Petco Pulls All Chinese-Made Pet Treats from Stores in Voluntary Safety Recall

Petco is voluntarily issuing a safety recall of Chinese-made pet treats from all their store shelves, after jerky treats have caused numerous pets to fall ill in recent years.

The national pet retailer announced through its website that the voluntary safety recall would cover all 1,300 Petco stores across the country. Petco is the first pet item retailer to remove the imported treats due to safety concerns. The company said that since 2007, thousands of dogs and cats have become ill after eating the jerky treats, and at least 1,000 dogs have been killed, all just in the US.

The FDA has also targeted the Chinese-made jerky pet snacks, issuing a warning that chicken, duck, and sweet potato jerky treats from China can cause pets to fall ill, and in some cases, die. The Food and Drug Administration has received 4,800 complaints about the pet treats, involving more than 5,600 dogs, but due to differences in food laws for humans versus pets, there has been no federal-level safety recall.

“We believe this is the right thing to do, and we’re proud to take this step in the best interest of pets,” Petco CEO Jim Myers said in a statement. “What we feed our pets matters.”

“Getting to the bottom of this problem is a priority for FDA, and the agency is continuing its comprehensive investigation into the potential cause of the pet illnesses,” Tracey Forfa, the deputy director of the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine, told Congress in June. US investigations have yet to pinpoint the source of the pet illnesses, despite inspection of Chinese factories.

PetSmart, Petco’s largest rival in the US, has also announced that the company will remove Chinese-made pet treats from their stores in a voluntary safety recall.

The Strom Law Firm Protects Citizens Harmed by Delayed Safety Recalls for Food or Toys

Every year, thousands of consumers sustain serious injuries from defective products, and improper or delayed safety recalls. Many of these injuries could be avoided if the manufacturers or distributors of these products took additional steps to ensure consumer safety, such as issuing product recalls in a timely fashion. Although any product could be subject to a recall due to improper testing, some of the most common product recalls are for automobiles and automotive parts, drugs and medical devices, and children’s toys. Now, even the family pet needs protection from dangerous products, like chew toys or contaminated pet food.

The attorneys at the Strom Law Firm keep a close watch on recalls of dangerous and defective product recalls in the US. We aim to protect our clients’ health and safety, and hold manufacturers to the highest possible standard of safety. If you or a loved one, including a beloved pet, have experienced severe, life-limiting side effects from a defective product or drug, and believe that your pain stems from a product recall that came too late, you may be entitled to compensation. The Strom Law Firm can help. We offer free, confidential consultations to discuss the facts of your case, so contact us today. 803.252.4800.