Pet food RECALL: Nutro Cat Food

http://www.nutroproducts.com/

Franklin, Tennessee (May 21, 2009) –  Nutro Products announced a voluntary recall of select varieties of NUTRO® NATURAL CHOICE® COMPLETE CARE® Dry Cat Foods and NUTRO® MAX® Cat Dry Foods with “Best If Used By Dates” between May 12, 2010 and August 22, 2010. The cat food is being voluntarily recalled in the United States and ten additional countries. This recall is due to incorrect levels of zinc and potassium in our finished product resulting from a production error by a US-based premix supplier.

Two mineral premixes were affected. One premix contained excessive levels of zinc and under-supplemented potassium. The second premix under-supplemented potassium. Both zinc and potassium are essential nutrients for cats and are added as nutritional supplements to NUTRO® dry cat food.

This issue was identified during an audit of our documentation from the supplier. An extensive review confirmed that only these two premixes were affected. This recall does not affect any NUTRO® dog food products, wet dog or cat food, or dog and cat treats.

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Mixed Feelings about Michael Vick/HSUS partnership

Wouldn’t it be nice if Michael Vick were to acknowledge and abhor the brutality of his previous actions and use his tremendous media appeal and influence to advocate against dog fighting and animal cruelty in general?

What a redemption story! A controversial, photogenic, sporting celebrity with a rough past and uber street cred uses his powers for good instead of evil”. It seems like a GREAT idea, right? After all, who better to influence impressionable youth than someone who’s been in the belly of the beast, so to speak?

Sounds lovely, doesn’t it? Like a Hollywood screenplay – and who doesn’t love a good redemption story?

As part of a concerted PR campaign, Michael Vick has been looking for a while for a partnership with an animal welfare group to help convince the public he’s a changed man.

In December, PETA walked away from a deal with Vick, believing that he fits an established profile for anti-social personality disorder, or APD (a nice way to say he’s a raving psychopath).

Now he’s in talks with the HSUS, who think he can be an asset in their anti dog fighting campaign and that they can use him to spread the message that dog fighting is a crime that can cost you everything.

On the HSUS blog, the HSUS President Wayne Pacelle wrote that Mr. Vick "asked for an opportunity to help. I want to give him that opportunity. If he makes the most of it, and demonstrates a sincere, long-term commitment to the task, then it may prove to be a tipping point in our campaign to eradicate dog fighting."

Kudos has to go to the HSUS for giving this a try. We have mixed feelings about the idea though. 

From a humane education standpoint, there’s clear value in having a high profile name like Vick in your corner.  You can’t argue that he appeals to the demographic that is most at risk of getting involved in dog fighting.

But are we really expected to believe that Michael Vick has had a change of heart, is truly repentant and is now simply wanting to restore Karmic balance? The same Michael Vick who didn’t just participate in but willfully instigated the most vicious acts of animal cruelty, someone who allegedly laughed while throwing family pets in the training ring as bait?? Even accepting that such a remarkable moral reversal is possible, let’s consider what Vick stands to gain if this particular PR exercise is successful: international fame, a well-paid career back in the public eye – and let’s not forget those lucrative endorsements and licensing deals. The story alone is worth millions.

And doesn’t that send a different message? That you don’t REALLY lose everything and the consequences of your felonious brutality aren’t permanent – do the crime, do some time, make nice with the animal welfare people and it’s like nothing happened.

We hope for the animals’ sakes that the Humane Society’s instincts are right on this one.

What do you think?

• Read the HSUS statement by Wayne Pacelle, then take the poll in an Examiner article by our President, Rebecca Poling.
• Do you feel that Michael Vick should be permanently banned from the NFL? If so, sign this petition.

Further reading/Listening:

• Advertising Age – Michael Vick’s Image Rehab to Include Humane Society
• The NPR interview with the HSUS’s Wayne Pacelle about Michael Vick 
• Wayne Pacelle’s HSUS blog post on the Vick talks
• A previous blog post on the Michael Vick story
• March 2009 Sports Illustrated Article
• December 2008 Sports Illustrated article 
• A Timeline of Michael Vick dogfighting case – The Associated Press

(by Urbancritter)

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Lone Star Pet Adopt-A-Thon This Saturday, May 9 at The Ballpark in Arlington

Join us this Saturday for some fun in the sun and (hopefully) meet your next furry family member!

This Saturday – May 9, hundreds of organizations across the state will be participating in the Lone Star Pet Adopt-A-Thon Weekend, sponsored by the Texas Animal Shelter Coalition. The weekend adoption event is designed to promote animal organizations as “the place” to adopt dogs and cats.

Headlining the weekend will be a huge Adopt-A-Thon on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at The Ballpark in Arlington, Parking Lot E, at the corner of Ballpark Way and Six Flags Road. 

More than 35 animal shelters, rescue groups and vendors will have hundreds of adorable, adoptable dogs and cats available for adoption and all in one location.

Please come out and join us!  Even if you aren’t ready to adopt, we’ll have lots of great information available to help you prepare your pet for an emergency, free pet thermometers, paw print purses, stop puppy mill bracelets, and games and coloring books for the kids!

For more info:

• Find out why it is so important to adopt, not buy
• Check out the Texas Animal Shelter Coalition website.

(by urbancritter)

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Huge Adopt A Thon May 9 at Ballpark in Arlington!

This year, May 9, 2009, Companions For Life and hundreds of organizations across the state will be participatging in the Lone Star Pet Adoptathon Weekend, sponsored by the Texas Animal Shelter Coalition. The weekend adoption event is designed to promote animal organizations as “the place” to adopt dogs and cats. Headlining the weekend will be a huge Adopt A Thon on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at The Ballpark in Arlington, Parking Lot E, at the corner of Ballpark Way & Six Flags Road. More than 35 animal shelters, rescue groups and vendors will have hundreds of adorable, adoptable dogs and cats available for adoption and all in one location.

Please come out and join us! Even if you aren’t ready to adopt, we’ll have lots of great information available to help you prepare your pet for an emergency, free pet thermometers, paw print purses, stop puppy mill bracelets, and games and coloring books for the kids!

For more info: Find out why it is so important to adopt, not buy, visit Companions For Life on the web, or check out the Texas Animal Shelter Coalition website.

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This week is National Be Kind to Animals Week

American Humane Association’s first Be Kind to Animals Week in 1915 marked a new commitment to humane education in the United States. Since then, animal shelters, schools, libraries and community
groups have celebrated the role of animals in our lives with special Be Kind to Animals Week activities each year during the first full week in May.

For educators, May 3-9, 2009, is the perfect time to encourage kindness and compassion in children.

This is a great week to engage kids in animal-related activities to help them learn compassion and recognize the special value our animal companions bring.

American Humane has a great list of thought-provoking and skill-building projects for children of all ages from kindergarten through high school – whether you’re a parent, teacher or otherwise involved with children we’d like to encourage you to work with your kids on one of the projects listed on the site this week – click here for project ideas!

Be Kind to Animals Week isn’t just for kids though – Why not use this week to take some action on behalf of animals in Texas?

When we all pulled together, we were able to change the Dallas City animal ordinances, which goes to show what passionate citizens can do. There are a number of bills currently being considered by the State Legislature that could make Texas a kinder State for animals and your call or letter could make a real difference.

Need some help? The HSUS has a comprehensive guide to citizen lobbying while the ASPCA even has a model letter format that makes it even easier to draft a letter to your representative!

Here are some of the bills pending that you could help pass with your action:

• Pet Theft bill would allow for a penalty for theft of a pet.
  • Bill Number: TX H.B. 435
  • Who to contact – Bill Sponsor(s): Rep. Eddie Lucio III (D, 38)

• Pet Protection Order proposes to include pets in protection orders in cases of domestic abuse.
  • Bill Number: TX H.B. 853 & S.B. 1840
  • Who to contact -  Bill Sponsor(s): Rep. Jodie Laubenberg (D. 89) & Sen. Carlos Uresti (D, 19)
• Puppy Mill bill proposes reasonable licensing and regulation of commercial dog and cat breeders and the regulation of dog and cat dealers.
  • Bill Number: TX H.B. 3180 & S.B. 1910
  • Who to contact – Bill Sponsor(s): Rep. Senfronia Thompson (41) & Sen. John Whitmire (15)
  • *Easy action* Use the HSUS action center to send a form letter or email on this issue!
• Tethering bill would prohibit cruel tethering of a dog (we helped successfully implement anti tethering ordinances in Dallas City, why not across the State?!)
  • Bill Number: TX S.B. 634
  • Who to contact – Bill Sponsor(s): Sen. Kel Seliger (R, 31)

This week, please be a role model for compassion and help our kids learn the value of being kind to animals. Happy Be Kind To Animals Week!

(posted by Urbancritter)

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