UPDATE: I just got off the phone with Beneful Corporate. They are standing by their product. No plans for a recall. I was on the phone with them for 20 minutes and they answered all my questions. They are saying that a social media war was started against them 2 years ago.
Here is their official statement by spokesperson Keith Schop:
Beneful is a high-quality, nutritious food enjoyed by millions of dogs everyday. However, you may have heard that a class action lawsuit was recently filed in Northern California.
As pet owners ourselves, our priority is the health and well-being of the millions of dogs who enjoy Beneful. We take these allegations very seriously and stand by our product, which is backed by Purina’s strict quality controls and comprehensive food safety program.
Unfortunately, class action suits are common these days. They are not indicative of a product issue. In fact, we’ve faced two such suits in the past with similar allegations. Both were found to be baseless and were subsequently dismissed by the courts.
Adding to the confusion, social media outlets can be a source of false or incomplete information, as many other pet food brands have experienced themselves.
We at Beneful want you, our valued customers, to know that this lawsuit is baseless; you can continue to feel confident feeding your dogs our food. We stand committed to our Brand, our products and your pets.
We encourage you to reach out to us at any time with any questions at 1-800-877-7551. Or, visithttps://www.beneful.com/our-people to get a behind the scenes look into how the Purina Nutrition Research team evaluates the safety and ingredients of Beneful dog food.
Yesterday I heard this report on KOB TV in Albuquerque, NM that Beneful dog food is killing dogs! It shocked me as this is the food we have been giving Reno for a couple of weeks. I quickly called our Vet, Dr, Kacie Martin at VCA on Wyoming in Albuquerque and she had just heard this report also. Dr. Martin is doing her research on this situation. I returned the Beneful to Smith’s last night, their shelves were yet full of Beneful, they had not heard the news report. I then went to Pet Smart and got Hill’s Ideal Balance at the suggestion of Dr. Martin. Pet Smart also had their shelves full of Beneful. The clerk told me they had heard of the news report but were waiting for instructions. Reno seems his happy self, we will keep an eye on him.
I would hate to think that Purina knew of this problem. I pray over this situation. Pictured here is Dear Friend Rick Stambaugh with Reno.
A class-action lawsuit claims that the popular Beneful brand of dog food from Nestle Purina is killing dogs, reports the Top Class Actions blog. Plaintiff Frank Lucido alleges that one of his three dogs died and two others became seriously ill because of the dry “kibble” food, which the lawsuit blames on unsafe levels of propylene glycol and mycotoxins; the Daily Beast explains the latter are essentially a “toxic byproduct of mold.” The former is an FDA-approved additive that also happens to be a chemical used in antifreeze, though it’s a stand-in for the more toxic ethylene glycol.
WLWT reports propylene glycol is barred from cat food per the FDA, but a vet tells KTUL it hasn’t been proven as dangerous for dogs.
One of Lucido’s attorneys says the suit has become a class-action one because of similar complaints that have been piling up over the years. Legal Newsline reports the suit references at least 3,000 online complaints of dogs becoming sick or dying.
Internal bleeding, liver malfunction, vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, and weight loss are among the “consistent symptoms” mentioned, per the suit (which names these 8 kinds of Beneful).
“If it’s a hundred or so, it’s like, ‘OK, a lot of dogs eat Beneful; things happen,'” says lawyer Jeff Cereghino. “But when I look at 4,000? Holy hell, there’s a lot of people out here.” He tells the DB that he hopes to get court permission soon to dig into Beneful’s ingredients and conduct the necessary tests.
“As soon as we are able to, and the federal courts move at a fairly rapid rate, we will get discovery,” he says. Purina maintains that the suit is “without merit” and that the food is “enjoyed by millions of dogs each year” without problems.