Menu Foods CFO sold stock just before recall

 From globeandmail.com:

The chief financial officer of Menu Foods Income Fund says it’s a “horrible coincidence” that he sold nearly half his units in the troubled pet food maker less than three weeks before a massive recall of tainted pet food.

Insider trading reports show that Mark Wiens sold 14,000 units for $102,900 on Feb. 26 and Feb. 27. Those shares would be worth $62,440 today, based on yesterday’s close of $4.46 a unit.

Just to be clear, February 27 is the very day that Menu Foods began testing the food. They had been receiving complaints from consumers prior to that day although the exact date is unclear.

Thanks to Itchmo for this lead.

Fire Destroys Jacksonville Humane Society

The Jacksonville Humane Society was destroyed by a massive fire on Saturday, April 7, 2007. I have found conflicting information online as to the exact number of deaths due to the fire but nearly all of the cats perished when the roof collapsed on the cat area.

According to a local source who I spoke with on the telephone today, there were 176 animals at the shelter when the fire broke out. 100 were cats and 95 of the cats died. Most of the dogs survived.

Obviously donations are needed to rebuild. You can make an online donation, or you can make a cash donation at any Wachovia Bank branch. Please reference account number 2000034081857 and the Jacksonville Humane Society Fire Rescue. They are also accepting cash donations at their thrift shop.

8328 Beach Blvd.
Jacksonville, Fl 32216

While this story would be tragic no matter where it happened, it is especially upsetting to us here at MuttCats.com. Karel Bergstrom, the author of the Adventures of Runner series on our website and a dear friend of mine, adopted Runner at this very shelter. Runner went to the bridge on September 5, 2006.

Karel tells me that she smelled the smoke and heard the sirens but did not know at the time that it was the animal shelter.

News Stories :

There are also three videos posted at YouTube:

NESTLE PURINA’S NEW $10M PET FOOD PLANT … IN CHINA 04/02/07

In view of the damning evidence the Menu Foods recall has dredged up regarding food imports from China, it is disturbing to learn that just last month Nestle Purina opened up a new, multi-million dollar pet food manufacturing plant in China.

“Swiss-based Nestle S.A’s pet food plant in Tianjin Municipality in north China began operating on Friday.

Nestle invested 80 million yuan (10.26 million U.S. dollars) in the plant and it has an annual production ability of 20,000 tons. It is the company’s first pet food plant in China.

The plant will use local-purchased raw materials including bean, corn and wheat. Its products will be sold in supermarkets, pet clinics and pet shops.”

Considering how poorly regulated foodstuffs from China are, it is shocking to imagine Nestle Purina pumping out 20,000 tons of potentially poisonous or otherwise adulterated pet food. How many dogs and cats — beyond the thousands reported in the Menu Foods scandal — will suffer or die as a result of Nestle Purina’s China production plant and use of “local-purchased raw materials”?

Read more »

Behind the scenes at MuttCats corporate office

I thought site visitors might like to know we are just regular people here with regular lives. I am not in this video since I’m holding the camera. Meet my daughter, son, and husband.

Pet Food Recall Article Round-Up

I’ll try to add more later. It’s time for me to get off the computer for awhile though.

Cat saves family from poisonous fumes

Cat saves family from poisonous fumes

NEW CASTLE, Ind. - A cat helped spare a family from death by carbon monoxide poisoning by jumping on the bed and meowing wildly as fumes filled the home, the owners said.

Thought we could use a short break from the Pet Food Recall to read about a hero pet. I do wonder how the cat knew since carbon monoxide is odorless.

Wal-Mart tries to help.

Wal-Mart Teams With Veterinarian/Nutritionist To Provide Solutions For Pet Owners

BENTONVILLE, Ark. – April 5, 2007 – In light of recent manufacturers’ pet food recalls, Wal-Mart Stores shared today that the company has teamed with veterinarian and nutritionist Dr. Sean Delaney to provide consumers pet food solutions. Realizing that a number of pets may be unsettled after their favorite food was withdrawn, Wal-Mart and Dr. Delaney have partnered to provide nutritional tips and solutions for maintaining a healthy, happy pet.

Lots of advice on changing foods although I have to question the old “mix the old food with the new food to transition slowly” advice when the old food is poisoned. I’m thinking an upset tummy beats kidney failure hands down.

For pet owners searching for homemade recipes designed for their specific pet, visit Dr. Delaney’s website at www.balanceit.com. A free recipe is available by typing in “Wal-Mart” in the promo code box.

Now that we can use.

Itchmo adds Pet Food Recall Help Page

Itchmo has added a Pet Food Recall Help Page to their site seemingly overnight. It includes a comprehensive list of recalled brands, a news summary, links, resources, advice, and more.

Very nice job.

Dog Biscuits Added to Recall

22 Brands of Dog Biscuits Are Added to Pet Food Recall

The recalled biscuits include Nurture Chicken and Rice Biscuit, Ol’ Roy Peanut Butter Biscuit and Pet Life Large Biscuit.

Conrad Pitts, a lawyer for Sunshine Mills, said 80 percent of the tainted biscuits were sold by Wal-Mart, under the Ol’ Roy brand.

So much for this “only affects cuts and gravy style food in cans and pouches”, huh? Oh, wait a minute… That was over when Del Monte recalled the treats on March 31st.

Our new blog

I have decided to add a blog to MuttCats.com after failing miserably to keep up to date news on our front page about the horrific Pet Poisoning of 2007.

It’s hard to update static HTML pages in Notepad and FTP them to the server as news breaks, which it has been several times daily the last few weeks. So now we have a blog.

Be patient with us — we’re just learning this blog thing.