By By ANDY HAMILTON and JAN GRIFFEY / Niles Daily Star
NILES – The national news media did a good job informing pet owners quickly about this weekend's recall of a myriad of dog and cat foods, made by one manufacturer but sold under dozens of different brand names.
Menu Foods, a Canadian manufacturer of pet foods for companies like Iams and Eukanuba, as well as store brands for Wal-Mart, Meijer and a number of others, this weekend recalled certain brands of its canned and pouch dog and cat food after a number of pets were reported ill after eating it.
National news reports estimate that at least 10 pets died after eating the food.
Douglas Sibberson, store manager at PetSmart in Mishawaka, Ind., said his customers wanted more information, but already knew about the massive recall before coming to his store this weekend.
"The news media has done a real good job, particularly on websites. Our customers seem very informed," he said.
Sibberson said he got news on Friday night about the recall.
"We immediately pulled the items from the store shelves and posted signs about the recall, he said. "According to manufacturers, anything that is an issue with this has been pulled. Everything that remains on our shelves should be good."
Sibberson said his customers sought additional information about what effects the food could have on their pets.
"The problem is the pets are having kidney failure. We recommend to our customers under every circumstance that if you feel something is wrong with your pets, contact your veterinarian immediately," he said.
Niles Wal-Mart Assistant Manager Shawn Cline said the store has pulled mostly Purina and Mighty Dog brand pet foods off the shelves.
Wal-Mart brand Ol' Roy pet food was not part of the recall, Cline said.
"There's a lot of stuff that was pulled off," Cline said.
Customers can receive a full refund from Wal-Mart if they purchased a recalled product from the store.
Mary Umbarger, the store manager at Pet Supplies Plus in South Bend, Ind., said mostly Iams, Eukanaba and Nutrimax brand pet foods were removed from the shelves, but most of the brands they carry remain for sale.
"We had very little that was recalled because we carry more premium brands," Umbarger said.
She added Iams and Eukanaba voluntarily recalled their products from Pet Supplies Plus stores. The store, which has been receiving a lot of phone calls about the recall, has information about the recall and possible affects on pets that have consumed the recalled food, Umbarger said.
No information yet is available about what in the food could be causing pets to become ill. For a complete list of recalled pet food and more information, go to www.menufoods.com.