|
'Pet owners to be compensated'
19/04/2007 21:06 - (SA)
Johannesburg - Pet owners will be compensated for animals which died from eating contaminated pet food, said Royal Canin pet food manufacturers on Thursday.
This followed the death of 30 animals to date after a batch of the company's pet food was found to be contaminated with a substance called melamine.
Royal Canin managing director Gregory Watine said: "First, we are sharing their distress. We are pet lovers, we are a responsible company. We will take action."
He said the company would take full responsibility if pets were found to have died after consuming the contaminated food.
'Might not be isolated incident'
It was still under investigation whether pet owners whose animals had not died, but were ill would be compensated for their veterinary costs.
Each case would considered individually and the company would work with the vet treating the animal, said Watine.
The extent of the outbreak was unknown as the situation was "evolving".
Royal Canin recalled its Vets Choice and Royal Canin dog and cat dry pet food - manufactured between March 8 and April 11 - after investigating reports that pets were falling ill.
Symptoms of poisoning included diarrhoea, vomiting and excessive drinking of water - most of the animals had been diagnosed with renal failure.
An independent pathologist, Professor Fred Reyers, said the outbreak may not be an isolated incident.
He believed there was enough evidence to suggest a link between this outbreak and a similar one in Cape Town as well as one in the United States.
The source of the contaminant was said to be from raw materials that originated from China in the food.
|
News
