Major Pet Food Recall Issued

(NewsInsights.org) – Many people feel their pets are more than just working or companion animals; they’re family. Companies providing pet care products and services anticipate Americans will spend $12.21 billion in 2024. However, on May 17, one major pet food supplier issued a limited voluntary recall for one of their products.

Mars Petcare, a subsidiary of Mars Incorporated, issued a voluntary recall for 315 of the company’s 44-pound-bag-sized PEDIGREE® Adult Complete Nutrition Grilled Steak & Vegetable Flavor Dry Dog Food because some may contain loose metal pieces. The affected products include labeling on the bottom of each bag showing Lot Code 410B2TXT02 and a Best By Date of March 4, 2025.

Mars Petcare distributed the affected product to Walmart stores in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Texas, and the two companies are coordinating to remove affected products from inventory and assist consumers with returns. The manufacturer reported that the loose metal pieces could pose a health threat to pets. Fortunately, it had received no injury or illness reports stemming from the recalled products.

The company is asking consumers to stop using any affected bags of the products immediately and contact Mars Petcare to obtain a refund. Consumers can reach the company by phone at 1-800-525-5273 Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. CST or Saturday and Sunday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. CST. Alternatively, consumers can contact the company by visiting https://www.pedigree.com/update.

If a pet owner believes their animal has eaten the recalled product, they should monitor for unusual behaviors and contact their veterinarian if health conditions prompt concerns.

Companies have issued 17 recalls for veterinary and animal feed products in the last year. Often, Salmonella or Listeria contamination in food sources has caused the recalls. In one case, the manufacturer omitted vitamin D from products. Yet, in other instances, companies included too much of certain supplements, like sodium, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, or chlorides, making the products potentially harmful or even fatal.

Consumers can check https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts for recall alerts. Alternatively, CPSC.gov/Recalls lists more categories of recalled goods.