When a Florida woman’s dog became ill after consuming Waggin’ Train Chicken Tenders, the company offered to pay half of her vet bill – but only if she would sign a confidentiality agreement.
Helene Dollinger says she recently bought Waggin’ Train Jerky Tenders for her standard poodles, Duv and Ari, and Duv became seriously ill shortly after consuming the dried treats.
“Blood was pouring out of his rectum,” she said.
Dollinger rushed Duv to her veterinarian: the sickened dog spent the following two weeks in recovery. After Duv’s illness, Dollinger called Waggin’ Treats to notify the company of the incident. The company agreed to pay half of her $300 veterinarian bill – as long as she was willing to keep quiet about it.
She was offered a confidentiality agreement and told to sign it in exchange for the check.
“Ms. Dollinger agrees that she, her spouse or partner, family members and veterinarian agree to keep this release and the incident it addresses in confidence and make no public statements as to either,” read the company’s letter.
But this dog lover says her priority was never money – it was consumer safety. Rather than accept money to be quiet, she says she wants every dog owner to know about the risks of feeding tainted treats. “I ripped up their check and I sent it back and I told (them) to stuff it,” she said.
When questioned about the incident, a company spokesman claimed that there was no record of Dollinger’s complaint.
