Pet Food

A company that made contaminated pet food that killed dozens of dogs nationwide will pay $3.1 million in a settlement with pet owners, an attorney said Friday. The pet food, which contained aflatoxin, a harmful substance produced by a fungus, was manufactured at Diamond Pet Foods Inc.'s plant in South Carolina.

In an effort to reassure American consumers about the safety of food and medicine made in China, U.S. and Chinese officials signed agreements Tuesday giving U.S. officials a stronger hand in screening Chinese exports. But consumer groups and lawmakers in Washington pointed out that the two agreements covered only a small number of products. And the success of the new regulatory effort depends on whether Chinese officials can get producers to meet U.S.

More than 300 cats and dogs may have died in North America from eating contaminated pet food this year, according to a Michigan State University study. The survey of veterinarians found that 236 cats and 112 dogs died or were treated for symptoms linked to food that was recalled starting in March, Wilson Rumbeiha, a clinical toxicologist who conducted the study, said. Companies including Canada's Menu Foods Ltd. and Nestle recalled more than 100 pet food brands.

U.S. regulators are investigating more than 95 reports of dogs that became ill or died after eating chicken jerky. The Food and Drug Administration hasn't been able to determine the cause of the illnesses. Owners were urged to monitor pets for signs of illness, including vomiting, diarrhea and reduced activity. No brands were named.

The head of China's quality and safety watchdog said today that two companies that allegedly added a poisonous substance to protein powder linked to U.S. pet deaths faced criminal prosecution. China is pursuing criminal proceedings against Xuzhou Anying Biologic Technology Development Co. and Binzhou Futian Biotechnology Co.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. quietly stopped selling Chicken Jerky Strips from Import-Pingyang Pet Product Co. and Chicken Jerky from Shanghai Bestro Trading in July after customers said the products sickened pets. Tests of two Chinese brands revealed traces of melamine, a chemical agent that led to a massive pet food recall in March. Wal-Mart said that customers who purchased the products should return them to a Wal-Mart for a refund.

An epidemic of thyroid disease among pet cats could be caused by toxic flame retardants that are widely found in household dust and some pet food, government scientists reported Wednesday. The often-lethal disease was rare in cats until the 1980s, when it began appearing widely, particularly in California cats.

Moving is rough on pets. Christine Mattoni, an agent with Whitehouse Properties in Woodland Hills and a member of the Pet Realty Network, offers these tips for moving with pets: Before you move, make sure your pet's identification has your new address and phone number. Have medical records sent by fax before you move. Take at least one week's worth of pet food and medication with you. -- S.B.

U.S. regulators are negotiating an agreement with China designed to improve the safety of China's food exports after tainted shipments of fish and an ingredient in pet food. Representatives of both countries are scheduled to meet this month and in August and hope to reach an agreement by year-end, said David Acheson, the Food and Drug Administration's assistant commissioner for food protection. U.S.

Retired real estate developer Don Earl wasn't interested in playing detective when his cat, Chuckles, died in December of sudden and mysterious kidney failure. Earl, a resident of Port Townsend, Wash., said he suspected he knew what happened to his 6-year-old orange-and-white longhair when he heard reports of thousands of similar dog and cat illnesses last winter and the recall of tens of millions of containers of pet food. But his cat's food never made the list.