Animal House

Lots of missing Fidos this morning. Here goes:

First, an email from English setter rescue about PETE:

<<A newly adopted English setter from Setter Rescue is loose on Long Island.  He was  recently adopted from Above & Beyond English Setter rescue, and just  finished his long transport from Tennessee to Stony Brook this past Saturday.  His name is Pete, and he's 2.5 years old. Apparently, Tuesday afternoon he scooted out the front door of his new  home in Stony Brook when it was opened.

Pete was extremely fearful to begin with, and  after his long transport and new home he's even more of a flight risk.  He's never bitten, but might
defecate when approached. Since he's  frightened and not at all familiar with
his new Stony Brook area, we fear he  might be running far and wide.

He has no ID or collar on him, and he was not  chipped.

Please contact us if hear of any information or he is turned into your shelter.  We  will retrieve him immediately.

Bonnie Girard, 610-367-1803, Founder, Above and Beyond English Setter Rescue (www.esrescue.org)

or

MaryEllen Romano, (631) 275-1139>>

HERO is a 14-month-old male Rottweiler who escaped from a friend's house on April 20 in the Capital Heights, Maryland area. A policeman fed him potato chips for a half-hour while waiting in vain for animal control to arrive ... Hero left and is still on the lam.

Call Mary Pope 804-448-9424 or Gene Ellison 202-386-2314.

For more information: http://www.vomblaurasen.com/HERO_Missing.pdf

Out on the other coast is THOR, a 10-year-old Rhodesian Ridgeback whose family was camping this weekend at KOA Santa Cruz. Early Saturday morning, Thor experienced a seizure of some sort, and, when his family let him out of the cabin to orient himself, he bolted.

His family searched the campsite for two hours that evening, all day Saturday and Sunday morning, to no avail. "We actually came close to him two or three times in the two hours after he ran away but he looked at us as if he didn't know us and bolted the opposite directions," his owner writes in an email.

Thor was not wearing his collar and tags. The family has posted "lost dog" signs within a three-mile radius of the campsite, have notified local authorities, and is checking with animal services regularly. So far, nothing.

Thor has lots of fatty tissue bumps on his body, and is lean and trim (just over 80 pounds).

Contact June Madsen Clausen on her cell phone at 415/407-7528 or via email at clausenj@usfca.edu.

HAPPY ENDING: The van full of St. Bernard's stolen from the Red Lion Hotel Parking Lot in Sacramento, Calif., has been recovered, along with its precious cargo. "It was totally stripped but the dogs are all o.k. ," says a cross-posted email we received. "Thank you everyone who was on the lookout!"

Royal Canin announced that it is recalling the following dog and cat foods because they contain rice protein concentrate contaminated with melamine . The company stresses that no illness have been reported from ingesting the food, but rather that it is taking a "proactive" stance:

ROYAL CANIN SENSIBLE CHOICE® (available in pet specialty stores nationwide)

- Chicken Meal & Rice Formula Senior DRY DOG FOOD
- Lamb Meal & Rice Formula Puppy DRY DOG FOOD
- Lamb Meal & Rice Formula Adult DRY DOG FOOD
- Lamb Meal & Rice Formula Senior DRY DOG FOOD
- Rice & Catfish Meal Formula Adult DRY DOG FOOD

ROYAL CANIN VETERINARY DIET™ (available only in veterinary clinics)

- Canine Early Cardiac EC 22™
- Canine Skin Support SS21™
- Feline Hypoallergenic HP23™

Yesterday was a time for smiles, and tears.

Several dozen Vivi searchers and devotees converged on Long Island yesterday afternoon for a luncheon in their honor. Intended as a special thank-you from Vivi's owner Jil Walton and her husband Rick Patterson, who flew in especially for the occasion, it was held at the lovely home of Honi and Carol Reisman.

Vivi's breeder, Bo Bengtson, and her co-owner, Paul Lepiane, were in China, but they were there in spirit.

The gathering was a chance to reminisce, and to socialize together in a different context: I don't believe I have ever had a chance to see Tina and Rosa when it didn't involve driving the bumpy streets of Queens. (Although Rick admitted he now considers no visit to New York complete without a visit to the Blue Bay Diner.) Honi, Carol and Jil set out a fabulous spread. (No plastic plates here, and salmon to die for!) Bonnie took time out during the gathering to check in on searchers for India the missing pharaoh in Alabama.

It was a bittersweet gathering, as it happened to fall on Vivi's fifth birthday. There was a lovely cake with Vivi's photo on it, and Jil said a very few words, because the tears were starting to well. But her message was heartfelt and profound: Thank you for everything you have done. What else is there to say?

Then Jil handed out some lovely thank-you gifts for all the searchers: Beautiful medallions with Vivi's photo, and the words "Keep the faith" on the back. (Now it was Bonnie who fought back tears.)

Imagine my surprise when Jil handed me a lovely plaque, with the same Vivi photo, as a thank-you for keeping Vivi's story alive. Actually, it is I who should be grateful, for meeting such an inspirational and dedicated group of animal lovers, near and far. Despite the blips and brickbats that hit this blog periodically, that basic sense of unconditional caring still remains.

I could have stayed for hours, talking dogs, catching up and soaking in the decor. (Anyone who can mix Mexican day of the dead statues in the same room with German borzoi porcelains has Martha beat in my book any day of the week.) But my three kids and four Ridgebacks were waiting at home, so I bid everyone goodbye.

As I left, I caught a glimpse of the photos Jil had passed around of the new 14-acre homestead she and Rick have bought in Montana. It's life: People move on, life changes.

There were also shots of Vivi's new sister, a black-faced Jack Russell mix with a mischievous glint in her eye. Jil said she hopes to extend their canine family with a deerhound in the future, and of course she wants a whippet. But she can't bring herself to get one, because she already has one, and somewhere deep inside, she hasn't let go of the possibility that Vivi is out there, sitting in someone's living room, waiting to be found.

I think some of us know exactly how she feels.

Happy birthday, Vivi.

More recalls are in the offing. Reuters reports:

<< Melamine, used in plastics and fertilizer, has turned up in rice protein concentrate imported from China and shipped to five pet food manufacturers. U.S. Food and Drug Administration officials suspect the chemical, previously found in wheat gluten, led to earlier pet fatalities and
illness.

Wilbur-Ellis Co., a privately-held international agricultural and industrial products distributor, earlier on Thursday said the contaminated rice protein came from China-based Binzhou Futian Biology Technology Co. Ltd. ...

San Francisco-based Wilbur-Ellis said pet food makers using the protein should issue a recall but declined to name the manufacturers, although two have already issued recalls.

“It’s really the responsibility of the FDA and the manufacturers to take the next step,” John Thatcher, chief executive officer for Wilbur-Ellis, told Reuters.

Natural Balance Pet Foods, has recalled its venison-flavored dog and cat foods after reports of vomiting and kidney problems. Tests have confirmed melamine in the products, which contain the rice protein, the FDA said.
The Blue Buffalo Co. on Thursday recalled its Spa Select Kitten dry food labeled as best used by March 7, 2008.>>

Meanwhile, across the Pond, Bloomberg reports:

<<Royal Canin South Africa, the producer of Vets Choice and Royal Canin pet food brands in the country, said its food has been linked to the death of 30 pets.

Vets have reported to the company that as of yesterday, 30 animals had died,
Johannesburg-based Royal Canin South Africa’s managing director, Gregory Watine, said today in an interview.

The company said yesterday tests showed some of its products contained corn gluten contaminated with melamine, an industrial chemical. The gluten was imported from China and the pet food made in South Africa from March 8 to April 11 under the Vets Choice and Royal Canin brands.>>

Bloomberg also notes that the melamine scandals have hit pork exports, too:

<< Hogs also retreated after California state agriculture officials said they are investigating a hog farm where lab tests showed pig urine contained melamine, the same chemical linked to a spate of dog and cat deaths.>>

Menu Foods has previously recalled wet cat and dog food produced with adulterated wheat gluten supplied by ChemNutra Inc. Over the past several days, Menu Foods continued a detailed analysis of production records at its Emporia, Kansas, plant as part of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s ongoing investigation of this adulterated wheat gluten.

As a result of this work, one additional item has been added to the recall list and is shown below. Two additional production dates of eight varieties of pet food have been added to the recall list. These eight varieties of pet food had previously been withdrawn from the market and should already be off the retailer shelves. An updated list of the recalled products, including this addition, is available at http://www.menufoods.com.

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Natural Balance, in Pacoima, Calif., is issuing a voluntary nationwide recall for all of its Venison dog products and the dry Venison cat food only, regardless of date codes.

The recalled products include Venison and Brown Rice canned and bagged dog foods, Venison and Brown Rice dog treats, and Venison and Green Pea dry cat food.

Recent laboratory results show that the products contain melamine. The company believes the source of the melamine is a rice protein concentrate.

The recall was prompted by consumer complaints received by Natural Balance involving a small number of cats and dogs that developed kidney failure after eating the affected product.

Dogs or cats who have consumed the suspect food and show signs of kidney failure (such as loss of appetite, lethargy and vomiting) should be seen by a veterinarian. The company recommends customers immediately stop feeding the recalled venison products regardless of date code and return unused product to their retailer for a full refund.

The products are packaged in bags, cans and zip lock treat bags and sold in pet specialty stores and PetCo nationally.

No other Natural Balance products are involved in this voluntary recall as none of its other formulas include the rice protein concentrate.

Venison canned cat food is not involved.

The source of the melamine appears to be a rice protein concentrate, which was recently added to the dry venison formulas. Natural Balance does not use wheat gluten, which was associated with the previous melamine contamination.

Consumers can contact the company at 1-800-829-4493 or visit the website at www.naturalbalance.net.

This from the Natural Balance web site (www.naturalbalanceinc.com and www.naturalbalance.net):

<<We are receiving consumer complaints regarding the Venison & Brown Rice Dry Dog Food, and Venison & Green Pea Dry Cat Foods. We do not know what is wrong with the food at this time, but we have heard that animals are vomiting and experiencing kidney problems. Although the problems seem to be focused on one particular lot, as a precautionary measure, we are pulling all dates of Venison & Brown Rice Dry Dog Food and Venison & Green Pea Dry Cat Food from the shelves. >>

Please discontinue feeding all Venison and Brown Rice Dry Dog Food, and Venison and Green Pea Dry Cat Food.

We are working closely with the FDA. ...

NO OTHER NATURAL BALANCE PRODUCTS ARE AFFECTED.

FDA Warns Consumers That Retailers May Still Have Recalled Pet Food on Shelves
Menu Foods Expands Recall to More Cat Food

FDA is advising pet owners that recalled pet food may still be on the shelves in some retail establishments. FDA urges retailers across the country to be vigilant in removing all products associated with the pet food recall, which began on March 16, 2007.

To verify the effectiveness of the recall, FDA has conducted approximately 400 checks of retail stores across the country. Based on the checks, FDA believes most companies have removed the recalled product; however, some have not. FDA will continue to monitor retailers’ efforts to remove these items from the shelves.

“FDA’s priority is to make sure that cats and dogs have safe food to eat, said Stephen Sundlof, D.V.M., director of FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine.” Many of us are pet owners and animal lovers, and we want pet owners to feel assured that we are doing everything we can to make sure that all contaminated food is off the shelves.”

In related news, Menu Foods, Inc., a private label manufacturer based in Streetsville, Ontario, Canada, expanded its recall on Tuesday, April 10, to cat food not previously subject to the recall. The varieties of cat food in the United States and Canada now being recalled are included in the list at the bottom of this news release. A complete list of Menu Foods' recalled products, including the new items, can be reviewed at www.menufoods.com.

The company acted after receiving information from FDA, which had confirmed test results it received from a laboratory at University of California, Davis. The UC-Davis lab found that canned cat food which had not been included in Menu Food’s earlier recalls tested positive for melamine, a chemical used as a fertilizer and in the manufacture of cutlery and kitchenware.

The company informed FDA that it had shipped wheat gluten purchased from China and contaminated with melamine from its Emporia, Kansas plant to its plant in Streetsville. Some of the products produced with the contaminated wheat gluten also were shipped to the United States. FDA investigators and officials with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency were in the Ontario facility on April 10.

Since March 16, recalls of pet food products, including certain varieties of dog food, have been conducted by Menu Foods, Inc., Hill’s Pet Nutrition, P&G Pet Care, Nestle Purina PetCare Company, Del Monte Pet Products, and Sunshine Mills, Inc. Extensive information about the current pet food situation can be found at the FDA Web site, www.fda.gov. There is now a single list of all recalled pet food located at http://www.fda.gov/ora/fed_state/recalls/Recall.xls which will be updated with any new recall information when announced.

LIST OF NEWLY RECALLED PRODUCTS:

Sorry for the radio silence ... was at the four-day Harrisburg, Pa., dog-show cluster. (And took a 3-point major on Saturday ... For non-show people, that is a very good thing.) Despite rumors that animal-rights radicals were prowling the show trying to set dogs free from their crates, I didn't hear of any mishaps.

Unfortunately, there are all too many unintentional crate escapes: Bonnie Folz sends this information on a Pharaoh hound lost on her way back home from the Pharaoh Hound nationals:

<<“India”, micro chipped, female, Pharaoh Hound, went missing last night after a terrible car/travel trailer accident on I-20 just 20 miles east of Birmingham, AL.  Crates were destroyed along with the car and travel trailer and three dogs got loose. 2 were recovered and are okay, India is still missing. 

Please call 917-626-1374 with ANY and ALL information.  Please cross post.

Thank you>>

Will it ever end?

After an accounting of all recalled wheat gluten supplied by ChemNutra Inc. to Menu Foods in the United States, Menu Foods has identified a single interplant transfer of the ChemNutra supplied wheat gluten, shipped from Menu Foods' plant in Emporia, Kansas, to its plant in Streetsville, Ontario. This wheat gluten was subsequently used in the production of pet food in December, 2006 and January, 2007, which is being recalled by Menu Foods. The new varieties in the United States and Canada have been added to the recall list. The latest recall group is listed below, and a complete list of recalled products, including the new items can be reviewed at http://www.menufoods.com.

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From Duke's team:

Death Row Dog Goes to the Appellate Division

A press conference and gathering will be held on Monday April 9^th at 10:30am at the Islip Town Animal Shelter regarding “Duke” a 6 six year old American Pit Bull Terrier that has been on death row at the Islip Town Shelter for 3 ½ years after an order entered February 2004, ordered Duke to be killed pursuant to section §121 of the Agriculture and Markets Law.  Duke’s owner alleges that it was a case of mistaken identity that lead to a dangerous dog complaint filed by a neighbor alleging his bull dog was injured by Duke in 2003.  Duke’s attorney, animal welfare attorney, Amy Chaitoff, claims that this is not only a case of misidentification, but legally Duke’s order of destruction is based on a misapplication of New York State Dangerous Dog Law Sections 121 and 108, in effect at the time of the alleged incidents, which specifically excluded dog on dog attacks.  The law was amended in December 2004.

Duke’s caretakers at the Islip Town Shelter have grown to love Duke and have filed affidavits in support of Duke regarding their observations of the pound prisoner.  Through their 3 ½ year relationship with Duke Islip Shelter staff have found Duke to be a very friendly dog that has never shown any aggression toward other animals or people in the 3 ½ years he has been observed and evaluated at the Islip Shelter.  In fact, Duke has also been evaluated multiple times by not only the staff at the Islip Town Shelter but by well known local animal behaviorist Jeff Kolbjornson of Elite Animal Trainers, that has been in support of Duke from the beginning.  Duke’s case is currently before the Appellate Division requesting the Appellate Division to vacate the euthanasia sentence based on the District Court’s alleged misapplication of the Agriculture and markets Law in effect during the time of the incident in 2003.  Please come and give Duke some good press as it may be the only thing that saves his life after such a long struggle!  Thank you.

Contact Info:

Person to Contact: Amy Chaitoff: 631-265-0155

Where:

Islip

Bay Shore

,

(631) 224-5660

Time: 10:30am

Del Monte Pet Products modified its voluntary recall list today to include additional select code dates in the U.S. market only. No new brands are included in this update.

The following product codes and dates are in addition to the codes and dates previously identified in the Del Monte Pet Products voluntary recall:

The complete updated chart of voluntarily recalled product codes is below. Consumers should discontinue feeding the products with the Product Codes detailed below to their pets.

Del Monte Pet Products customers can visit www.delmonte.com, or call (800) 949-3799 for further information about the recall and for instructions on obtaining a product refund.

Following is a COMPLETE and UPDATED list of Del Monte Pet Products and Best Buy Dates that have been voluntarily recalled in the United States.

Yesterday, Sunshine Mills, Inc., recalled a portion of its branded dog biscuits made at its Red Bay, Ala., biscuit plant during part of March. These brands include: Nurture Chicken & Rice, Nurture Lamb & Rice, Pet Life Large, Pet Life Extra Large, Pet Life Large Variety, Pet Life Large Peanut Butter, Lassie Lamb and Rice, and Pet Life People Pleasers Dog Treats. Private label biscuits for six of Sunshine's customers were also affected.