The PetsitUSA Blog

Merrick expands pet food recall AGAIN due to salmonella

Posted: 13 Aug 2010 06:44 PM PDT

Merrick has extended the the Beef Filet Squares and Texas Hold’ems pet food recall because of salmonella.

MERRICK PET CARE RECALLS BEEF FILET SQUARES & TEXAS HOLD'EMS 10 oz BAG (ITEM # 60016 ALL LOTS) BECAUSE OF POSSIBLE SALMONELLA HEALTH RISK

08.13.2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 13, 2010
Customer Inquiries: (800) 664-7387
Other Inquiries: JAMES WITCHER, COO (806) 322-2806

Merrick Pet Care, Inc. of Amarillo, Texas is recalling all lots of its 10 oz "Beef Filet Squares" for dogs and "Texas Hold'ems" pet treats because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. Salmonella can affect animals and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products. People handling the treats can become infected with Salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the chews or any surfaces exposed to these products. Consumers should dispose of these products in a safe manner by securing them in a covered trash receptacle.

Healthy people infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers immediately.

Pets with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian immediately.

The "Beef Filet Squares" & "Texas Hold'ems" were shipped to distributors and retailers throughout the US. These individuals have been notified and have activated their recall procedures.

No illnesses have been reported to date.

Consumers who have purchased 10 ounce packages of "Beef Filet Squares for Dogs" & "Texas Hold'ems" are urged to return the unused portion to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1-800-664-7387 M-F 8:00 – 5:00 CDT.

Is this getting old or what?

Just to refresh your memory, this isn’t the first time they’ve expanded their recall. They started recalling them back in January. See the Merrick news page for all four news releases.

(thanks to Carol for the tip on this one!)

Contest for pet sitters, dog walkers, & dog daycares

Posted: 13 Aug 2010 08:18 AM PDT

PetsitUSA is about to launch a brand new website . . .
and we want to celebrate by giving some cool stuff away!

We’re keeping it under wraps for a while yet, but we’re almost ready to let you see the new website!

PetsitUSA is one of the oldest and most popular pet sitter directories online but we decided it was time to spiff things up a bit. So, we’ve been busy working on a fabulous new look and some new features that we can’t wait to show you!

To celebrate, we’re going to be giving a few things away especially for pet sitters, dog walkers, and dog daycares! (If this isn’t you, don’t worry – we’ll have another contest coming up soon!)

Here’s what we will be giving away:

A one-year memberships to PetsitUSA!
These are for pet sitters, dog walkers, and dog daycares. We’ll be giving three of these away.
A one hour social media consultation!
Your call will be with Therese Kopiwoda, owner of PetsitUSA. You can use this to get a critique of your website, help setting up a LinkedIn profile, for a general intro to social media, etc. It’s your choice!
A custom Twitter background!
This will include your logo and information about your business.
A custom Facebook landing page!
Includes text, one or two images, and an email opt-in box if desired.
(does not include page setup)
We may have a few extras here and there, so be sure to enter!

So, how do you enter?

It couldn’t be any easier – just fill out the form below between now and August 27 – and we’ll announce the winners the week of August 30.

Visit us on Facebook for more updates!
And once you get there click on the Biz Tips tab for 101 ways to market your pet care business.

You know there have to be some rules, so here they are:

Entrants must be 18 years of age or older.
Entries will be accepted until midnight (central time) Friday, August 27, 2010.
Winners will be notified by email, and must contact us within 72 hours or prize will be given to someone else.
Winners agree to hold PetsitUSA, it's owners, affiliates, subsidiaries, licensees, sponsors, and agents harmless from and against any damages arising from their participation in the contest, and the receipt or use of any prizes.
Winners agree to have their first name, city and state mentioned on the blog in a list of winners.
Winners of PetsitUSA memberships will be bound by the PetsitUSA terms of service. Memberships must be set up within 5 days of winners being notified.
Winners of the Twitter and Facebook custom work, and the consultation must schedule work to be done before November 15, 2010.
Winners must wait 60 days before being eligible to win another contest with PetsitUSA.
Winners must be in the Continental United States.

Pets

Saturday, August 14, 2010