# Canidae and Nutro lawsuit



## PeanutsMommy (Dec 7, 2008)

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2 ... ls106.html

i am glad to hear about nutro. i fed Peanut nutro last year from may to july and he was always getting sick and never wanted to eat i though it was just puppy stuff since i never has my own puppy...turns out no it was the dang food. i got him off it and no more problems


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## Postal (Jan 23, 2009)

I'm getting a page not found..?


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## PeanutsMommy (Dec 7, 2008)

its on ConsumerAffairs.com: Knowledge is Power! Consumer news, reviews, complaints, resources, safety recalls maybe in the search box do canidae nutro lawsuit. my link came from my email. sorry my link didnt work


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## PeanutsMommy (Dec 7, 2008)

here is the story...

Lawsuits On the Trail of Nutro, Canidae Pet Foods
Pet owners' complaints of death, illness headed for court 







By Jon Hood
ConsumerAffairs.com

February 12, 2009 
News
• Lawsuits On the Trail of Nutro, Canidae Pet Foods
• FDA Halts Illegally Medicated Animal Feed
• Pet Owners Warned about Chicken Jerky Products
• Mars Extends Pet Food Recall; More Salmonella Found
• Mars Recalls Cat Food Sold at Wal-Mart due to Salmonella
• Hartz Recalls Rawhide Chips After Possible Salmonella Contamination
• Pet Owners Eligible For $24 Million in Landmark Melamine Settlement
• Internet Rumor Claims Cocoa Mulch Causes Dog Deaths
• Mars Recalls More Pet Food; Possible Salmonella Contamination
• Mars Petcare Recalls Some Pedigree Dog Food
• Expert Finds Unexplained Pet Deaths 'Not Consistent'
• Illness, Death Dog Nutro Pet Food
• Feds Raid PETCO Warehouse in Illinois
• Pet Owners Not Thrilled with Poison Food Settlement
• CDC Links 2006 Salmonella Outbreak to Dog Food
• FDA Orders Illinois Pet Food Maker to Clean Up Its Act
• String of Illnesses Afflicts NUTRO-Fed Pets
---
• More about Pet Food Recalls ... 

Two separate law firms are gathering information for potential class action lawsuits against Canidae and Nutro, the pet food manufacturers whose products are alleged to have caused widespread pet illness. 

Progressive Law Group, LLC, is currently gathering information from pet owners who say their dogs became sick as a result of eating Canidae products, or who have information that would be useful to the suit. 

According to its website, the firm focuses mainly on environmental, energy, and consumer affairs issues. More information about the Canidae suit can be found online. 

Meanwhile, the Alabama firm of McCallum, Hoaglund, Cook, and Irby is gathering information for a potential class action lawsuit against Menu Foods, the company that manufactures Nutro.

In spite of widespread complaints of pet illness, Canidae has yet to issue a voluntary recall of its foods. Last year, the company issued a statement explaining that it had changed the food’s formulation and that pets needed to be transitioned gradually from the old to the new formula. 

Specifically, the company cited the new food’s “increased levels of meat protein” and the “increased overall complex carbohydrate quality.”

However, angry consumers said Canidae was at best inconsistent in warning pet owners beforehand of the need for the gradual formula transition. Many claimed that neither the food nor the shelves on which it was stocked provided any warning that the formula had changed. 

Some consumers have speculated that the new formula, which contains carbohydrates such as corn and barley, came as a shock to their dogs’ systems, which had become accustomed to the old formula’s more rice-centered composition. In September 2007, a lab report allegedly showed that a Canidae sample contained the painkiller acetaminophen, a charge which Canidae vehemently denied.

Nutro suit
Menu Foods, which makes Nutro, was forced to issue a series of recalls in 2007, after scores of dogs became sick, some experiencing kidney failure. At least 10 deaths were reported. The Pet Food Products Safety Alliance (“PFPSA”) tested a batch of Nutro pet food in August 2008, and found alarming levels of copper and zinc.

Indeed, PFPSA noted that the copper levels were two to three times higher than recommended by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (“AAFCO”).

A multi-district class action lawsuit against Menu Foods recently settled for $24 million. The suit was brought on behalf of certain U.S. and Canadian residents who purchased recalled pet food after March 16, 2007.

Under the settlement, all class members are eligible to collect up to 100% of economic damages they suffered, as long as they can provide documentation. An explanation of the settlement and relevant court documents can be found at PetFoodSettlement.com - Home. It is unclear whether or how this settlement will affect the suit brought by the McCallum firm.


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## wags (Jan 31, 2009)

I have seen tons of bad reports about Canidae a food I use to feed my dogs until I heard they were processing in Diamond plants! Stopped feeding this quick. I had not heard of Nutro though. Funny in December there was a Nutro Rep in the pet store I was at and she gave me the whole speel about her rescues being on this brand for 9 years and she has never had a problem. I was so gullible I actually bought two differnt kinds of this brand. Well I went on the computer that evening and low and behold read so many complaints, my hubby was not happy having too return the two bags of food we had just bought the day before. I certainly did though learn a valuable lesson. No matter what the reps tell you ~you have to do your own investigate ~ about these foods yourself and find out what is good and what is bad before purchasing! I though am glad even though it was a back breaking lesson (gee for the hubby not me) that I learned to trust more people that I talk with and read on sights such as these!:smile:
Class action lawsuit against Canidae - Dogs - City-Data Forum
Consumer complaints about CANIDAE Pet Foods
Switched from Canidae to Nutro Holistic - Need new recommendation - Boxer Board
WOW! Found this about massive complaints on Canidae! - Food & Nutrition Forum
Petfinder.com forums :: View topic - Canidae - formula change, caution [ ]

these are just a sample just a few of the compalints whew!


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## Lovemymunchkins (Feb 3, 2009)

Very interesting...back when I fed my dogs kibble, I always felt like Canidae was a decent kibble, unlike Nutro, whom I've always had bad feelings about.
Up until just recently, I did not realize Canidae was processed in Diamond plants....I wonder if this includes even their newest grain free formulas as I know some companies manufacture different types of their foods in different places...


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## PeanutsMommy (Dec 7, 2008)

good point i wonder if taste of the wild is involved or eventually envolved.

i wish i would have known better and never fed nutro


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## mederic24 (Nov 18, 2008)

All of Canidae's products are now manufactured by Diamond.


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## PeanutsMommy (Dec 7, 2008)

this is nutros response to all the consumer complaints.

Nutro™ Quality Facts


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## Lovemymunchkins (Feb 3, 2009)

PeanutsMommy said:


> good point i wonder if taste of the wild is involved or eventually envolved.
> 
> i wish i would have known better and never fed nutro


Yes, I will have to see if I can find my whole dog journal magazine from this last month, it had a bunch of different foods that were processed in Diamond plants and said which foods were processed in which Diamond plant. I wonder if all the foods processed in the Diamond plant that processes Canidae's foods (I think it's the one in Chapin, SC) are going to eventually be recalled....

The first kibble I ever had my first yorkie on was Nutro. I didn't know much about dog nutrition at the time and went into a dog food store and a sales rep got me and was telling me what a GREAT food it was...I wonder if they make more commission on selling Nutro or something like that, seems like they are always really pushing to sell that food....


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## PeanutsMommy (Dec 7, 2008)

i cant say for sure but i bet the nutro reps make more because i always see them in the store 2 of them and they are always stoping people no matter what food they have and do their bit trying to get people to change...i cant wait til the day they try it on me ill tell them what i think of their company


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## Lovemymunchkins (Feb 3, 2009)

PeanutsMommy said:


> i cant say for sure but i bet the nutro reps make more because i always see them in the store 2 of them and they are always stoping people no matter what food they have and do their bit trying to get people to change...i cant wait til the day they try it on me ill tell them what i think of their company



I would imagine you are probably right...I've never had a Nutro rep talk to me since I've learned anything about dog nutrition but, that is probably because I no longer shop in stores that carry Nutro....
I imagine it would make for an interesting conversation if you were to talk to one of them...I wonder if they even have any clue about the food they are trying to sell or if they are just doing their "job"...know what I mean?


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## PeanutsMommy (Dec 7, 2008)

Oh I bet they have a script they memorize and talk off that. I would love to have one of the reps talk to me I have questions :biggrin: I wonder if they have a response. After Peanut finishes the training class he is currently in I will be done and will no longer really need to go to the regular pet store I get my food at the feed store (i still cant convince my husband to go raw) anyway I may need to have a conversation with that rep see what they really know about their food


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## rannmiller (Jun 27, 2008)

Most of them are just trying to do their job for having a job's sake, but some of them do really believe in it (or bury their heads in the sand so they feel better about it because they need the job). And some of them just don't know any better. 

They get paid a flat hourly rate (lower than all the other reps of other companies, too) no matter how many bags they sell, most of the time their "conversions" (as they call them) go unnoticed by the company unless they make less than 4 conversions per shift (4 hour shifts = 1 new customer per hour). So even if they get 20 new customers, the company won't say anything positive to them about it, so there isn't much point in trying to get more than 4 people over per shift. However, since they get secret shoppers all the time, they have to act like they're always super enthusiastic about it. 

If you have food (non-grocery store brand) in your cart and they approach you, ask to speak to a manager, because that is against their company's policy as well as the store's and they can get in big trouble for it. They shouldn't be pushy or abusive to customers.


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## TippysMom (Oct 3, 2008)

I actually had a Nutro rep approach me in PetCo a while back and tell me not to buy it because of the increased levels of copper & zinc in it!  She was nice - told me I was a good doggie mom. :biggrin:

Another time I had a Rachel Ray rep try to give me samples in the grocery & I when I said "no thanks", she was offended and asked why. When I explained "why" to her - she was more offended, and several people standing in the area chose to not take samples either. Tee hee.

I guess I have the invisible "talk to me" sign on when I go out!


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## PeanutsMommy (Dec 7, 2008)

i havent even seen rachael rays food anywhere yet. 

so nutro reps know about the copper and zinc levels and still push the "food" hmm i thought they were left in the dark on that. i know they are doing their job and jobs are hard to find but how could someone who loves animals have a job like that. if i worked for them i would be telling everyone not to buy it, i mean they dont get commission why not? i would start educating people on nutrition the right way


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## TippysMom (Oct 3, 2008)

PeanutsMommy said:


> i havent even seen rachael rays food anywhere yet.
> 
> so nutro reps know about the copper and zinc levels and still push the "food" hmm i thought they were left in the dark on that. i know they are doing their job and jobs are hard to find but how could someone who loves animals have a job like that. if i worked for them i would be telling everyone not to buy it, i mean they dont get commission why not? i would start educating people on nutrition the right way


I think the RR food is in the grocery - that's why we don't see it, we don't buy our food there! :smile:

I don't understand working for a company I don't believe in either - but jobs are hard to come by - I figure she just needed work.


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## PeanutsMommy (Dec 7, 2008)

i dunno i have been out of work almost a year :frown: no luck finding work BUT i still wouldnt work for a company promoting something I knew was junk and responsible for hurting animals. That is just me though. 

Hey I get my dogs treats at the grocery store...at the butcher section :biggrin: He loves his bones!


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## TippysMom (Oct 3, 2008)

PeanutsMommy said:


> i dunno i have been out of work almost a year :frown: no luck finding work BUT i still wouldnt work for a company promoting something I knew was junk and responsible for hurting animals. That is just me though.
> 
> Hey I get my dogs treats at the grocery store...at the butcher section :biggrin: He loves his bones!



Ahh! But you have higher standards! :smile: I'm going to get some treats for my dogs at the butcher counter next time I go too!


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## PeanutsMommy (Dec 7, 2008)

^^^^sounds like Mac is going to be a happy boy when you get home from the grocery store :biggrin:


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## rannmiller (Jun 27, 2008)

Actually Nutro tries to keep their reps in the dark as much as possible. It's kind of funny/sad actually. I had to inform them that Natural Choice had gone through ingredients changes, they didn't even know! They also didn't notice that their bag sizes had decreased while the prices increased. I don't know of any reps besides the one that approached TippysMom that knows anything about copper or zinc. For the most part they just spew what Nutro tells them to and don't bother to do any research beyond that.


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## PeanutsMommy (Dec 7, 2008)

honestly that is really sad. yet another reason i just dont see them as an ethical company.


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