# Orijen and recalls



## PUNKem733 (Jun 12, 2009)

I have no idea how we go around thinking Champion has never had a recall. On youtube someone mentioned these recalls...

1st recall 2003 - manufacturing petfood from a cow who was infected with BSE, ‘Mad Cow Disease’. Nibbles and bits of cats, dogs, and sick cows

2nd recall 2008 - large bone﻿ shards from salmon were found in Orijen dry pet food. Orijen Concern - Golden Retrievers : Golden Retriever Dog Forums

3rd recall 2008 - Irradiating﻿ pet food which killed over 30 cat & affected over 100 & blamed gov despite signing the documents to irradiate. We did go over this, even though it was put to bed too easily. Blaming the Government, when Champion signed off on irradiating the foods. 

4th recall 2011- SALMONELLA- affecting Acana Grasslands; Dog Food with Free-range; Lamb; Wild caught Fish - Walleye; Free run Duck and Whole Eggs. www.accessdata.fda.gov/cms_ia/importalert_217dot html Import Refusal Report 

I guess salmonella isn't a big deal since dogs can handle that.


----------



## Jacksons Mom (Jun 13, 2010)

That's pretty sad....

I guess it just goes to show you that no food is 100%. It always seems everyone, including myself, was all Champion-this, champion-that, but I am starting to jump off the bandwagon.


----------



## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

I don't think those were actually recalls. Except for the 4th one!


----------



## Ania's Mommy (Feb 8, 2009)

PUNKem733 said:


> 1st recall 2003 - manufacturing petfood from a cow who was infected with BSE, ‘Mad Cow Disease’. Nibbles and bits of cats, dogs, and sick cows


The cow in question was a cow that was rendered. According to the article you linked, "Champion used the rendered material in a dry dog food product it manufacturers for a U.S. distributor, Pet Pantry International, of Carson City, Nev. Champion also used the material in four of its own dog kibble products sold mainly in western Canada under the brand names Yukon Gold 30/20 Mushers Mix, Champs Choice Deluxe, Masterfeeds Sportsman and Brown Bag Dog Food."

Also according to the article, "Very few of Champion's premium brands, which are sold in Canada under the name Acana, would even contain rendered beef as an ingredient, said Peter Muhlenfeld, the company's spokesman. Since the BSE scare in Alberta, Champion has moved to eliminate rendered beef from all of its products, including the lower-priced product sold through grocery stores, he said."

This was one cow that got in. And contrary to what many people believe, I'm very willing to bet that a "mad" cow has gotten into the human food supply chain on more than one occasion with the general public none the wiser. From what I understand, it can take many many years to become symptomatic for MCD. So how would you know?

I'm not making excuses for this. I think my point is that the cow that was mad was not even used in Orijen or Acana, which are really the only Champion foods recommended here.



> 2nd recall 2008 - large bone﻿ shards from salmon were found in Orijen dry pet food. Orijen Concern - Golden Retrievers : Golden Retriever Dog Forums


Eh. Not a big deal, in my opinion. In fact, I kinda like that there is proof of real fishes being used.:becky: 

The bone shards were perfectly fine to feed. Mainly because they are from a fish and fish bones are the softest of all the bones. But also because DOGS WERE MEANT TO EAT BONES. I voluntarily feed Ania bones *gasp* 3 - 4 times per week!



> 3rd recall 2008 - Irradiating﻿ pet food which killed over 30 cat & affected over 100 & blamed gov despite signing the documents to irradiate. We did go over this, even though it was put to bed too easily. Blaming the Government, when Champion signed off on irradiating the foods.


I believe that irradiating stuff that is being imported is a common practice. I truly don't think that Champion did so with the idea that animals could become sick or die as a result. I mean, if you really think about it from a business perspective, why would Champion want to kill some of it's customers and alienate others?

The important thing here is that Champion acted quickly once they learned of the sick/dying pets and pulled their product from Australia shelves. And they no longer export food to Australia because the only way they can do so is by irradiating. So they loose the market because they won't compromise.



> 4th recall 2011- SALMONELLA- affecting Acana Grasslands; Dog Food with Free-range; Lamb; Wild caught Fish - Walleye; Free run Duck and Whole Eggs. www.accessdata.fda.gov/cms_ia/importalert_217dot html Import Refusal Report


Again, this isn't something that worries me in the least. Healthy dogs are perfectly able to eat food containing salmonella without catching salmonella. 

I still think that Champion is the best dog food company around. The issues listed above are minor, in my opinion. And Champion quickly resolved each one of them, which should count for something.


----------



## MollyWoppy (Mar 19, 2010)

Good post Richelle, (hmmm, its not true what they say about you!) :biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:


----------



## Ania's Mommy (Feb 8, 2009)

MollyWoppy said:


> Good post Richelle, (hmmm, its not true what they say about you!) :biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:


:shocked::tape2::heh::spit: Who's "they"? Me and "them" got some talkin' to do! :becky:


----------



## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

Ania's Mommy said:


> :shocked::tape2::heh::spit: Who's "they"? Me and "them" got some talkin' to do! :becky:


make sure you meet THEM with those two margaritas you've been slinging.


----------



## MollyWoppy (Mar 19, 2010)

:eyebrows:


Ania's Mommy said:


> :shocked::tape2::heh::spit: Who's "they"? Me and "them" got some talkin' to do! :becky:


Oh you know, re and that.....I stuck up for you. Honestly, I did! :eyebrows:


----------



## MollyWoppy (Mar 19, 2010)

Ania's Mommy said:


> :shocked::tape2::heh::spit: Who's "they"? Me and "them" got some talkin' to do! :becky:


Hee hee, pulling your, er, leg!! :laugh: Just my warped sense of humour!! :hug: 


But, I do agree whole heartily with your post. I don't think there's a better kibble out there than Orijen and even though its obviously had a few teething problems over the years, they really do seem to be on top of the problems and willing to learn from their mistakes.


----------



## RCTRIPLEFRESH5 (Feb 11, 2010)

PUNKem733 said:


> I have no idea how we go around thinking Champion has never had a recall. On youtube someone mentioned these recalls...
> 
> 1st recall 2003 - manufacturing petfood from a cow who was infected with BSE, ‘Mad Cow Disease’. Nibbles and bits of cats, dogs, and sick cows
> 
> ...


 *rolls eyes humming i told you so*


----------



## Serendipity (Aug 13, 2010)

RCTRIPLEFRESH5 said:


> *rolls eyes humming i told you so*


Nothing about Regional Red being under investigation . And it's still the best kibble on the market, IMO.


----------



## PDXdogmom (Jun 30, 2010)

Champion did NOT have a recall in 2011. What did happen: On Jan. 31st, 2011 the FDA tested a sample form Acana Grasslands prior to letting the shipment cross the border. The results said that it "appeared" to have salmonella; and an "import alert" was put on Acana Grassland. Additional samples were sent to an FDA approved 3rd party independent lab for further testing - which all came back negative. The FDA requires somewhere around a couple month's passing before an import alert is lifted.

So, while there was no true recall of Acana Grasslands, I did not appreciate that Champion was not forthcoming about the matter, even when questioned, until about 4 months later. You can find their official response to the matter imbedded about half way down the page of Frequently Asked Questions on their web site.


----------



## Jacksons Mom (Jun 13, 2010)

Serendipity said:


> Nothing about Regional Red being under investigation . And it's still the best kibble on the market, IMO.


Unless your dog gets the runs from it! Jackson did well until they changed their formulas. He was having runny poo every single day, so for us, it's certainly not the best kibble on the market.


----------



## Serendipity (Aug 13, 2010)

Jacksons Mom said:


> Unless your dog gets the runs from it! Jackson did well until they changed their formulas. He was having runny poo every single day, so for us, it's certainly not the best kibble on the market.


Guess I should have specified: best kibble to try first and best ingredient-wise.


----------



## BRT (Dec 1, 2010)

totaly agree with richelle


----------



## Jacksons Mom (Jun 13, 2010)

Serendipity said:


> Guess I should have specified: best kibble to try first and best ingredient-wise.


I gotcha! I hope you didn't mis-read my post, wasn't trying to be snarky 

I do think Orijen and Acana are some of the best kibbles on the market!


----------



## tem_sat (Jun 20, 2010)

What's better?

A. Acana Prairie + fresh meat or fresh fish

B. Orijen (any formula) without fresh meat or fish

Comment: The cost difference between the 2 is significant.


----------



## Ania's Mommy (Feb 8, 2009)

tem_sat said:


> What's better?
> 
> A. Acana Prairie + fresh meat or fresh fish
> 
> ...


I'd pick option A, personally.


----------



## PDXdogmom (Jun 30, 2010)

tem_sat said:


> What's better?
> 
> A. Acana Prairie + fresh meat or fresh fish
> 
> ...


I think most people believe that any time you add something fresh to the very processed kibble, that you have improved what you're feeding - so, option A seems preferable in my book.


----------



## tem_sat (Jun 20, 2010)

PDXdogmom said:


> I think most people believe that any time you add something fresh to the very processed kibble, that you have improved what you're feeding - so, option A seems preferable in my book.


That's what I am driving at. Assuming your pet does fine on Prairie, why spend the money on Grasslands, Ranchlands, or any Orijen forumla and instead just rotate the supplemented fresh proteins?


----------



## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

Hehe, eventually you will drop the kibble anyway. :biggrin:


----------



## 3Musketeers (Nov 4, 2010)

Well, most of those have been dismissed by others, and honestly they aren't huuge mistakes that will kill your pet (except the irradiation one) which was pretty unpredictable, something in the irradiation process must have gone wrong for that to happen. Plus Champion reacted quickly to them and pulled their products.

Either way, think of all these other companies and their "silent" recalls, in which not only do they try to hide the recall, but they generally don't do anything about it until a bunch of pets die. Also, look at the melamine poisoning recall in 2007 (which affected all crap kibbles across the nation), it killed billions of pets, and wtf was plastic doing in their food? That's the kind of recall which I know, sooner or later may happen again, because it came from companies who's best interest is in their pockets and not on their billions of clients health.


----------



## PDXdogmom (Jun 30, 2010)

3Musketeers said:


> Well, most of those have been dismissed by others, and honestly they aren't huuge mistakes that will kill your pet (except the irradiation one) which was pretty unpredictable, something in the irradiation process must have gone wrong for that to happen. Plus Champion reacted quickly to them and pulled their products.
> 
> Either way, think of all these other companies and their "silent" recalls, in which not only do they try to hide the recall, but they generally don't do anything about it until a bunch of pets die. Also, look at the melamine poisoning recall in 2007 (which affected all crap kibbles across the nation), it killed billions of pets, and wtf was plastic doing in their food? *That's the kind of recall which I know, sooner or later may happen again, because it came from companies who's best interest is in their pockets and not on their billions of clients health.*




I agree. It would be foolhardy to have blind trust in any one company - although I trust some companies more than others. But that is one reason I do rotational feeding. I would hate to put all my eggs in one basket. Actually, I use kibble or dehydrated as a base food and typically add fresh cooked meats from regional organic farms.


----------

