Rat Poison Found In Tainted Pet Food

Aminopterin Used To Kill Rats In Some Countries But Not In U.S.; Unclear How It Got In Food

(CBS/AP)  Rat poison has been found in pet food blamed for the deaths of at least 16 cats and dogs, a spokeswoman for the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets said Friday.

The toxin was identified as aminopterin, state Agriculture Commissioner Patrick Hooker said in a statement. Aminopterin is used to kill rats in some countries, but it's not registered for that use in the United States, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

The officials did not say how they believe it got into the pet food.

The substance was found at a level of at least 40 parts per million in tested cat food samples, according to Donald Smith, dean of Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine. Testing was done at the New York State Animal Health Diagnostic Center at Cornell and at the New York State Food Laboratory.

"Any amount of this product is too much in food," Hooker said.

The lab tested three cat food samples provided by Menu Foods, the manufacturer that produced all the recalled food. Aminopterin was found in two samples. The lab has not tested any dog food.

Hooker said the lab would be testing individual components of the pet food.

Aminopterin, also used as a cancer drug, is highly toxic in high doses. It inhibits the growth of malignant cells and suppresses the immune system.

Aminopterin is an exotic toxin that has veterinarians like Roland Tripp as nervous as they are baffled, reports CBS News correspondent Sharyl Alfonsi.

"I think pet owners are scared and they should be, because we've got this new problem that no one really understands," Tripp said.

The Food and Drug Administration has said the investigation was focusing on wheat gluten in the food. Wheat gluten itself would not cause kidney failure, but the common ingredient could have been contaminated by heavy metals or mold toxins, the FDA said.

State and FBI officials said they knew of no criminal investigations in the case.

The pet deaths led to a recall of 60 million cans and pouches of pet food produced by Menu Foods and sold throughout North America under 95 brand names. There have been several reports of kidney failure in pets that ate the recalled brands, and the company has confirmed the deaths of 15 cats and one dog.

Menu Foods last week recalled "cuts and gravy" style dog and cat food. The recall sparked concern among pet owners across North America. It includes food sold under store brands carried by Wal-Mart, Kroger, Safeway and other large retailers, as well as private labels such as Iams, Nutro and Eukanuba.

A complete list of the recalled products along with product codes, descriptions and production dates was available from the Menu Foods Web site.

The recall has led to at least three lawsuits against Menu Foods from pet owners who allege their animals got sick or died after eating recalled food.

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Click here more information on the recall from the FDA.

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Mourning turned to outrage after owners learned that Menu Foods waited nearly a month before notifying the public, reports CBS News The Early Show veterinarian Dr. Debbye Turner. This means that unsuspecting owners were poisoning their pets.

"To find out they knew about this weeks ago, and that the cats they tested died!" former cat owner Dawn Marjerczyk told CBS. Marjerczyk's cat died after eating some of the tainted cat food. "Why wasn't it pulled off then? Why do so many people have to suffer right now?"

The company's chief executive and president said Menu Foods delayed announcing the recall until it could confirm that the animals had eaten its product before dying. Two earlier complaints from consumers whose cats had died involved animals that lived outside or had access to a garage, which left open the possibility they had been poisoned by something other than contaminated food, he said.

Menu Foods also makes foods for zoo cats, but those products are unaffected by the recall.

A spokesman for New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo said he was not aware of any criminal investigation involving the tainted food. FBI spokesman Paul Holstein in Albany said Friday he was not aware of any FBI involvement in the case.

"I don't know where we'll go from here," he said.

[random_radar]

"They're killing animals because of somebody's mistake," Tracy said. "They should be held accountable for that."

Yeah, you're right. Would a million dollars make you feel better? Or are you hoping for more?

But, wait, didn't you say MISTAKE? Last time I checked, we punish people for intentional hurt, not mistakes.

[rwilson24-2009]

I hate candians they killed my cat sunny who was the bestest cat in the worlds. I wish I could have him back. My mommy says Ill see him in heaven.

[dallasmsl]

Rat Poison? Most likely, the gluten supplier had cleaned their processing centers and someone cleaned the machines with rat poison. After the machines began processing again, the rat poison became mixed and then sent to Menu Foods.

I believe it is or should be a crime for Menu Foods to have tested the food, found it to be poisonous, and then still waited to sound the alarm.

Imagine if General Foods had been so calous in their cereal production. They would have stopped sales and demanded a recall immediately. What Menu Foods has done to Americans is criminal.

[iceman_1960]

"A spokeswoman for the New York State Department of Agriculture says rat poison was found in tainted pet food that killed several animals and sparked a nationwide recall."

Really sick.

I'd bet some disgruntled former employee of Menu Foods was behind this act of cruelty.

[kpokey]

One month of knowing something is wrong and not pulling the food immediately is 1 month of intentionally hurting potentially millions of animals.

They need to pay for that "mistake".

[chicnlittle]

It's George Bush's fault.

[mitch0927]

InMyOpinion,

Only a creep like you would spark a comment like that. People like you thrive on someone's missfortunes.

[gerrri-2009]

I'm so sorry for all the pets and their owners. I hope you are able to find peace.

[gerrri-2009]

I'm so sorry for all the pets and their owners. I hope you are able to find peace.

[ctrumb]

Wheat from CHINA tainted with Rat Poison.

[chicnlittle]

InMyOpinion,

Only a creep like you would spark a comment like that. People like you thrive on someone's missfortunes.

Oh I'm quite serious. It's the perfect story to pull attention away from the prosecutor firings. Just ask the the libs.

[luigi999-2009]

You're sick, random_radar. Menu Foods was killing cats in tests for weeks yet failed to order a recall immediately. That is NO accident! That is NO mistake! Menu Foods should be hung out to dry for this.

[mitch0927]

Chicnlittle
Another creep......

[chicnlittle]

Chicnlittle
Another creep......
Posted by mitch0927 at 12:18 PM : Mar 23, 2007

Thanks Mitch, I apologize. I do wonder if Haliburton was involved though.

[mitch0927]

Chicnlittle,

Not sure if it%u2019s because of the news being there 24/7, but the past couple of years after 9/11...there sure has been a lot of food recalls and sicknesses. I am not the type of person who jokes around about serious things like this, but think about it. I believe that it could be a conspiracy, but hard to prove.

[hambonehd]

"Why do so many people have to suffer right now?"
WHAT?? You got to be kidding me. What a bunch of idiots and some of you.
There are a lot of things with much, much need of attention. What about the elderly suffering because of insufficent medical care, or homeless, or people everywhere who suffer more than you could ever dream.!
And this will bring lawsuits and whinning all over. One more thing, how many you think die everyday in large city, like NYC, from eating the *** people throw out. Probably the whinning ones here!

[iceman_1960]

If this WAS deliberate (and how does rat poison get into pet food by accident?) then they had better catch the person(s) responsible in a hurry.

There is a clear, documented connection between acts like this against animals, and an escalation to attacks on human beings.

The cruelties practiced on animals by the young Jeffrey Dahmer and by Richard Allen Davis (the murderer of Polly Klaas) are not mere anecdotal evidence.

Cruelty to animals is evil in itself, but it can be one really sick step from putty rat poison in pet food, to putting cyanide in bottles of Tylenol.

Any prison psychologist can confirm that.

[chicnlittle]

Not sure if it%u2019s because of the news being there 24/7, but the past couple of years after 9/11...there sure has been a lot of food recalls and sicknesses. I am not the type of person who jokes around about serious things like this, but think about it. I believe that it could be a conspiracy, but hard to prove.

Posted by mitch0927 at 12:24 PM : Mar 23, 2007

I think your'e right Mitch. Funny how nothing has happened to Cheney's cat or Bush's dog.

[iceman_1960]

"...putty rat poison in pet food..."

My keyboard is putty today.

"Putting", not "putty".

[mitch0927]

Chicnlittle,

Because their food is probably cooked and prepared....after the "taste testers" are done.

[rohink-2009]

Parents that would put their child holding a picture of his cat looking as pitiful as possible out there for all the world to see to play on their sympathy are idiots. Period. I would hate to see these self-centered opportunists get a penny. Sick!

[mitch0927]

But seriously, I have three dogs and a cat, and would be devastated if I were to los any of them due to negligence. My prayers are with the families that lost their pets because of this.

[chicnlittle]

But seriously, I have three dogs and a cat, and would be devastated if I were to los any of them due to negligence. My prayers are with the families that lost their pets because of this.
Posted by mitch0927 at 12:34 PM : Mar 23, 2007

Of course they are. Mine are too.

[kpokey]

I got a chuckle out of the person who wrote something like, "Bush did it."

Then I thought more and more about it and my conspiracy theory thoughts began to blossom...look at all the media attention this has taken away from all the Bush scandals...

No...I must not become a conspiracy theorist!!!! Ha! But seriously, it wouldn't surprise me a bit if it was all done to take attention away from all of the Bush scandals.

[iceman_1960]

"What a bunch of idiots and some of you. There are a lot of things with much, much need of attention."

Multi-tasking.

That's the concept.

Be concerned about more than one thing at a time.

Because I contribute what I can to lessen the sufferings you mention, that doesn't mean I can't be concerned about this as well.

Besides, as I previously stated, there's a connection. Creeps who do this to animals will often escalate to attacks on human beings if they aren't stopped.

[mitch0927]

rohink,
How do you know these people are like that? The kid isn't even looking at the camera. You're an idiot for labeling someone you don't even know.

[jvman4u]

Something to consider, did some of that posion get into the foods, during preparation? as in they were getting their RAW product from a supplier that used any and all dead animal meats, including the rats that would naturaly be in, around, a facility that housed andprocessed the, entire CHAIN of custody, where the products started, and what / who did what to make it a product that goes to the consumer... somewhere along the line, someone could have used the sweeping around the area of prep, that could have included the carcasses of, and excretions of the rats they posioned themselves, to prevent them from eating their bottom line... sad for the owners, after checking the list, I'm glad none of the products I use for my 3 year old Blus Dobie, were on that list... were going to find out that they have been negligent afout the hygiene and safety around their processing plants. I hope it wasn't intentional, so much as it was shoddy work. But then it could've been, underpaid or disgruntled employees- it's too big to just be an isolated mistake...

[chicnlittle]

No...I must not become a conspiracy theorist!!!! Ha! But seriously, it wouldn't surprise me a bit if it was all done to take attention away from all of the Bush scandals.
Posted by kpokey at 12:35 PM : Mar 23, 2007

Haliburton had an office in the 90's exactly 476 miles from the Menu Foods plant. If you divide that by dog years (7), you get 68. I think Cheney is 68 years old.

[len2007-2009]

hambonehd, why don't you go soak your head? Those of us with pets consider this to be a serious issue. The fact that you don't makes your opinion irrelevant. You want to bring up the elderly, go tell some lonely senior citizen that just lost their furry companion to this mess that there are more important things in the world to worry about. Dumb ***.

[rohink-2009]

rohink,
How do you know these people are like that? The kid isn't even looking at the camera. You're an idiot for labeling someone you don't even know.
Posted by mitch0927

Was the child just sitting at home holding up a picture and staring off into space when the news media just happened to come by? I stand by what I said.

[mitch0927]

rohink,
Only because you're an idiot

[ekucrew]

Len2007....get used to the weird posters...Yahoo dumped it's news story message board and booted the trolls months ago....I think some of them landed on CBS.com

The freaky ones LIVE to make insensitive comments.

[davie3467]

rwilson24... learn to spell and get a map, you tool!

This has gone from just bad food to someone in one of the plants putting something in the food... Someone has set out to poison our pets...

The sad part is that no one will end up seeing a dime... as pets are classed property and not family... so by the time you get paid out the cost of your pet and maybe the vet bills back... then pay the lawyer... it will in the end cost them more... it really is not fair... then prove it... if you don't have lab results and proof that you fed your pet that food... and that specific food was bad.. which means you will ahve to pay for the lab testing... you are pretty much screwed from the start... and if you can't prove it and take them to court.. they can come back after you... crappy and not fair but true...

so in the end the best to hope for is that they find the person responsible...

[iceman_1960]

"Was the child just sitting at home holding up a picture and staring off into space when the news media just happened to come by? I stand by what I said." Posted by rohink

Impossible to judge from one still photo.

(You'd never know what an incredibly handsome, Paul Newman-esque man I am, from my drivers license photo)

There are videos of the press conference that should be referred to, if one really wants to know.

[chicnlittle]

rohink,

Everyone here loves cats, including me. Especially with a light, wine sauce. They taste not unlike chicken. They are the other white meat you know.

[scott4261]

Oh, my God! I'm sickened by this.

[chicnlittle]

Why don't you come to Pittsburgh sometime? Seriously, I would love to hear you say that in person you piece of trash!
Posted by MarkS7177 at 12:53 PM : Mar 23, 200

Do they have lots of cats there?

[rohink-2009]

rohink,
Only because you're an idiot.

How old are you?

[iceman_1960]

"Len2007....get used to the weird posters...Yahoo dumped it's news story message board and booted the trolls months ago....I think some of them landed on CBS.com. The freaky ones LIVE to make insensitive comments." Posted by ekucrew

True.

They should require verifiable credit card information (not a fee, just the information) to post on these forums. I've been saying that for years.

(Anyone who can afford access to a computer will have a credit card)

That would lift the veil of anonymity a little.

It is anonymity on the Internet that emboldens cowardly trolls, who say things before masses of people that they'd be afraid to whisper too loudly in Starbucks, for fear of a confrontation.

[chicnlittle]

It is anonymity on the Internet that emboldens cowardly trolls, who say things before masses of people that they'd be afraid to whisper too loudly in Starbucks, for fear of a confrontation.
Posted by Iceman_1960 at 01:00 PM : Mar 23, 2007

Fear of a confrontation in Starbucks? Now that's funny!

[parablow]

Why not focus anger on change! There is a movement in the pet world, where a certain class of foods, Safe-Alternative Foods, are distinguishing themselves from commercial feed. Manufacturers that provide certification that their ingredients are USDA - Naturs Variety, Fromm, Natural Balance, Breeder%u2019s Choice, Wellness, Old Mother Hubbard and Wysong to name a few. Home prepare meals or buy only Safe Alternative Foods. Commercial feed based pet food will never be safe. The industry is too far gone for repair. AAFCO advisors, their industry and FDA constituents must have their regulatory authority over pet food removed so existing USDA standards for consumers can apply, as our "children" are not feed-lot slaughter bound products for sale. How can their proclaimed concern for our pets safety be true if the FDA openly allows, and even requires contamination. See "Diversion of Unfit Food for Animal Use" in FDA/CVM program, policy and procedure pdf and AAFCO allows no public say in policy. The level of this corruption is shocking and cannot be fathomed until you see and smell for yourself what they are turning into pet food and putting in stores. There are documented incidents where FDA and feed officials have worked together to suppress the availability of Safe-Alternative Pet Foods and supplements even, in the direct defiance of five Supreme Court Rulings concerning health claim labeling restrictions. We don%u2019t need to hate them or sue them, but we can stop them.

[bildooreilly]

You know more than 16 pets have died, they must only count the ones that have had full blown autopsies or something, you can bet they're basing that number off of some BS...

[chicnlittle]

As I said, show up in Pittsburgh you pansy!
Posted by MarkS7177 at 01:14 PM : Mar 23, 2007

Sorry Mark, but I don't date guys. Especially with cats.

[ajaxrose1]

This makes me so mad I can't see straight! My beautiful cat will only eat dry food and thank God she does! I'm an indulgent "pet parent" and what "baby" wants, "baby" gets. If the cuts in gravy was what she preferred (thank God she turned her nose up at it a long time ago) then that's what I would have made sure she had. I'm not a person who believes in suing over the goofy things that a lot of people take to court, but this isn't goofy. It's unconsionable! These morons KNEW what was happening! Leave the stores out of it (they didn't know either) but take that manufacturer to the stinking cleaners!

[bildooreilly]

You whiners whine about what everyone else is posting instead of making your point, who cares what Chicnlittle, thinks, you're doing what is called "feeding the trolls" Chicnlittle loves the attention, it doesn't matter if you love them or hate them real trolls just love the attention, now Chicnlittle has almost succeeded in taking over the subject of every post on this board..... Congratulations Chicnlittle for your superior trolling skills.... Yahoo message boards were a lot better than these too BTW even with the lame trolls like chicnlittle. There was too much truth getting out on them so they shut them down.

[ctrumb]

Since the post on possible rat poison being used on the wheat from China, not one of these comments makes any sense. IF it is true, China is using a rodentcide in wheat fields that is banned elsewhere for good reason. Possibly we, the USA, are being lied to from China about what they use in their fields. Possibly whomever is importing this stuff is clueless. Other countries who don't see certain animals as pets like we do could care less and may be just selling their exports for the $$. They might even be getting a kick out of pet lovers suffering. If you don't think that is true, then you must live under a rock. The inane and mean and uneducated comments posted just show the caliber of people we have to live with. God help us.

[Rockland28]

Has anyone any information on a class action suit in Maine regarding this petfood fiasco????

[chicnlittle]

bildooreilly

Youv'e succeeded in hurting my feelings. I will leave the thread now.

[dallasmsl]

ctrumb, I think you've hit the nail on the head. IF the rat poison came from China, the US should ban all wheat from china PERIOD.

[cosmicfluke]

a rush to judgement here:
I wonder whether a low paid employee, who didn't care about their job because their employers didn't care enough about them to pay them anything more than the bare minimum allowed by law, which says "if I could pay you less, I would.", was responsible for this tragedy?