UPDATE: Correction to Date Code in Natural Balance Pet Foods’ Voluntary Recall
Someone asleep at the pet recall switch, realizing their mistake, would like consumers to know they made a little boo boo.
It seems like a tiny mistake, but I guess a one day difference in the pet food industry, apparently, means the difference between food contaminated with Salmonella and the next it’s not. I’ve never understood how that works, that is, unless Homer Simpson was working that day.
I can’t quite grasp how Diamond, despite giving consumers no earthly explanation for the contamination, expects to prevent the problem from happening again? The FDA said they never found the reason for it. OK, fine? Nevertheless, they were given the thumbs-up to resume production at the troubled plant in Gaston, South Carolina. A clean bill of health, so to speak.
But think about this, if they didn’t know why it occurred, what makes them so sure they can prevent “it” from occurring again? You see what I’m saying? It just doesn’t fly.
To put more plainly, if you don’t know how it got broke, how can ya fix it? Using that screwy logic, whose to say it won’t just break again? Since they have no clue how it got broke in the first place. Get it? I don’t. But, that is just what they are telling us.
Which, to anyone whose ever had a car that was possessed by the Devil, you know the ones, the ones that despite spending heaps of money on and giving your mechanic a reason to laugh all the way to the bank, the car (better known as that rotten piece of sh*t) keeps giving you grief. Despite cursing at it and beating the daylights out of its dashboard it still won’t behave.
Then you feel a bit remorseful and give the crap-car a good scrubbing, maybe you even wax it, put some lip-gloss on its tires. But, despite the peace-offering, you just know, deep down, that car is just waiting to get you. Waiting for that moment, when you are late for an important meeting, your mascara is on crooked, you have a run in your stockings and Goddamnit, you just broke a nail…and Whamo! The car from Hell craps out again.
I admit it, I had a car just like that. It was beautiful to look at, but it was the biggest piece of shit I ever had. And had it not been for my dogged determination to teach that car a lesson it would never forget, I would have happily shoved it off a cliff. So, the moral to the story is: everything is not as it seems, everything that is beautiful is not gold, cut your losses, get a clue, and if all else fails push it off a cliff.
On that note, I give you the correction.
Correction to Date Code in Natural Balance Pet Foods’ Voluntary Recall Dated May 4, 2012 Due to the Potential for Salmonella Contamination
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – May 11, 2012 – On May 4, 2012, Natural Balance Pet Foods announced a voluntary recall of certain dry pet food formulas manufactured by Diamond Pet Foods at their Gaston, South Carolina facility. Link to original press release: http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm303042.htm
The original press release contained a typographical error in the Best By Date of one of the products listed. It stated a Best By Date of March 12, 2013 when it should have been March 13, 2013.
The incorrect Best By Date listed was:
5 LB Natural Balance Sweet Potato & Venison Dog UPC# 7-23633-88650-5
Lot Code NBH0103 Best By Date: March 12, 2013
The correct Best By Date is:
5 LB Natural Balance Sweet Potato & Venison Dog UPC# 7-23633-88650-5
Lot Code NBH0103 Best By Date: March 13, 2013
Natural Balance Pet Foods apologizes for any potential confusion this may have caused.
Pet owners who are unsure if the product they purchased is included in the recall, or who would like replacement product or a refund, may contact Natural Balance Pet Foods Customer Service at (800) 829-4493 (8am – 5pm, PST). Consumers may also go to www.naturalbalanceinc.com 
for more information.
Your complete guide to the Diamond Pet Food recalls (poisonedpets.com)
Diamond’s troubled plant is up and running again, despite not having found the cause of the contamination (poisonedpets.com)
the Complete Guide to Making a Pet Food Complaint (poisonedpets.com)
Additional Information on How to Report a Problem with Pet Food (poisonedpets.com)
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15 Comments
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Allison
Freedom of speech. And actually ‘goddamnit’ was written as one word so I don’t see how the Lord’s name was used ‘in vain’ when I’m pretty sure his name isn’t ‘goddamnit’. Coming from a science background I’m refraining myself from saying much more :) I was also raised as a ‘Christian’ which was a strict and brainwashing religion as far as I’m concerned. I remember asking a nun at the private school I attended if my pets will be in heaven when I get there and being told a strict NO and that pets should be seen as objects not friends or family members…which makes me wonder why you are even commenting on a pet related article?
Mollie Morrissette
I was feeling pretty brutal that day – plus she just pissed me off. I don’t have anything against Christians just Christians like her.
Julie Stuckey
OK… so I was just a little pissed when I wrote this letter to Natural Balance… it is what it is:
I contacted your company some time ago regarding the vegetarian dog food kibble. I have trusted your company for several years and now I feel not only let down by Natural balance but the pet supply store I faithfully buy my girl’s kibble from. I am absolutely LIT that I did indeed feed my dog the vege formula that is on the recall list and know I know without a doubt, that it was not the density of the kibble that made her sick.
I proactively try to keep up with animal welfare issues and I can’t imagine how many people have (the average consumer) no idea that what they are feeding their dog could be slowing and painfully be killing them.
Companion animals look to us humans to care for them. Dogs give us human everything (or it is taken) and ask for very little in return. The LEAST we could do to honor such blind trust and unconditional love, would be to make sure what is fed to them is not toxic.
I am almost… almost, equally upset with my pet store – as I had mentioned my dogs symptoms multiple times but becasue she is a larger dog and went through the bag somewhat quickly, the “symptom’s” would disappear. NOTHING has ever been mentioned to me at any time regarding the possible contamination.
I am most shocked and disgusted that there is nothing that notifies pet parents (consumers) at the actual location where the products are purchased about recalls of possible contaminated pet food products are sold.
I WILL ALSO BE TELEPHONING YOUR COMPANY AND I WILL BE SURE TO SET ASIDE ADEQUATE TIME SO THAT I CAN BE PROVIDED DETAILED INFORMATION ON HOW YOUR COMPANY IS CHANGING GUIDELINES & POLICY REGARDING COMMUNICATION OF POTENTIALLY CONTAMINATED PRODUCTS AND THE VARIOUS OUTLETS THAT WILL BE UTILIZED(EX. RETAIL LOCATIONS LIKE PETSUPERMARKET.
Mollie Morrissette
Julie! You are going to LOOOVE my next post! I was not in a good mood when I wrote it, because I was sick and tired of waiting for those jerks at Diamond to get back to me, so I let em have it.
Karen Thompson
Nice point there Mollie. That’s what Christians do. Having faith. Having mercy on dogs.
Roberta
Please tell me why you bothered to put an asterisk in sh*t concerned that you might perhaps offend someone but neglected to find a suitable synonym for your profanity of the Lord’s name. You wrote a great article, informative and entertaining and at the same time lost all your credibility. Pity.
Mollie Morrissette
The definition of “God damn it” is used as slang, it is a phrase used in a generally non-religious context. It is rarely used literally, and is considered a lesser of vulgarities, though to the extremely religious it is considered highly offensive. In the Christian faith it is considered a violation of one of the ten commandments.
As I am not of the Christian faith and I find it highly offensive when the religious right tries to insult my intelligence by suggesting I use a more “suitable synonym” for my “profanity in the Lord’s name”.
Because my spiritual life differs from yours does not make me less credible, but it makes you seem to be a judgemental woman. I pity all the millions of people who, throughout history, have used religion as an excuse to judge and condemn others their right to freedom of expression.
Roberta
Molly, your choice of language cannot be casually dismissed as use of slang or a generality, when you know fully well what it means. You can call me anything you like, if it makes you feel better. It doesn’t change the truth that there are absolutes in this world and wrong is wrong. I was hoping for an understanding from you that using language that is offensive to Christians is as wrong as if I were to have stooped to name-calling based upon what might have been my assessment of your belief-system after reading your article. As a writer, you should be sensitive to those who call themselves Christians, Muslims, or Hindu, and failure to do so shows disrespect for our beliefs. This is the pity and where you lose credibility as a writer. Would you have reacted so vehemently were I a Muslim or a Hindu and I had posited an issue with some part of your article? If you choose to believe nothing, that’s your choice, and for that, I am sorry. Just keep God out of the picture.
Mollie Morrissette
It is this kind of condemnation that is so typical of the religious right. It is slang, not name calling. Don’t confuse the two. My sensitivity to all faiths is this: mutual respect and freedom of expression. I refuse to engage in a theological argument based on your rigid definition of what is “right” and what is “wrong”. BTW – don’t tell me what to do. I don’t care if you are a Christian, a Muslim, or whatever — that doesn’t entitle you to judge me. It’s people like you who give organized religion a bad name.
soulodious
Absolutely right Mollie. It’s the attitude of Christians who are zealots that drove me from the Christian faith decades ago. Please note I use the term zealots. I have the utmost respect for Christians who quietly practice their faith and leave me to my own beliefs.
Mollie Morrissette
Amen! No seriously, I feel the same way. I was in no way condemning or criticizing Christianity as a whole. I do, however, object to anyone, regardless of their faith, shoving their ideology down my throat. It is that madness that rigid intolerance that has been the cause of so much destruction throughout history: in the name of God? Poor God, what did he ever do to deserve such a rotten reputation?
PAUX
Pity for you, Your G-D would also condemn/damn these manufacturing corporations for their lack of care in their practices causing many deaths of the creatures here on earth to increase their profits. They are just another form of the money changers in the temples hurting those loved and created by your G-D. As Mollie states, it wasn’t made in a religious realm.