosure, all co-packing parties included;
full ingredient disclosure;
proof of where ingredients come from;
country of origin labeling;
nutritional statement modeled after human nutritional label;
laws that apply to by-products for human consumption apply to pet food;
laws that prohibit misleading, ambiguous statements such as “sourced in the US”, “human-grade”, “all natural”;
creation of an animal agency equivalent to CDC for humans (FDA is clearly not up to this job, nor should it be expected to fill that void);
accurate public reporting of adverse effects related to pet food;
separation of FDA from Pet Food Industry & Vets.
re: present situation — Pull ALL PET FOOD OFF THE SHELF. START OVER. Discontinue manufacturing for a period of time sufficient to clean ALL equipment and insure the following: BAN ALL REFINED FOODS FROM CHINA. If pet food manufacturers continue to use grains in pet food, require strict proof that they are GROWN in the US, facilities and ingredients inspected and tested regularly.
May 13th, 2007 at 4:40 am
34203 CL unsworth
May 13th, 2007 at 9:29 am
I would like to know what the FDA has done during this crisis. Have they been reactive or proactive? Example have they ever tested a sampling of all pet products available to ensure their safety or did they snap in to action once many pets died reportedly eating a certain food?
Require information about the production to be printed on the product!
Require information stated if the product been self tested.
Require standard termenology so claims mean something.
Ensure accountability!
Betty Fiora 06019
May 13th, 2007 at 2:01 pm
Shannyn Schindler 76109
May 13th, 2007 at 8:31 pm
19446
Gina Fusca
May 13th, 2007 at 10:10 pm
48192
Michelle Kornblum
May 13th, 2007 at 11:50 pm
95822 Wanda Christensen
May 13th, 2007 at 11:50 pm
Carl Wicks
73507
May 13th, 2007 at 11:51 pm
95822 Wanda Christensen
May 14th, 2007 at 2:27 am
I’d say in the future ban all proudts made any where but in the USA and there should still be strict guidelines put in place for checking the food.
Companies should be held liable if their proudcts cause Pets to get sick.
Right now I’m afraid to even feed my dogs dog food.
May 14th, 2007 at 2:31 am
42431 Betty Rhye
May 14th, 2007 at 8:27 am
02368
Karen Wassman
May 14th, 2007 at 9:48 am
Carrie Romanchek 80501
May 14th, 2007 at 9:58 am
Carol Nunley 73068
May 14th, 2007 at 10:13 am
29205
Dell Sawyer
May 14th, 2007 at 10:42 am
christina guida, 48906
May 14th, 2007 at 11:31 am
Menu foods and the FDA should be held accountable. This was a toxin that caused many deaths of family members. Research your pet food and ingredients. Many people don’t realize what is in their animals food, but if you educate yourself you only make you and your animals life better! No one should get away with feeding anything to anyone like that!
May 14th, 2007 at 12:02 pm
18109
Mrs. Kathryn A. Killo
I want to see justice done for all the pet owners who are
suffering the needless, inhumane loss of a pet. My own
cat “Blackie” has been sick since January 15, 2007 we have had him back and forth to the vet several times for tests and antibiotics. They still are not sure what it is! My whole family is truly upset by this he was a perfectly healthy pet
hardly ever sick, until January started with loss of appetitie, frequent urination, loss of weight. What is going on? If it is from the food recall this nightmare needs to stop and we need to hold the manufacturers accountable. I am 100%
for this petition! We need to continue this effort until our concerns are answered and someone pays! I never want to see this happen again! My thoughts and prayers go out to all the pet owners who have lost a beloved pet due to this unthinkable act! And for those of you who have pets that are suffering my heartfelt prayers are with you! I know first hand how horrible this nightmare can be. To love them so much and not be able to help them. Please, remember to keep all our dogs and cats in our prayers especially pray to St. Francis of Assisi , patron saint of animals for help!
May 14th, 2007 at 1:44 pm
13210 Jude Lewis
May 14th, 2007 at 1:45 pm
Sandra Dickinson
23602
May 14th, 2007 at 3:04 pm
Shirley Flagg
Maryland 20657
May 14th, 2007 at 3:04 pm
92802
Ruthie Wickwar
Ruthie49er@aol.com
May 14th, 2007 at 3:13 pm
60614
Stephanie Bailey
May 14th, 2007 at 5:11 pm
45764 Joan Frost
Someone needs to be held accountable for all these recalls!! To many beloved pets have passed away or become very ill due to this horrible tragedy.
May 14th, 2007 at 7:43 pm
01108
Linda Mendel
May 14th, 2007 at 10:37 pm
14075 Cathy SHelley
May 14th, 2007 at 11:12 pm
08816 Dolores Takla
May 15th, 2007 at 3:53 am
Robin Kruger
May 15th, 2007 at 3:53 am
Robin Kruger 92706
May 15th, 2007 at 5:35 am
94590 Valerie Korade
May 15th, 2007 at 6:44 am
77023
Charles Roeseler
May 15th, 2007 at 8:33 am
30022
Pat Pierce
May 15th, 2007 at 9:05 am
Nancy Plunkett
17223
May 15th, 2007 at 12:14 pm
Joellyn Lalko
54304
May 15th, 2007 at 12:51 pm
90210
Marie
Moneysmith
May 15th, 2007 at 2:47 pm
21701 Judith Hoagland
May 15th, 2007 at 3:06 pm
55066 Kathy Pederson I lost my Kitty I adotped in October to this.. 9 days of hell trying to save her. We put her to sleep the Monday after Easter. Im so damn angry!
May 15th, 2007 at 3:40 pm
Phyllis R. Shamoon, 92020
In memory of Purr-Purr, my friend and healing cat, 1991 to July 16, 2006. She ate Trader Joe’s wet made by Menu Foods, Natural Balance Weight Loss and other eventually re-called foods including Safeway’s canned etc. Purr-Purr did not deserve to be tortured in this way while I stood by nearly helpless because of financial constraints watching her waste away to gauntness, throwing up and incontinent.
May 15th, 2007 at 3:45 pm
06069
Susan Ammon
May 15th, 2007 at 7:00 pm
Debra Goldsborough
48063
May 15th, 2007 at 10:12 pm
RANDY DOUGLAS - 11104-2243
MENU FOODS AND ALL ASSOCIATED COMPANIES MUST BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THE INGREDIENTS THEY PUT INTO THEIR FOOD & THEIR SOURCES. “FOODS PETS DIE FOR”, SPELLS IT OUT. THEY ONLY CARE ABOUT THE BOTTOM LINE. THEY ARE SELF-REGULATED. CONSUMERS MUST DEMAND THIS INDUSTRY BE FEDERALLY REGULATED TO HIGH, IF NOT HUMAN GRADE STANDARDS. THEY SHOULD MAKE FINANCIAL RESTITUTION FOR ALL PET LOSSES/EXPENDITURES. BOYCOTT THEM & WATCH HEAVEN & EARTH MOVE. BETTER YET, START COOKING FOR YOUR PETS.