Pet owners are very vigilant about what they feed their pets these days as one recall after another hits the news media. A recent recall to join the list is from evanger’s dog and cat food manufacturer. They are based in Wheeling IL, but the lots affect dog food sold both online and in retail stores in several states.
States affected by recall are widespread
According to the FDA website the contaminated dog food, Hunk of Beef, 12 oz cans were sold in Washington, California, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, and were manufactured the week of June 6 – June 13, 2016.
The pentobarbital was only found in one lot, but Evanger’s voluntarily recalled all lots made that same week as a precaution. Pet owners should check to make sure they do not have any of the food that is part of the recall. If you have the affected Hunk of Beef Canned food, do not feed it to your dog.
If ingested it can cause drowsiness, excitement, loss of balance and even death in extreme cases. If you have fed any of the food to your dog, monitor them closely and contact a vet if necessary. Evanger’s posted a statement on their website stating that when they were notified about dogs becoming ill, they started an immediate investigation and began the recall.
Family owned and operated for 82 years
Evanger’s is a family owned business and has a reputation of providing excellent dog and cat food. They take the process and manufacturing of their pet food quality seriously and feel they have been “let down by their supplier.” The website also states that the dog food company was unaware of the problem of pentobarbital in the pet food industry.
Pentobarbital can be found in dry dog food that gets its ingredients from rendering plants. The drug is often used to euthanize animals. The animals are then taken to rendering plants. Some animal food manufacturers then obtain rendered products to make their food. A book titled “Foods Pets Die For” goes into great detail about this entire process.
Evanger’s plans full disclosure of test results
According to their website, Evanger’s has paid the vet bills for dogs that became sick due to eating the food and has found a lab that will test for the drug and is continuing to test their food and share results with the consumer. They also plan to make a donation to an animal shelter. Their statement and the full FDA report can be found on their website.
We should note that Evanger’s has been in business for 82 years and this is its first recall. That’s a pretty impressive record, and they seem to be on top of this recall. They have advised that consumers can call 847-537-0102 with any concerns or questions they may have. Always stay alerted to any dog food recalls, no matter what you feed your pet.
