Gordon Throws the Gauntlet Down and Files Charges of Election Fraud

Whereas this blog tries to steer clear of politics, many of my clients and friends have been asking me about this issue. So Rogers Park Dog will make every attempt to keep you informed of the latest news regarding the recent 49th ward run off ROGERS PARK RESIDENTS CHARGE FLAGRANT VOTE FRAUD IN 49TH WARD ALDERMANIC ELECTION Voting Rights Hijacked In Aldermanic Election: Votes Cast for the Elderly, Voters Registered At Abandoned Buildings, And Repeat Voters CHICAGO, April 24, 2007 – “Vote fraud has taken away the voice of our community and it hurts us all,” a group of 49th Ward residents said today as they announced a lawsuit to contest the results of last week’s aldermanic election. “As citizens we have a right to fair and clean elections. The violations that happened last week profoundly impact every one of us. We are outraged by the dirty tricks and illegal campaign tactics that occurred in many polling places in our ward,” said community activist Eva McCann. McCann is a plaintiff in the lawsuit along with community residents Blane Roberts, Eileen Foxman, and 49th Ward Aldermanic Candidate Don Gordon. A lawsuit filed in Cook County Circuit Court by the group on Monday cited numerous examples of vote fraud in the Tuesday, April 17, runoff election. They include elderly nursing home residents who were illegally assisted in voting, voters whose home addresses turned out to be vacant buildings, and voters who were issued two ballots instead of one. The group announced their lawsuit at 7724 N. Ashland Ave., an abandoned apartment building where a person identified as Delores Young claimed to be registered and was allowed to cast a ballot on April 17. “We have confirmed multiple cases of votes cast by people whose addresses turned out to be vacant buildings and by people from outside the ward. We have an obligation to uphold the voting rights of the citizens of Chicago whose honest ballots were potentially negated by fraud,” said McCann. She noted that voters’ rights to a fair election were also “hijacked” when polling place election judges in numerous precincts denied requests to verify questionable voters and “systematically ignored” election laws. Gordon, a 30-year community resident, said, “The mood in our ward has changed from concern over the outcome of the election to a more fundamental concern about getting a fair election in the first place. As a candidate, I didn’t sign up to lead a battle against violations of basic voting rights. But as a voter I will stand up for this.” He added: “Although an investigation will determine more facts about this election, we already know there is no doubt that its integrity is in question. I want to make sure that every voice is heard.” According to the Chicago Board of Elections, Moore received 4,019 votes to Gordon’s 3,772, a 247-vote difference. Co-plaintiff Roberts stated: “We have heard outrageous claims that our call to investigate vote fraud is racially motivated. That is simply not the case. Instead, the election has made us more aware than ever before of how race and class have been used to divide our community and keep us from focusing on real community issues.” The plaintiffs called on Alderman Moore, government officials, and Chicago’s civil rights leaders to support the lawsuit and join in the call for an investigation. “We expect people in public office to take a stand and help guarantee fair and clean elections. This is of far greater importance than a simple aldermanic election, and we call on everyone involved to join us in the investigation so that we can preserve basic voting rights for the future of all of Chicago,” Roberts said. “We would not be here were this a simple matter of election error,” said McCann. “We have considerable evidence that points to a pattern of conspiracy, and more evidence will be presented as we move forward with this investigation.” The residents, represented by Attorney Michael Lavelle, a former chairman of the Chicago Board of Elections Commissioners, are contesting the 49th Ward election results and seek an investigation into allegations of vote fraud violations and conspiracy to commit vote fraud. Gordon volunteer photographs Joe Moore greeting a senior citizen while she is voting. SUMMARY OF 49th WARD ELECTION LAWSUIT CHARGES 1. Elderly nursing home residents who were “assisted” in voting without formally agreeing to be assisted as required by law (in Lake Shore and Sherwin Manor nursing homes) 2. Polling place judges who refused to obey Chicago Board of Elections guidelines requiring that questionable voters be given provisional ballots (in Precincts #11, 34, and more) 3. Votes cast by people registered to vote at vacant buildings and vacant lots Illegal campaign signs posted beyond the blue cones on election day. 4. Polling place electioneering (at Arbour Health Care Center, 1512 W. Fargo Ave.) 5. Precincts where more votes were cast than there were voter applications (in Precinct #11 and others) 6. Precincts where voters were given two paper ballots instead of one (in Precinct #5) 7. Voters who cast ballots during the Early Voting period and again on the April 17 Election Day. Blog Master Notes: Allegations do not include the allegation of mail fraud. The above pink postcards were mass mailed less than a week before the election. The return address was the address of community activist and Gordon supporter Toni Duncan. The implication of the cards was that a vote for Gordon was a vote for increased property values north of Howard. Post cards were primarily sent to registered african american voters. Nor do current allegations address the numerous counts of electioneering fraud witnessed and reported during the February 27th election. Allegations that Lisa Madigan and the Board of Elections have failed to investigate.

Blue Buffalo cat food recall

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- Wilton, Connecticut, April 19, 2007 -- The Blue Buffalo Company today announced a voluntary recall of one production run of its Spa Select Kitten dry food. The recalled 3 lb. and 7 lb. bags of Spa Select Kitten dry food have the production code "BEST IF USED BY MAR 07 08 B" printed on the bag. Consumers should check this information on the bag, which is printed on the back panel below the seal. The Company has taken this action because the rice protein concentrate used for this particular production run was obtained from Wilbur-Ellis, the same company who supplied this ingredient to Natural Balance. Test results received the evening of April 18th indicated that this rice protein concentrate tested positive for melamine. This was the only production run that used rice protein from Wilbur-Ellis. Upon receiving the test results, the Company notified the FDA today and immediately began this recall process. Of the 5,044 bags produced in this particular production run, the Company was able to prevent the majority from ever entering retail distribution. The Company is working closely with its retail partners and believes that most of the recalled product that had reached retail distribution has already been pulled off the shelf. Consumers should immediately stop feeding Spa Select Kitten dry cat food with the above-listed date codes to their kittens and consult with a veterinarian if they have any health concerns with their pet. No other cat or dog foods, canned or dry, made by the Company are affected by the recall. Should consumers have a specific question, they can email the Company at info@bluebuff.com or call 1-800-919-2833, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EDT, to receive more information. Bill Bishop, CEO and President of The Blue Buffalo Company, commented "As a family owned company whose reason for being is to provide cats and dogs with the highest quality natural foods, we are extremely upset by this recall and can't begin to apologize enough to our customers. From our perspective, it is unacceptable to produce even one bag of food with the potential to cause a pet to become ill, and we will further tighten our ingredient sourcing and quality assurance procedures as a result of this incident."

Current FDA list of all recalled pet food

The FDA has published a continuously updated list of all recalled dog and cat foods. To view the current list click here

Royal Canin Recalls dog and cat food

Royal Canin USA Announces the Voluntary Nationwide Recall of its Dry Pet Food Products Containing Rice Protein Concentrate Contact: Erik Mueller 636-926-1089 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- St Charles, Missouri -- April 19, 2007 -- Royal Canin USA is announcing today that the company has determined there is a melamine derivative in the rice protein concentrate in some of its dry pet food products. Although Royal Canin USA has no confirmed cases of illness in pets, we have decided to voluntarily remove all of our dry pet food products containing rice protein concentrate. We are taking this proactive stance to avoid any confusion for our customers about which Royal Canin USA products are safe and which products may be affected. "We are as passionate about the health and happiness of our customers' pets as we are of our own, so we are committed to taking the steps necessary to ensure this never happens again," said Olivier Amice, President and CEO of Royal Canin USA. As a precaution, Royal Canin USA is voluntarily recalling the following dry pet food products: ROYAL CANIN VETERINARY DIET™ (available only in veterinary clinics) Dry Dog Food Canine Early Cardiac EC 22™ Canine Skin Support SS21™ Dry Cat Food Feline Hypoallergenic HP23™ ROYAL CANIN SENSIBLE CHOICE® (available in pet specialty stores nationwide) Dry Dog Food Chicken Meal & Rice Formula Senior Lamb Meal & Rice Formula Puppy Lamb Meal & Rice Formula Adult Lamb Meal & Rice Formula Senior Rice & Catfish Meal Formula Adult Based on today's announcement, pet owners should immediately stop feeding their pets the Royal Canin USA dry pet food products listed above. Pet owners should consult with a veterinarian if they are concerned about the health of their pet. No other Royal Canin diets are affected by this recall and CONTINUE TO BE safe for pets to eat. Along with this announcement, Royal Canin USA will no longer use any Chinese suppliers for any of our vegetable proteins. "On behalf of the entire Royal Canin family, our hearts go out to the pet owners and everyone in the pet community who have been affected by all of the recent recalls," said Dr. Denise Elliott, Director of Scientific Affairs for Royal Canin USA. "We are working very closely with the FDA to assist in its efforts to determine the cause of this most recent and disturbing development." The safety and nutritional quality of our pet food is Royal Canin USA's top priority as we understand that the health of pets comes first. Pet owners who have questions about this recall and other Royal Canin USA products should call 1-800-592-6687 or visit our web site at www.royalcanin.us. All Royal Canin USA products have a satisfaction guarantee and we will refund or replace the diets that have been recalled. Blog Master notes: This could be the beginning of a very slippery slope. Corn gluten in pet foods sold in South Africa has also been found to be tainted.

On Leash Dog Socialization Classes

Mom's, Pop's and Pup's The newest offering in the Touhy Park schedule is a ten week on leash dog socialization program. The sessions are an hour long and offered every Monday at Touhy Park from 6 to 7 pm. Touhy Park is bordered by Clark street, between Chase and Jarvis. The program allows leashed dogs to meet and greet each other in a controlled environment, rather than the often helter skelter environment of our local dog parks. Interactive activities will be included, along with guest speaker appearances. This is a wonderful way to adress on leash socialization of a puppy or reinforce your adult dogs socialization skills. The price is right too. I was told the charge for the ten weeks was around $10, however I have not personally called the park to confirm this. To register or get more information, call April at (773) 262-6737. You can also show up on Monday nights to register or bring your dog to this Saturdays Earth Day festival, 11 am to 1 pm to register.

Pet Food Scare widens-Natural Balance added to recall list

A reprint from reuters. by: Susan Healy WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A chemical linked to a huge U.S. pet food recall has been found in another ingredient used to make products for dogs and cats, U.S health officials and an agricultural company said on Thursday. 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. The finding widens the number of dog and cat food products pulled from United States retailers since mid-March. More than 100 brands of pet food have been already been recalled after reports of kidney failure. "This is an ongoing investigation," said Michael Rogers, head of the FDA's Division of Field Investigations. 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. The protein was then shipped to five U.S. manufacturers in Utah, New York and Kansas and two in Missouri. 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 come forward with 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. Stephen Sundlof, head of the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine, said the agency would not name the other makers until officials could confirm whether they made pet food with the tainted protein. Sundlof said consumers should check FDA's Web site for updates. Overall, the FDA has received more than 15,000 reports of pet illnesses so far, he added. Officials have confirmed 16 deaths but believe the actual number could be higher. CHINESE CONNECTION The expanded recall follows an earlier mass recall by Canada-based pet food manufacturer Menu Foods Income Fund, which in March said its products contained wheat gluten from China tainted with melamine That led to millions of cans and pouches of pet foods sold under brands such as Procter & Gamble Co.'s Iams and Eukanuba as well as store brands sold at Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Safeway Inc. to be pulled. Other makers, including Colgate-Palmolive Co.'s Hill's Pet Nutrition Inc., Nestle SA's Purina PetCare Co. and Del Monte Pet Products also recalled products. FDA officials have said the gluten was imported from China-based Xuzhou Anying Biologic Technology Development Co. Ltd., but the company has so far denied any involvement. On Wednesday, some lawmakers said FDA Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach told them the Chinese government has refused to allow FDA inspectors to visit suspected facilities. Democrats Sen. Richard Durbin of Illinois and Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut have since urged Zhou Wenzhong, the Chinese ambassador to the United States, to allow inspections. One theory is that adding melamine artificially boosted protein measurements and thereby the value of the ingredients. FDA's Sundlof said "it's still only a theory but certainly seems to be a plausible one." FDA officials said they are actively checking all shipments of rice protein and wheat gluten imported into the United States. The rice protein did not appear to be as widely used as the gluten, they said. The agency has also received a report about tainted corn gluten used in South Africa, they added, but has no information that it has been imported into the United States. (Additional reporting by Paritosh Bansal in New York)

Rogers Bark is not closing

A few months back, Susie Ryerson, owner of Rogers Bark Pet Salon, found out she was pregnant. In the hopes of experiencing the joys of motherhood full time, she decided to sell Rogers Bark.

I had mentioned this to a few people. As the word was passed around, the original content changed to Susie was closing Rogers Bark. This was never true. However, Susie thankfully has changed her mind about selling the grooming salon.

Not only is she not selling, but she has invested in new pet merchandise including Innova and Innova Evo pet food and an expanded line of pet toys and products. Come in and check out her new line of products and wish her and the baby all the best.

Selecting a good food requires reading labels

I've heard a lot of frustration and remorse over the current Menu Foods recalls. Many ask, "How can I know if I am feeding my dog a safe product?" Quite simple, learn to read a label and learn a few simple facts about dog and cat food The extrusion process The majority of dry dog and cat food is made with an extruder. An extruder will gum up if the protein content of the food is more than 50%. Most commercial brands of dog food (Alpo, Pedigree, Purina) as well as those foods that claim to be premium (Nutro, Iams, Bil-Jac and Science Diet) have less than 30% protein. The rest of the food is comprised of filler. It is the type and quality of the protein and the filler that should be your primary concern. Protein Dog food ingredients are listed by weight. At least two meat sources should be among the top three ingredients in the food you serve to ensure your dog is getting enough protein. Whole fresh meat contains moisture and simply weighs more than grains and other fillers. If the first listed ingredient is a grain, run away...run far away. The quality of that meat is important too. Look for fresh meat or meal and the type of meat or meal should be clearly identified For example a product listing chicken, lamb and herring meal would be superior to a similar product offering chicken, lamb and meat/animal meal. Steer clear of meat by-products and animal proteins. The FDA does not have strict standards for these categories. Poor handling and slow transport can affect the quality of by-products. There is a much wider range in the quality of by-products than there is in fresh meat. Many commercial brands like to utilize these sources because they are cheaper sources of protein. Generic animal proteins or by-products enable them to utilize whatever is cheapest that day. Fats to need to be specific as well. Chicken fat is vastly preferable to animal fat because it is clear what your getting. Animal fat again gives the manufacturer the ability to purchase cheap fats and mix them anyway they want. Some commercial pet foods have been known to purchase used restaurant grease and rendered fats. Grains and Vegetables Look for whole grains and vegetables. Avoid food fragments which are by-products of another food manufacturing process, such as brewers rice, wheat bran, rice bran, rice flour or wheat gluten. If you have a dog with food allergies, steer clear of foods that list wheat or corn in any form. It is important to mention that in both the Menu Foods recall and the Diamond Foods recall, grain quality was the problem. Brewing grains that get wet can ferment. Grains outsourced from other countries may be of substandard quality. Look for manufacturers who use grains that meet human consumption standards. Preservatives, colors and sweeteners Preservatives such as BHA, BHT, Ethoxyquin, propylene glycol, artificial colors and sweeteners such as corn syrup, sucrose and ammoniated glycyrrhizin should all be avoided. Finally, any company that makes a food you intend to feed your pet should be completely upfront and honest about the quality of the ingredients, where and how the food is manufactured and what quality controls are in place. If they aren't, don't buy it

List of foods not on Menu foods recall list

The following list is the most comprehensive I have seen. Thanks to the folks at PetsitUSA for their extensive research. I have copied the information and links here. (PLEASE READ BEFORE READING THE LIST) The following companies have made statements that their pet food is not affected by the Menu Foods recall. The list is intended as a starting point for your own research - it is a list we are compiling of pet foods deemed safe by the pet food companies themselves. It is neither an endorsement of any pet foods listed, nor is it a complete list of all pet foods not on the recall list. And, even though a brand is listed, we cannot guarantee the food is safe. The pet food companies are the only ones who can make that statement. EVEN IF A BRAND YOU FEED IS ON THIS LIST, VERIFY IT WITH THE PET FOOD COMPANY. Links to their websites have been provided when possible. For those with just the business name listed, we have obtained information from their websites. We will be contacting them for further information and will update the list appropriately as soon as possible. Also, as more pet foods are added to the list of recalled pet foods, it’s imperative that you continue to check the Menu Foods recall list at http://menufoods.com/recall/ and if you find out your pet has eaten any of the recalled food, call your vet immediately. ———————————- Abady Dog Food Company, Ltd. (verified with company president 3/28/07) No products made by Menu Foods Products do not contain wheat gluten All ingredients are from US suppliers Most products are manufactured in their own facility Food that is outsourced is manufactured with Abady formulas All American Pet Company (verified by company 3/30/07) Brands Include Bow Wow Breakfast, Chompions, Barkfast Squares, and Chewa-Bunga No products made by Menu Foods (never have used them) Manufacturer is CJ Foods All ingredients are from US suppliers No products contain wheat gluten Artemis - Holistic Pet Food (verified by company 3/26/07) Do not use Menu Foods but will not disclose name of manufacturer. All ingredients are from the USA except New Zealand lamb. They test every batch and submit a sample to the USDA for testing. Test for proximates, salmonella, bacteria. No wheat corn, soy, or wheat gluten is used in their products Aunt Jeni’s (Home Made 4 Life) (verified by company 3/22/07) They make all their own food (no outsourcing) No wheat products of any kind Azmira Holistic Animal Care Products (verified by company 3/26/07) Manufacturer of canned foods is “proprietary information” but they are not involved in recall. Only supplies/ingredients that do not come from the US are lamb from New Zealand, and sea meal from Scotland. Back to Basics (verified by company 3/30/07) No products made by Menu Foods (have never used Menu) Manufactured by Chenango Valley Pet Foods in Sherburne, NY, a USDA inspected Facility No wheat, soy, gluten products of any kind, sugar, fillers or byproducts No Chemicals or Artificial Preservatives All human-grade ingredients All ingredients are from US suppliers - suppliers do not outsource for their ingredients Rigorous testing is performed due to finished product export to other countries. Manufacturer of Back to Basics is not amongst the dry foods being investigated for possible melamine contamination Beneful (Nestle Purina) Bil-Jac (verified via website 3/27/07) No products made by Menu Foods All grains used in Bil-Jac products are grown and harvested domestically. Blackwood Pet Food (verified by company 3/28/07) Brands include Adirondack and Blackwood No products made by Menu Foods Foods manufactured by Ohio Pet Foods and Evangers No wheat gluten is used in their products All domestic ingredients except for lamb from New Zealand Blue Buffalo (verified by company 3/27/07) Brands include BLUE for dogs, and Spa Select for Cats No products made by Menu Foods (have never used Menu) Products do not contain wheat gluten, soy, or corn All ingredients from US except lamb from New Zealand They do not manufacture food in their own facility. Manufacturer is confidential but they have their own vets and staff on location at all times and ingredients are tested before and after each run. Blue Seal (verified by company 3/22/07) Brands include Blue Seal, Bright Life, By Nature, Life Stages Menu Foods manufactures Blue Seal - The Loaf Style wet, but it is not involved in the recall. Menu Foods is not used for any of their other products. Breeder’s Choice (information provided by company 4/06/07) Brands include Active Care, Advanced Pet Diets Select Choice, AvoDerm Select Cuts, Health Food for Dogs, Pinnacle None of our products are affected or recalled. Canned manufactured by Menu Foods, and American Nutrition The 5.5 oz canned cat AvoDerm Natural and Pinnacle is from Menu. The Pinnacle canned dog food has 3 formulas, only one is made at Menu. It is the the chicken formula. The only product that contains wheat gluten is Active Care cat treats (healthy joint treats). The wheat gluten is froma source in the United States. We use ingredients from United States sources, except for New Zealand Lamb. Burns Pet Health, Inc. (verified by company VP 4/3/07) All products are wheat and corn gluten free. All food ingredients are from the USA. Manufactured by CJ Foods in Pawnee City, NE Burns Pet Health, Inc. is it’s own entity - not owned by another company. Sister company is Land of Holistic Pets in the UK Canidae (verified by company 3/28/07) Brands include Canidae and Felidae No products made by Menu Foods All ingredients are grown in the US and are also processed here. No wheat gluten is used in their products. All products are free of corn, wheat, soy and all grain fractions Canine Caviar (verified by company 4/2/07) No products made by Menu Foods Products contain no wheat or corn. Ingredients are inspected by USDA and approved for human consumption. All ingredients (except lamb & venison) are consistently sourced from U.S. companies and farms. Lamb and venison come from New Zealand and raised in a free-range environment. “All our products (except cat food which has corn gluten meal in it, which we maybe changing) are gluten free.” There is no corn, wheat or soy in our products. For more info on their ingredients, see the Canine Caviar website. Kibble is manufactured at a private plant in Texas Castor & Pollux Pet Works (verified via website 3/23/07) Brands include Organix & Ultramix Wet foods made by Menu Foods but not involved in the recall. The wheat gluten product in tainted foods is not used in their foods. Cesar See Mars Pet Food Champion Petfoods, Ltd. (verified by company 3/25/07) Brands include Origen and Acana Own and operate their own production facilities in Morinville, Alberta, Canada They make their own foods exclusively - their mandate is to produce world-class foods from fresh regional ingredients. That means almost all of their ingredients (over 90% for ORIJEN) are raised, fished or farmed within western Canada. Only imported ingredients are lamb from New Zealand and rice from California - these are used in their ACANA brand foods. They do not, and never have, had their brands produced or co-packed by any other pet food producer. They do not use glutens or other vegetable proteins in any of their foods. ORIJEN and ACANA foods are not on any recall list. Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul See Diamond Pet Foods Del Monte Pet Products (verified by company) Brands include Cycle, Kibbles ‘n Bits, MeowMix, Nature’s Recipe, Reward, Skippy, 9Lives No products made by Menu Foods DEL MONTE HAS RECALLED FOODS NOT MENTIONED HERE. See their website for info. Diamond Pet Foods (verified by company 3/28/07) Brands include Diamond, Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul, Nutra Nuggets, Premium Edge, Professional Pet Food No products made by Menu Foods All foods contain US and Canadian ingredients Manufacture their own dry food Canned foods made by American Nutrition Dogswell (verified by company 4/03/07) Brands include Dogswell, Catswell, Happy Hips, Breathies, Vitality, Mellow Mut and Happy Heart No products are made by Menu Foods and they have no affiliation with any of the facilities involved in the recall. No products contain wheat gluten Products are hormone free, antibiotic free, and cage free Drs. Foster & Smith Products (verified by company 3/29/07) Wet foods made by Menu Foods but not involved in the recall. Dry foods manufactured by Chenango Valley Foods All grain and meat products are from the US No wheat gluten is used in the products manufactured at Menu Eagle Pack (verified by company4/03/07) Brands include Eagle Pack Holistic Select, Eagle Pack Super Premium, Hy-Dration, Prism Loaf style canned food is made by Menu Foods to their unique formulas, but not part of the recall. They do not use any “ingredients that are common to the recalled product.” Products contain no wheat gluten. No ingredients from China Duck Meal is from Europe and is EU Certified. Anchovy and Sardine from the Humboldt Current area, Salmon from the Pacific Ocean. Only non US ingredient is lamb meat imported from New Zealand and/or Australia. Onsite lab tests incoming ingredients and finished food USDA/APHIS inspected and EU approved Evangers (verified by company 3/28/07) No products made by Menu Foods No products contain wheat gluten, fillers, or preservatives They’re a privately owned company that manufactures their own food as well as manufacturing food for other private labels. All ingredients domestic except for New Zealand or Australian lamb, on request. Evolve Pet Food Brands include Evolve, Hi-Tor, Pet Gold, and Triumph Please Note: Numerous attempts to contact them have been unsuccessful. One phone number works but is a recording saying they are not part of the recall. Another number is not in working order. Emails have been returned as undeliverable. Fancy Feast Flint River Ranch (verified by company 3/27/07) No products made by Menu Foods Manufacture their own foods with US suppliers No products contain wheat gluten Friskies Fromm Family Foods (verified via website 3/25/07) Canned foods are NOT made by Menu Foods. Canned foods made in China. See this post for explanation from Frommes. Foods produced in a human food plant without wheat gluten or other grains. Canned food made with 100% pure meat, duck, chicken & fish, NOT reformed meat. No by-products used in their dog and cat foods. Fromm Family Foods does not test on animals. Products are all-natural. Products made with binders to make reformed meat and products which use wheat gluten are NOT considered all-natural by their standards. Go! Natural (Petcurean Pet Nutrition) (verified by company 3/31/07) Menu Foods manufactures wet food but are not involved in the recall Dry foods manufactured at various Canadian Mills No products contain wheat gluten Great Life (verified by company 3/29/07) Their only brand is Great Life No products made by Menu Foods (have never used them) No product contain wheat gluten All ingredients are organic and come from the US They do not manufacture their own food. Name of manufacturer is confidential. Halo (verified by company 3/31/07) No products made by Menu Foods Products manufactured in a USDA kitchen using human grade ingredients All products are made in the USA using only ingredients from the USA Healthy Pet Products (verified by company 3/23/07) Manufactures all products in-house. Holistic Blend (verified by website 3/31/07) Products contain human grade ingredients Certified Organic Ingredients Formulated to exceed AAFCO standards Animals are not used for product testing Homestyle Select (verified via website 3/24/07) All foods are manufactured in their own plant in Quakertown, Pennsylvania. Their foods contain none of the suspect ingredients in the recall. Kumpi (verified by Kumpi President, 3/24/07) No products made by Menu Foods Specially formulated by multi-species nutritionist No soy, by-products or wheat sources Manufactured by Crosswind Petfood Industries USDA/APHIS inspected and meats utilized are EU approved Voluntarily regulated by American Institute of Baking (i.e. held to human bakery standards) All grains are American grown and regulated Food is tested before, during and after production Kumpi Pet Foods does not test on animals Life’s Abundance by Healthy Pet Net (verified by company 3/28/07) One product manufactured by Menu Foods but not in the suspect facility Most products are manufactured by Ohio Pet Foods Products do not contain wheat gluten or corn All products are human quality Mars Pet Food (verified by company 3/28/07) Brands include Cesar, Pedigree, Sheba, The Good Life, Whiskas No products made by Menu Foods All products manufactured by Mars Pet Food Wheat gluten is used in some products but they get it from a different supplier than Menu Foods Merrick Pet Foods (verified by company 3/29/07) Their only brand is Merrick No products made by Menu Foods All Merrick foods, dry, canned, and treats are made in their ownfacility. All ingredients are from the US Products do not contain wheat gluten Natura Pet Products (verified with company 3/24/07) Brands include Innova, Evo, California Natural, Healthwise,Mother Nature, Karma Organic Manufacture their own dry food, using their own formulas They use only US suppliers - no ingredients come from Chinaor other foreign countries. They use no corn or wheat products (including wheat gluten) Wet foods made by Menu Foods (S. Dakota plant) but not involvedin the recall. Natural Balance (verified by company 4/4/07) No products made by Menu Foods. Products contain no wheat gluten. Natural Balance dry and canned formulas are co-packed at separate facilities in the United States. Dry formulas are co-packed at Diamond and canned formulas are co-packed at American Nutrition Natural Balance has their own quality control representation over seeing any manufacturing/production of their products All ingredients are from the US except for lamb and venison from New Zealand All products are tested for any contaminants prior to production, after production, and once again at the Natural Balance facility before they leave for distribution For more information on Natural Balance, please see this post. Nature’s Variety (verified by CEO 3/27/07) Brands include Nature’s Variety, Nature’s Variety Prairie, and Nature’s Variety Raw Instinct. Canned foods made by Menu Foods but not involved in the recall. Dry foods are outsourced, but not by Menu Foods. Frozen and freeze-dried raw foods are made in house. All grains used are of US origin, except flax seed, which they get from Canada. No wheat gluten is used in their products, or in the plant that manufactures their dry foods. Neura (verified by company rep 3/26/07) “Menu does make some of our canned cat and canned dog foods. They makeOUR recipes according to OUR quality standards.” “We have procedures in place to clean between each run of food that is produced. We also inspect the plant regularly to audit their procedures. Since we take our quality very seriously we go above and beyond what is expected in the industry. We are happy to tell you that we require our facilities to pass an audit by Cook & Thurber, a HUMAN FOOD auditing firm.” Other manufacturers are used besides Menu Foods. Products do not contain wheat, corn or soy, artificial preservatives, flavors or colors. Newman’s Own Organics (verified by company PR firm 3/30/07) At least some products made by Menu Foods but not involved in the recall. Products not produced in the suspect Menu Foods plants. Products do not contain wheat gluten. All ingredients are certified by Oregon Tilth. Nutra Nuggets See Diamond Pet Foods Nutrience (verified via website 3/24/07) Nutrience dog and cat canned foods are not produced by Menu Foods Manufacturer does not use the supplier in question. Foods contain no wheat gluten and are formulated with human-grade meat only. Old Mother Hubbard (verified by company 3/26/07) “Menu does make some of our canned cat and canned dog foods. They makeOUR recipes according to OUR quality standards.” “We have procedures in place to clean between each run of food that is produced. We also inspect the plant regularly to audit their procedures. Since we take our quality very seriously we go above and beyond what is expected in the industry. We are happy to tell you that we require our facilities to pass an audit by Cook & Thurber, a HUMAN FOOD auditing firm.” Other manufacturers are used besides Menu Foods. Products do not contain wheat gluten, corn or soy, artificial preservatives, flavors or colors. Pedigree See Mars Pet Food Performatrin (verified by company) Pets Valu’s Brand Majority of their wet food is made by Menu Foods in Canada Some products (excluding Ultra) are made by Menu Foods in the US, however not at the plant in Kansas, Missouri, and are not included in the recall. None of their wet or dry products contain wheat gluten PetGuard Organics Note: I have been unable to verify anything with PetGuard other than the fact that their website says their foods are “not affected by the recall.” This is not the same as saying “we do not use menu.” I have emailed a number of times and have called and spoken with someone a couple of times as well who assured me they would call back with information I had requested. As of 3/31/07 they have not. Pet Promise (verified via website 3/25/07) No products made by Menu Foods Note: They don’t publicize it, but Pet Promise is a Purina product. PHD Products PMI Nutrition (verified by company 3/26/07) No products made by Menu Foods Brands include PMI Nutrition and PMI Nutrition Exclusive Precise (verified by company 3/22/07) Verified their products are not on the recall list but when asked if they use Menu Foods to manufacture any of their products I was told that information was “confidential.” Premium Edge See Diamond Pet Foods PRO PAC Superpremium Pet Foods (verified by company 4/3/07) No products made my Menu foods Products contain no wheat gluten All ingredients from US suppliers except Lamb Meal from Australia All products manufactured in US at company-owned manufacturing facilities Rigorous testing is performed due to finished product being exported to other countries Professional Pet Food See Diamond Pet Foods Purina Dog Chow Purina One Purina Pro Plan Purina Veterinary Diets Royal Canin (verified by company 3/28/07) Brands include Canine Health Nutrition, Feline Health Nutrition, Kasco, Sensible Choice, as well as prescription available through veterinarians. Menu foods is used for a limited number of foods They also have their own production facility They do use wheat gluten in some products, but they do not use the supplier linked to the Menu Foods recall. Sheba See Mars Pet Food Solid Gold Health Food for Pets (verified by company 3/29/07) No products made by Menu Foods. Dry food made by Diamond. SPORTMIX Pet Food (verified by company 4/3/07) No products made my Menu foods All ingredients from US suppliers except Lamb Meal from Australia All products manufactured in US at company-owned manufacturing facilities Rigorous testing is performed due to finished product being exported to other countries Stella and Chewy’s (verified via website 3/31/07) Made exclusively from human-grade free-range meats, ground bones, and fresh organic vegetables. Manufactured in their own plant in Wisconsin 100% grain free. The Honest Kitchen (verified by company 3/28/07) No products made by Menu Foods. Food is contracted to company manufactures human food. The Honest Kitchen is the only pet food they manufacture. All ingredients are human grade and domestic Products to not contain wheat gluten, soy or corn Timber Wolf Organics (verified by company 4/5/07 - statements are directly from company) We have a privately owned manufacturer in the Northeast. Our owner is very passionate about our formulas and we are the only ones who use them. We do not private label for other companies. We use US regulated suppliers only. Our products are 100% free of gluten, wheat gluten, yellow corn, soy, and animal by-products. We do not sell any other brands. We are privately owned. Our office is in Central Florida and the owner is here with us daily. For more information contact Timberwolf Organics, Inc. at 407-877-8779 or email customer.support@timberwolforganics.com Trader Joe’s Wet food manufactured by Menu Foods but not involved in recall. As a precaution, they are recalling all canned foods. Verus Pet Foods Wellness (verified by company 3/26/07) “Menu does make some of our canned cat and canned dog foods. They makeOUR recipes according to OUR quality standards.” “We have procedures in place to clean between each run of food that is produced. We also inspect the plant regularly to audit their procedures. Since we take our quality very seriously we go above and beyond what is expected in the industry. We are happy to tell you that we require our facilities to pass an audit by Cook & Thurber, a HUMAN FOOD auditing firm.” Other manufacturers are used besides Menu Foods. Products do not contain wheat gluten, corn or soy, artificial preservatives, flavors or colors. Whiskas See Mars Pet Food Whole Foods 365 Everyday Value (verified by company 3/23/07) When asked, they would neither admit or deny that Menu Foods is their manufacturer - the name(s) of their manufacturer(s) is “confidential.” “Raw ingredient that caused the illnesses reported was not being used in our products.” Wysong (verified by company 3/27/07) Menu Foods is used for 2 canned products but not involved in recall. These are Au Jus (chicken, duck, turkey, NOT rabbit) and Stew & Gravy (beef & chicken) All other foods manufactured in their own facilities (2 factories) in the US. No wheat gluten is used in their products. All products are from the US AGAIN: Do not take this list as the final word. It is neither an endorsement of any foods listed, nor is it a complete list of all pet foods that are not on the recall list. Please check with the manufacturer of your pet’s food…check their website or call them,and continue to check the Menu Foods recall list at http://menufoods.com/recall/