Petco and PetSmart to stop selling China-made pet treats

[Stinky The Clown]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2014/05/21/petco-dog-treats-china/9367449/

Good news - on the surface.

But PetSmart says it will be March of 2015 before their stock of this poison is gone. Petco will be a little better, promising by the end of the year.

At least the poison will be gone.

[Adsos Letter]

1. Wait, wut? They admit they are toxic...

...but they intend to sell what stock they still have?

I admit I didn't read the article...

[Stinky The Clown]

2. You pretty much got it.

[Granny M]

4. Am I missing something?

They KNOW the stuff is killing dogs, and they are still selling it, until stocks run out? Does that not make them liable? Should there be at least a warning sign on the shelf by the products? They are inexcusably greedy.

[Curmudgeoness]

6. They are not admitting that Chinese treats are toxic.

They are just moving to remove all Chinese treats from their stores. I don't think that they have any knowledge that the particular treats in their inventory are poison, because most of them are not. It is just a safety issue for the future by cutting made in China treats out of the stores. I also would think that they are getting a lot of feedback from customers that they do not want any foods made in China....so it is a win/win. They please the customers, and animals are not fed poison.

At least, that is how I read it.

[Granny M]

7. I guess we just have to read all the labels.

I do that for my human shopping already, so it's just going to take a bit more time at the pet store. Maybe bake my own dog biscuits.

[Curmudgeoness]

8. I don't know the answer.

At least when you bake them yourself, you know what you have. But reading the labels would probably be easier....not foolproof, but what is!

[MADem]

3. I always read ingredients.

CRUMPS makes good pet treats--they are expensive but quality.

Those are Canadian, IIRC.

[glinda]

9. The massive pet food poising was a Canadian Company,

Menu Foods....that sold it self off immediately after legal judgement was handed down to hundred of people whose animals were poisoned. The distributor of the filler was in the USA and they received a slap on the hand with probation.
If it says "made in China" that does not mean the ingredients are not in "made in USA" items. In fact, many vitamins, fillers, etc....are made in China and mixed or made here in so called American Companies.
I have had it with this Country and their toxins.

[MADem]

10. CRUMPS is just slices of sweet potato, dried. The dogs love 'em.

I thought most of the poisoned dog food came out of China.

[glinda]

11. The toxic chems came out of China but the FOOD

came out of a Company in Canada and they had two facilities, one there and one in the US. The Companies under Menu Foods covered a huge host of other Brands....like try over 100 brands. These Companies distributed from Canada as well as from the US. The melamine and the other chemical used in rat poisons was sold as "filler" to them and in order to get more money per poundage these substances were added in China or along the way. Thousands died or suffered permanent damage. Our home had 10 victims so I know a bit about this and pet food in general since.
China supplies many ingredients that are used in many if not most pet foods. Can still say "Made in USA" on package though.

[MADem]

14. In the treats I am talking about, there are no chemicals.

It's just slices of sweet potato, dried.

[get the red out]

5. Thank goodness

And also thank goodness for the independent pet supply stores we have here in Lexington, KY (and many other places) - locally owned and selling non-poison food and treats.

[mopinko]

12. beat me to it. buy local.

if you have a dehydrator, you can make all kinds of treats easily.
i have dried bits of leftover meat for treats. try to use them quickly, but they do last. just not as longs as the unfood ones.
pretty much any leftovers that the dog enjoys can be dried.
chewy stuff is something else, but....

[mopinko]

13. a fun one- mushrooms treats

http://www.fungi.com/product-detail/product/muttrooms-mushroom-dog-biscuits.html

i have gotten these, as they do not have much in them but mushrooms. no doctor dog food allergens. the dogs all like them.
tad spendy. but good special treat.

also, try to support your local farmer if you do give your dogs bones. many of the peeps that sell meat at farmers markets can set you up with good raw bones.
once in a while i can score some bison bones for doc. yum.