Question:
An important message to our valued customers about PEDIGREE® Dry dog food and WHISKAS® Dry cat food:
The makers of PEDIGREE® and WHISKAS® are committed to quality. We will do whatever it takes to protect the health and safety of our customers’ pets.
Therefore, on Thursday, 11 March, we announced our decision to expand our voluntary recall of PEDIGREE® Dry dog food and recall WHISKAS® Dry cat food in Southeast Asia, Korea and Japan because of concerns over raw material quality at a manufacturing plant in Thailand.
The company’s investigation has not confirmed a direct link between this finding and a previously reported increase in renal disease among dogs in Taiwan, Thailand and the Philippines. Veterinarians have not reported such problems with cats. Therefore, this is a precaution.
The recall applies to PEDIGREE® Dry dog food, WHISKAS® Dry cat food and PEDIGREE® Dog’s Delight Ringo, PEDIGREE® Dog’s Delight Tasty Bone and PEDIGREE® Puppy Biscuit dog treats manufactured at the Thailand plant. The products were sold in Taiwan, Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore and Vietnam. KITEKAT® dry sold in Thailand and Malaysia as well as CESAR® Duo sold in Taiwan and Korea are also to be withdrawn.
The recall also covers products in Japan and Hong Kong. In Japan, the recall is limited to one variety of PEDIGREE® Dry dog food, nine varieties of KALKAN® Brekkies dry cat food and two varieties of dry cat food sold under the KITEKAT® brands. In Hong Kong, the recall covers only PEDIGREE® Dog’s Delight Ringo and PEDIGREE® Dog’s Delight Tasty Bone treats.
The recall covers only products manufactured in Thailand, so consumers should check the label on the back of the package to determine where the product was made. Consumers are asked not to use the recalled products, and to return them for a full refund.
No other countries or products are subject to the recall.
We apologize to our customers for any distress, problem or inconvenience this situation may have caused. We will do everything possible to maintain your trust.
© 2004 Mars, Incorporated.
All Rights Reserved. ®/™ Pedigree Trademark of Mars, Incorporated and its affiliates.

Answer:

An important message to our valued customers about PEDIGREE® Dry dog food and WHISKAS® Dry cat food:
The makers of PEDIGREE® and WHISKAS® are committed to quality. We will do whatever it takes to protect the health and safety of our customers’ pets.
Therefore, on Thursday, 11 March, we announced our decision to expand our voluntary recall of PEDIGREE® Dry dog food and recall WHISKAS® Dry cat food in Southeast Asia, Korea and Japan because of concerns over raw material quality at a manufacturing plant in Thailand.
The company’s investigation has not confirmed a direct link between this finding and a previously reported increase in renal disease among dogs in Taiwan, Thailand and the Philippines. Veterinarians have not reported such problems with cats. Therefore, this is a precaution.
The recall applies to PEDIGREE® Dry dog food, WHISKAS® Dry cat food and PEDIGREE® Dog’s Delight Ringo, PEDIGREE® Dog’s Delight Tasty Bone and PEDIGREE® Puppy Biscuit dog treats manufactured at the Thailand plant. The products were sold in Taiwan, Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore and Vietnam. KITEKAT® dry sold in Thailand and Malaysia as well as CESAR® Duo sold in Taiwan and Korea are also to be withdrawn.
The recall also covers products in Japan and Hong Kong. In Japan, the recall is limited to one variety of PEDIGREE® Dry dog food, nine varieties of KALKAN® Brekkies dry cat food and two varieties of dry cat food sold under the KITEKAT® brands. In Hong Kong, the recall covers only PEDIGREE® Dog’s Delight Ringo and PEDIGREE® Dog’s Delight Tasty Bone treats.
The recall covers only products manufactured in Thailand, so consumers should check the label on the back of the package to determine where the product was made. Consumers are asked not to use the recalled products, and to return them for a full refund.
No other countries or products are subject to the recall.
We apologize to our customers for any distress, problem or inconvenience this situation may have caused. We will do everything possible to maintain your trust.
© 2004 Mars, Incorporated.
All Rights Reserved. ®/™ Pedigree Trademark of Mars, Incorporated and its affiliates.

Answer:

EFFEM FOODS ANNOUNCES VOLUNTARY RECALL
OF PET FOOD MADE AT THAILAND PLANT
Action Covers Six Southeast Asian Countries, Hong Kong, South Korea and Japan
SINGAPORE, March 11, 2004 – Effem Foods Inc. announced today the voluntary recall of PEDIGREE® Dry dog food because of concerns over raw material quality at a manufacturing plant in Thailand. The company said that as a precaution it was also initiating a voluntary recall of WHISKAS® Dry cat food and a few dog treat products made at the plant.
"We are taking this action out of an abundance of caution and in the best interests of our customers and their pets," said Dr. Duncan Hall, regional scientific affairs manager of Effem Foods. "This is the right thing to do to eliminate any concerns about the quality and safety of these products, and to ensure the health of our customers’ pets."
The company emphasized that it took action on the cat food even though veterinarians have reported no evidence of any increases of illnesses in cats.
The recall applies to PEDIGREE® Dry dog food, WHISKAS® Dry cat food and PEDIGREE® Dog’s Delight Ringo, PEDIGREE® Dog’s Delight Tasty Bone and PEDIGREE® Puppy Biscuit dog treats manufactured at the Thailand plant. The products were sold in Taiwan, Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore and Vietnam. In Hong Kong, the recall is limited to PEDIGREE® Dog’s Delight Ringo and PEDIGREE® Dog’s Delight Tasty Bone.
In Japan, the recall is limited to one variety of PEDIGREE® Dry dog food, nine varieties of KALKAN® Brekkies dry cat food and two varieties of KITEKAT® dry cat food.
No other countries or products are subject to the recall.
Consumers should check the label on the back of the package to determine where the product was made and whether it is subject to the voluntary recall, which covers only products manufactured in Thailand.
The company advised customers to stop feeding products covered by the recall to their pets and said they should consult with their veterinarian if they have any concerns. The company will offer a full refund for any unused product. Further details about the refund program and other information will be posted at
and available by calling telephone number, 6877-7007 (from 9am to 6pm everyday from Friday, March 12 onwards).
Effem Foods said the recalls were ordered immediately after evidence of mold was discovered in raw materials late Wednesday at the facility in Pakchong, Thailand. The Pakchong facility suspended production in response to reports of increased renal illness among dogs and a possible connection with PEDIGREE® Dry dog food.
The company’s investigation has not confirmed a direct link between the finding at the plant and an increase in reported cases of renal illness among dogs in Taiwan, Thailand and the Philippines. Tests conducted last week on product samples in the market by independent laboratories found no analytical evidence of any problem with the dog food.
On March 8, the company announced it had temporarily suspended shipments of PEDIGREE® Dry dog food from the Thailand plant to South Korea and six Southeast Asian countries, as well as a temporary product withdrawal in Taiwan, where most cases of renal disease had been reported.
The company is developing plans to resupply the affected markets with fresh product.
"We apologize to our customers for any distress, problem, or inconvenience this situation may have caused," said Calvin Schmidt, Southeast Asia General Manager. "We are doing everything possible to maintain their trust and ensure the safety of food for their pets."