Pet Owners Awarded Settlement For Contaminated Pet Food Deaths.

source: Fox News
"A judge has granted initial approval to a settlement in which companies that manufactured or sold contaminated pet food would compensate pet owners for all costs related to the death or illness of their dogs and cats. Under the deal, granted initial approval by U.S. District Judge Noel Hillman, pet owners in the United States and Canada would be notified of the settlement by June 16 and would have until early December to submit claims. A final hearing on the $24 million settlement is scheduled for Oct. 14. The settlement doesn't pay pet owners for pain and suffering."


In 2007, over 1500 dogs and cats died by eating food that contained tainted wheat gluten. The company, Menu Foods, is at the center of this terrible tragedy. It seems that China, where the contaminated ingredient (wheat gluten) came from, has very, very loose inspection laws.

The chemical that is used to make plastic, melamine, was the contaminate. When it was discovered, it started the largest pet food recall in history. The company (Menue Foods), set up a fund called the Menu Foods Income Fund, and announced back on 4/1/08, that it is settling the lawsuits of pet owners who lost pets due to eating the contaminated food. The settlement is 24 million dollars. The final hearing is set for 10/14/08.