Dog News

Toxic Treats Continue to Take Lives

by Melanie

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9.16.12 chicken jerkyAs many of you loyal fans may know, we recently covered a story about toxic chicken jerky strips manufactured in China.  A Life With Dogs reader sent us an email relating her sad story of these toxic treats:

 

Dear LWD,

Five days after eating just two pieces of the Waggin’ Train chicken jerky dog treats I bought at my local Walgreens, my German Shepherd Heidi died.

That day, I sat at my computer crying and did a Google search for “What killed my dog?”  That’s when I learned — too late — about the ongoing investigation by the FDA, and the hundreds of stories about dogs becoming ill and dying after eating these treats.

It could be months or years before the FDA recalls the treats, which are made in China — and in the meantime, Heidi and other dogs are dying because Walgreens and other retailers are still selling these dangerous treats.  I started a petition on Change.org asking Walgreens to stop stocking these deadly dog treats. Please click here to sign my petition and protect other dogs from suffering Heidi’s fate.

I knew nothing of the dangers of chicken jerky dog treats when I bought them for Heidi:  there was no warning on the package or on the shelf at Walgreens.

I can’t believe these dangerous treats are still being sold in stores across the country.  People trust their favorite stores and companies to sell them safe products.  I trusted my corner drug store.  Heidi trusted me.  And Heidi paid for it with her life.

Earlier this year, Terry Safranek started a petition on Change.org after her dog Sampson died, asking Nestle Purina to recall the treats.  Nestle is dragging its feet — but if Walgreens takes these treats off their shelves, fewer people will unknowingly feed their best friends dangerous treats, and other stores will have to start paying attention too.

Please help me by telling Walgreens that we need them to restore our trust in them by taking the treats off their shelves.  Click here to sign my petition.  When you sign, a letter will be sent to Walgreens and other top retailers that sell the treats.

Thank you for your help.

–         Rita Desollar

 

This is an issue that has affected many dog lovers who have lost their companions.  It is important to consider the purity of our pets’ food, and to be as cautious about what they ingest as we would of what we and our children take in.