Plan B Forum

A US pet food company says traces of a drug used to euthanise animals have been found in some of its products, leading to a large recall.

Evanger's Dog & Cat Food issued the recall after detecting traces of pentobarbital, a sedative normally used to euthanise dogs, cats, and horses.
The voluntary recall affects five dog food products which had been sold in 16 states, according to officials.
One pug named Talula died after being fed the canned food on New Year's Eve.
Three others in the same Washington state household all began acting strangely after being fed the food, Evanger's Hunk of Beef with au jus, owner Nikki Mael told US media.
Mrs Mael told KATU: "I fed them one can and within 15 minutes, they were acting drunk, walking around, they couldn't … they were falling over".

Since 1935, Evanger’s Dog & Cat Food Company, Inc. has been the finest natural pet food company in the United States. Our founder, Fred Evanger, bred, exhibited, and championed his Great Danes in international kennel clubs. He was a fervent believer that his dogs’ health and the health of their offspring were dependent on wholesome, nutritious food, and strongly advocated that this was the key to his success in the show ring. Mr. Evanger built a canning factory at his kennels so that he could make a quality pet food, free of harmful additives or preservatives;, that was superior enough for his champions. Over 76 years later, we know that Fred Evanger was a man ahead of his time.

What the Professionals Have Known for 75 Years!
There is no question that Fred Evanger accomplished his objective back in 1935. Evanger’s Dog & Cat Food Co. grew into a regional, then national, success story as word of the quality ingredients and manufacturing processes spread to breeders of show and sports dogs, veterinarians, boarding kennels, and feed stores. Evanger’s has always supported the independent marketplace and you can find our quality pet foods in independent pet food retailers close to you; just click on our store locator!

Seventy-six years later, Evanger’s expanded pet food line is manufactured on the original site, following the same tradition of uncompromising quality in delicious meals for dogs and cats. Evanger’s remains a family-owned and operated company and continues to be as innovative today as Mr. Evanger was when he first started making pet food. In 2003, Evanger’s was the first pet food company to create a food that was packed by hand instead of machine by putting whole pieces of fresh meat and vegetables into the cans. This innovative process started another new trend in pet food, and we call it, “People Food for Pets™.”

Guinevere wrote:Horrific. I've never seen or heard of Evangers and I spend lots of time looking at high quality pet foods. Are they a western-based brand?

Big RR wrote:Is it possible that some of the animals who are used to make the food are given pentobarbital as part of the slaughtering process? I don't think this is ordinarily done, but it could be done for certain animals such as horses (and horse meat is often found in pet food). Alternatively, if they use rendered animals to make the food, I guess it is possible that some could be euthanized animals (but the potential for disease in such cases concerns me--that's part of what started the spread of mad cow disease).

Sabotage is a possibility as well, but it would depend on how widespread the contamination is.

But why would they be killing animals with pentobarb when a bolt gun is cheaper?

But why would they be killing animals with pentobarb when a bolt gun is cheaper?

BoSoxGal wrote: Apparently, there ARE dead dogs and cats in some pet foods, and even where there aren't, there are trace amounts of pentobarbital in pet foods.

BoSoxGal wrote:... Apparently, there ARE dead dogs and cats in some pet foods, and even where there aren't, there are trace amounts of phenobarbital in pet foods...