I love my dogs
Real Name: Michelle Member Since: February 08, 2008 Last Signed In: August 21, 2008 Blog Views: 239 Send To A Friend Sign Guestbook Add as a Friend
First human case of west nile virus
Is one cat enough? Cocoa Mulch can pose risk for pets Pet owners, makers of tainted food reach deal From the US Humane Society Question From the US Humane Society Earth Day Law and Order episode on dog fighting Raisins and Grapes Can Be Harmful to Dogs February 08 March 08 April 08 May 08 June 08 July 08 August 08 
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Pet owners, makers of tainted food reach deal
Friday May 23, 7:00 AM EDT MOUNT LAUREL, N.J. (AP) — Companies that were sued over contaminated pet food linked to the deaths of perhaps thousands of dogs and cats have agreed to pay $24 million to pet owners in the United States and Canada. The settlement is detailed in papers filed late Thursday in U.S. District Court in Camden. It still needs a judge's approval. "The settlement attempts to reimburse pet owners for all of their economic damages," said Russell Paul, a lawyer for plaintiffs in the lawsuit. The deal would affect people who incurred expenses directly related to the illness or death of a pet linked to the food, which was at the center of the biggest-ever U.S. pet food recall in 2007. Nearly 300 people sued about 30 companies in state and federal courts. They and perhaps thousands of other pet owners would be eligible for payments under the deal. Ontario-based Menu Foods Income Fund, which makes dog and cat food under about 90 brand names, and other firms that make or sell pet food announced April 1 that they were settling lawsuits with pet owners. The pet food was discovered to contain wheat gluten imported from China that was contaminated with melamine, a chemical used to make plastics. Though Menu was the first company to issue recalls, four other companies eventually recalled pet foods, too. Some of the companies have already paid out more than $8 million to people whose pets were sickened or killed after eating the contaminated food. Under the terms of the deal announced Thursday, pet owners could be reimbursed for all reasonable expenditures, including veterinarian bills and burial or cremation costs. Pet owners could also ask for the fair market value of their deceased pets, if that is higher than the costs incurred. Owners who do not have documentation of their expenses can get up to $900 each. All claims are subject to a review. The companies say they will donate any money left in the fund after claims are paid out to animal welfare charities. The settlement details were originally to have been filed in court about two weeks ago, but it took longer than expected to hash out the deal, partly because it had to be made to conform with both U.S. and Canadian law. A court hearing on the settlement is scheduled for May 30. This morning, the USDA announced that it will implement a complete ban on slaughter for human consumption of cattle unable to stand and walk unassisted. The decision comes after The Humane Society of the United States documented horrible abuses of downed cows in a series of undercover videos. For far too long, sick and crippled animals have been allowed into the food supply, subjecting them to needless torment and putting consumers at risk. Thanks in part to many thousands of animal advocates who emailed and called public officials about the scandalous mistreatment of these animals, the USDA is moving to close the downer loophole. We are calling on the agency to expedite the process and ban the slaughtering of downers without delay. Once the loophole is closed, we'll push for additional reforms. Stronger federal legislation is needed to ensure humane euthanasia of downers and protect all farm animals from this kind of abuse. We'll continue to lobby for further reforms and keep you updated. Thank you for all you do for animals. Sincerely, If you leave a cat burglar alone with your cats, and one comes up missing, should you be surprised?
You probably remember when The Humane Society of the United States exposed animal mistreatment at the Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Company. That investigation led to the nation's largest-ever beef recall. But now there's more. A few months later, a new undercover video shows farm animals suffering terribly even before they arrive at the slaughter plant. Cows too weak to walk, called "downers," languish for agonizing hours at stockyards and auctions without veterinary care -- or being put out of their misery. This abuse must not continue. The USDA has a presence at slaughter plants, but the animals at auctions and stockyards are in legal limbo. No one is watching at these intermediate locations, and no one is taking responsibility for ensuring humane treatment and that sick animals don't enter the food supply. It's a major gap in oversight, and we need to do better. Please ask the USDA to act now to close the loophole that allows some downers to be slaughtered for food, and to require immediate, humane euthanasia of all downers. Thank you for all you do for animals. Sincerely, |
